Building Ireland magazine January 2018

The leading magazine for Ireland’s building professionals

January 2018 Edition / Vol. 4 - No.1

City East Construction A HOME FOR LIFE

MTM ENGINEERING Sub Mains Cabling Specialists

NOEL C. DUGGAN

McCOOL CONTROLS

HM ELECTRICS

INTEGRATED MATERIAL SOLUTIONS

Top-level Steel Fabricator

40 Years of Quality Service

Building Management Systems

The Waste Specialists

€3.95 £ 3.50

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BUILDING INTEGRITY COMMERCIAL | RESIDENTIAL FITOUT | RESTORATION LEISURE & SOCIAL DESIGN & BUILD HEALTH | PHARMACEUTICAL EDUCATION | REFURBISHMENT

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CONTENTS

ISSUE JANUARY/2018

Web: buildingirelandmagazine.ie

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INDUSTRY NEWS NOEL C. All the latest from the DUGGAN construction sector. ENGINEERING LTD.

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H.M. ELECTRICS LTD. Over 40 years experience in the electrical industry across multiple sectors.

23 CITY EAST CONSTRUCTION

10 WALLS ENGINEERING CO. LTD.

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13 INTEGRATED MATERIAL SOLUTIONS Operate Ireland’s only landfill site for construction & demolition materials.

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BOBBY FARRELL & SONS PAINTING CONTRACTORS

SKYLINE SCAFFOLDING LTD.

ABBEY ROOFING SPECIALISTS LTD.

Leading industrial & Top level steel Extensive experience commercial fabricator throughout in both commercial & scaffolding Ireland and Europe. residential painting & contractor. decorating.

Developers of the popular Cloch Chora homes in Corofin.

Continuing to stay strong in their 101st year.

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PJ FIRMAN & CO. One of the premier plumbing & heating contractors in the south east.

39 MTM ENGINEERING LTD. Sub mains cabling specialists for large scale industrial & commercial projects.

44 LEITRIM WARMER HOMES A Pobal CSP (Community Service Programme) with a two-pronged mission.

52 D. LYNCH & SONS Outstanding family fronted operation.

55 MICHAEL HIGGINS & CO. LTD. A stellar reputation for providing unrivalled mechanical engineering services.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be published or reproduced in any way without the written permission of the author or Lynn Group Media © Copyright Lynn Group Media 2018. The opinions expressed in Building Ireland do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publishers, their agents or Building Ireland. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication is correct, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors that may appear.

No matter how big or small the roofing needs, they can get it done.

60 COGAN & SHACKLETON LLP

MC COOL CONTROLS 32 Specialising in Building Management Systems in Ireland since 1991.

Proving exceptional MEP consultancy services throughout Ireland and the UK.

62 ETHVAN LTD. (MC CORMICK BUILDERS NI LTD.) Specialists in structural steel and re-inforced concrete, providing a complete design build service.

Building Ireland is published by DG Press, Kells Business Park, Kells, Co. Meath

Tel: (046) 9241923 Fax: (046) 9241926 E: contact@lynngroupmedia.com

MINISTER LAUNCHES CONSTRUCTION OF DONABATE DISTRIBUTOR ROAD

The Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy, TD, has launched the Donabate Distributor Road, which is the first LIHAF project under the Rebuilding Ireland programme to reach the construction stage.

The Minister, along with the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Mary McCamley, and Fingal County Council Chief Executive, Paul Reid, turned the first sod on the 4 km road which will run in an easterly direction from the R126 Hearse Road on the south-west of Donabate village, across the Dublin-Belfast railway line, before heading in a northerly direction to reconnect with the R126 on Portrane Road.

The Donabate Distributor Road is scheduled to take 18 months to complete and will create a muchneeded alternative road crossing of the railway line with the construction of a new bridge as well as creating better access to Donabate and Portrane and alleviating traffic congestion in the village. It will also improve access to the strategically important National Forensic Mental Hospital in Portrane when this national facility becomes BUILDING IRELAND

operational in two years’ time.

The cost of this LIHAF project will be €14.15 million with €10.61 million (75%) being funded by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government with match-funding of €3.54 million (25%) from Fingal County Council. MEIC Ltd has been appointed as contractors.

The Donabate Distributor Road is part of the Donabate Local Area Plan 20162022 which is designed to deliver social and physical infrastructure to the area in order to create sustainable communities. As well as a phased delivery of a wide range of house types and sizes there are also plans for the development of commercial and recreational facilities including the Donabate Recreation Hub, the Broadmeadow Greenway and the Corballis Nature Park.

The Distributor Road will lead to the provision of 1,200 units by 2021 with

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an anticipated potential build of 2,200 units being provided in the long-term.

That figure includes the construction of approximately 1,000 mixed tenure housing units on Council-owned land.

The Minister said: “The whole purpose of this scheme that is behind the Donabate Distributor Road is that it is actually about using a small bit of public money to do a bit of both. To do both public housing and private housing together and to open up new lands, open them up more quickly to get these houses built.”

The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Mary McCamley, said: “Around 3,600 new homes are envisaged within the Donabate Local Area Plan and the new Distributor Road will make a lot of that possible, including 1,000 mixed tenure homes on Council-owned land. The new road will also ease traffic congestion in Donabate village and make access to Portrane, Balcarrick and Corbalis much easier.”

The Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, Paul Reid, said: “This is the first of three LIHAF schemes which we have received approval for and when finished they will facilitate the construction of 6,900 new homes in Donabate, Swords and Baldoyle by the public and private sector. The Distributor Road is a key strategic aim of the Donabate Local Area Plan which provides for the future sustainable growth of the town through the implementation of three phases of development across land parcels located to the north, south, east and west of the existing town centre.”

Last March, Fingal County Council secured LIHAF funding for three strategic projects within the county, with a resulting projected yield of 2,800 housing units by 2021 and long-term potential to facilitate the provision of 6,900 units.

As well as the Donabate Distributor Road investment, €6.18 million was allocated for works in the Baldoyle Stapolin area which will lead to 800 housing units by 2021 and 1,500 beyond that. The third Fingal project is the upgrade in the Oldtown-Mooretown area of West Swords which will facilitate 800 housing units initially and 3,200 eventually, for an investment of €4.9 million towards a road.

CULTEC ASSISTS GIANT PRIMARY CARE CENTRE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN IRELAND

When an Ireland building contractor sought products to manage the stormwater runoff for 14 new primary care facilities, they found a solution manufactured by CULTEC, Inc., an American family-owned and -operated firm based in Brookfield, Conn.

The 14 centers are based in the following regions: HSE West, HSE South, HSE Dublin Mid Leinster and HSE Dublin North East. Balfour Beatty and JJ Rhatigan contracted with CULTEC to supply stormwater chambers for five new project locations. All five projects that utilized the CULTEC chambers were completed between December 2016 and March 2017.

Ireland’s then-Minister for Public

Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, announced in July 2012 the government’s intention to build 14 primary care centers to help address the nation’s health needs. The facilities provide comprehensive medical care, including community nursing services, general practitioners, occupational

therapy, physiotherapy and home help/support staff. The new clinics also provide dental services, mental health services, early intervention teams and on-call doctor services.

CULTEC chambers were used in the construction of centers in Ballymote, Westport, Tuam, and Waterford City. In Waterford City, about 100 miles south of Dublin, two new primary care centers were constructed.

Crews used CULTEC’s Recharger 902HD stormwater chambers in the construction of the five facilities. In total, Balfour Beatty used 352 CULTEC chambers to manage the stormwater runoff. With a bare chamber storage capacity of 17.66 ft³/ft the ultra-high capacity 902HD model offers the benefit of minimizing project costs by maximizing storage volume in a specific footprint.

“CULTEC chambers were considered for use on nearly every project”, according to David Newman, a stormwater attenuation specialist at SEWES, an authorized CULTEC distributor. “The 48-inch tall 902HD was chosen in part because it reduced the overall footprint of the project compared to other chambers that were available,’’ Newman said.

Newman said he uses CULTEC’s chambers exclusively when he is involved in these types of projects.

“They have great diversity,’’ Newman said. “Their chambers cater to different ground conditions and water levels.”

“The product is recognized in the market as being superior in terms of structural performance,’’ Newman added. “You know what you’re putting into the ground is not going to collapse.

The service and technical assistance are also excellent. CULTEC’s service

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was an important consideration in choosing them for this project.”

Many construction project managers have noted additional benefits of CULTEC’s chambers, including their easy storage, transporting and assembling capabilities. The individual units stockpile on pallets and are then configured according to design at the work site. “CULTEC trained us on doing the installation and their products met our expectations 100 percent,’’ Newman said.

The new facilities are a public private partnership (PPP) that aims to shift some of the healthcare burden from hospitals to community facilities.

European Investment Bank helped fund the project, its first healthcare investment in Ireland and its first support of any primary healthcare program in Europe.

Ireland’s government built the new centers as part of an economic stimulus plan and as part of a response to increased need to handle health issues in areas in which the population is expanding. The primary care centers had been originally proposed in 2008.

A lingering economic crisis delayed construction of many public projects.

Prior to the construction of the primary care centers, Newman said less densely populated areas in Ireland

were suffering from a lack of updated infrastructure. Now, with the help from CULTEC, residents in some of Ireland’s growing regions have much better access to contemporary healthcare.

“Our client is very happy,’’ Newman said. “We performed what we said we were going to do. The primary care centers are now brand spanking new and residents are very pleased with what they have in their communities.”

BUILDING IRELAND

CFIELD CONSTRUCTION HELPS BUILD FIELD OF DREAMS FOR DOWN SYDROME CORK

Field of Dreams, an educational and horticultural centre for adults with Down syndrome, was officially opened

by Minister Simon Coveney in Cork recently. CField Construction, who engaged in the project as the main contractor on a pro-bono basis, built the centre on the Curraheen Road. The project, pioneered by chairman of Down Syndrome Cork Ray O’Callaghan, is the first purpose-built facility of its kind in Ireland.

Field of Dreams includes a paved courtyard with two polytunnels, a series of garden spaces, as well as an admin building, kitchen, a road network and storage facilities. CEO at CField Construction, Barry Crowley said, “While there are supports for children with Down syndrome, much less is

available for the adult population. It is a unique concept with everything under one roof and we are delighted that the adults who use Field of Dreams will be able to achieve significant independence in this purpose-built facility.”

Speaking about his reasons for participating in the project on a probono basis, Barry Crowley continued, “I am indebted to my lifelong friend John Linehan who first made me aware of Ray’s hopes and aspirations for the Field of Dreams. Patrick and I were immediately attracted to the opportunity and committed to help make it a reality.

Personally, community projects are very close to my heart, and this one ticked all the boxes; it is a most deserving cause, it is local and you know every euro and every ounce of effort goes directly 100% to the cause. We are honoured Down Syndrome Cork accepted our offer to help and allowed CField to be part of the Field of Dreams. In addition to the work of our CField team, I’d

ADSTON COMPLETES RAPID BUILD HOUSING PROJECT FOR DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL

Adston has completed 24 rapid build two storey housing units, in partnership with Dublin City Council. From construction to completion, Adston has designed, manufactured and delivered, within six months, two and three bedroom houses to the Cherry Orchard site, in response to Dublin City Council’s need for social housing.

BUILDING IRELAND

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particularly like to thank our supply chain who operated on ‘not for profit’ basis and all of whom immediately accepted the challenge to contribute to the effort and keep costs as low as possible. Their commitment and efforts allowed us together to deliver excellent value to the Field of Dreams.”

There are over 360 members of Down Syndrome Cork and 170 of them are adults.

With a 95% rate of unemployment for adults with Down syndrome, Field of Dreams offers users a chance to learn, upskill and gain work experience in Cork businesses and integrate more into society.

“When you engage with the team at Down Syndrome Cork and Field of Dreams and witness the commitment the team has for their loved ones and their cause, it is impossible not to be captivated.,” said Michael Trench, Construction Director at CField Construction.

The recent Field of Dreams opening was attended by dignitaries including Minister Simon Coveney, Mayor of County Cork, Cllr. Declan Hurley, landscape gardener Diarmuid Gavin, solicitor Gerald Keane, and friends, family and members of Down Syndrome Cork.

CField Construction is a building and civil engineering contractor, with experience in a wide range of sectors operating throughout Ireland and the UK. Founded in 2011 by Patrick Crowley, the company is comprised of experienced professionals who have been at the heart of the construction industry for several years. CField Construction currently employees around 70 staff and has offices in Cork and London.

As one of the only construction companies, in Ireland and the UK, accredited in Ireland’s Build Off-site Property Assurance Scheme (BOPAS), Adston modernises traditional construction to build high quality and sustainable housing through a rapid build scheme using modular units, namely off-site modular construction.

Adston CEO, Francis Smith said on completion of this project, “This was a great project for us, it truly gave us the opportunity to show off-site construction at its best. With high

STRABANE MANUFACTURERS TO CREATE 83 NEW JOBS AND INVEST OVER £7M IN EXPANSION

Strabane-based Fabplus is planning to more than double its workforce and turnover with support from Invest Northern Ireland. The investment is part of a three year expansion plan to increase its market share in the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain, and gain a foothold in mainland Europe and Scandinavia.

Recruitment is underway to employ 83 additional staff at the business, including management roles and 70 new production staff. Fabplus’ £7million investment includes expanding its factory space, storage quality factory assembly units delivered direct to site, there was significantly less waste for our on-site contractors.

“Off-site construction has the potential to change the construction industry for various sectors. The end result is an airtight house with super insulation.

There is no doubt these houses will make great homes and will give families a great quality of life in the years to come.”

Dublin City Council awarded Adston with the tender for the construction of these social houses in order to develop

and R&D facilities, developing an inhouse powder coating and pipe optimisation capability and implementing a staff training plan.

Fabplus is a specialist supplier of bespoke pre-fabricated pipework.

Invest NI has offered the company over £786,000 towards its expansion, including £187,590 of R&D support, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Speaking following a visit to the company’s premises in Orchard Way, Invest NI’s Chief Executive Alastair Hamilton said: “Fabplus is an established family business in Strabane which has experienced considerable growth over the last five years. The company has been working in partnership with Invest NI during this time and developed a strong competitive advantage in the UK marketplace. affordable housing and to meet the needs of the rapidly increasing population in Dublin.

A spokesperson of Dublin City Council said “Adston’s wealth of knowledge and experience in the construction industry was detrimental to the success of this project and we are delighted with the result.

“Adston provided an efficient and proactive solution through offsite construction, combatting many of the traditional problems faced during construction, one in particular which we were conscious of, time. The fact

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“Its latest investment is a significant boost for our construction sector, the North West region and more broadly Northern Ireland’s manufacturing base, which has been facing commercial challenges in other areas. The 83 new jobs being created by 2019 will generate £1.7million annually in additional salaries to the local economy and take total employment at the firm to 138 people.

“Fabplus wants to take advantage of growth opportunities in mainland Europe and Scandinavia and is utilising our help and expertise to invest in the resources, capabilities, training and R&D needed to help achieve its objective.”

The family business is subsidiary of Mechanical Pipework Fabrication Limited (MPF), based in Lifford in the Republic of Ireland.

“Extending the factory by 48,000 sq ft will increase our production capacity and improve factory workflow. Adding breadth and depth to the management team will also introduce additional expertise into the business while implementing our innovative new processes will consolidate our market leading position with new and existing customers.”Darren McGavigan, director of Fabplus added: “This is an ambitious three year expansion plan which is designed to move our operations to a scale which can compete in the global marketplace.

Fabplus provides prefabricated pipework for use in fire sprinkler systems. Its equipment is installed in power stations, warehouses, retail buildings, hospitals, stadiums, apartment blocks and factories throughout Ireland and Great Britain. that six months ago, nothing stood on the Cherry Orchard site is remarkable.”

Francis continued, “We are very proud of the high standard of workmanship in Cherry Orchard, it is a great reflection of the highly motivated and skilled team of qualified professionals who work for us.

Adston, a company, which prides itself on its reputation, its diverse range of construction methods and solutions, will complete over 160,000 square feet of new build retail and commercial space for various clients throughout Ireland and the UK, this year.

BUILDING IRELAND

40 YEARS OF QUALITY SERVICE

Father and son duo – Hugh and Declan McAlary of H. M. Electrics

Company Director Hugh McAlary was responsible for sowing the seeds of H. M. Electrics four decades ago and today he is joined in the running of the everburgeoning company by his son Declan who is Operations Director.

E

ver since its foundation in 1977, H.M. Electrics have been providing Northern Ireland with their expertise in Electrical Installations and maintenance, completing projects with excellence both on time and in budget - with zero defects.

H.M. Electrics is a full service company approaching every project with the same care and attention to detail, boasting a vast knowledge base, built up through over 40 years’ experience in the electrical industry across multiple sectors.

H. M. Electrics has established itself BUILDING IRELAND

as a leader in the electrical construction industry providing an efficient service to its customers and surrounding community, they are committed to understanding each client’s requirements and being fit to tailor an individual set of procedures which are instrumental in delivering a successful project.

The company operates a “Contracting” division in which it competes in the local Industry to secure Installation Contracts in Industrial & Commercial Ventures, Sports & Leisure Facilities and Healthcare. To compliment this, they also have a Maintenance & Testing division that is responsible for both response and preventative maintenance for a number of local Authorities.

“We are very much a commercial and education sectors driven company but we also carry out some residential work as required,” Declan – who joined the family business as a 16-year-old 20 years ago – informed Building Ireland.

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“After serving his apprenticeship, my father set up the business and, thankfully, it is still going strong. We endured the same bump as everyone else in the industry recently but we survived it and the company is stronger now as a result.”

They offer the following services: Renewable Energy Installations, Generator Installations, Mains and Sub Mains Distribution, UPS Systems, General Power Installations, Internal/External Lighting Solutions, Fire Detections & Alarms, Data/IT Installations, CCTV Systems, Intruder Alarm Systems, Access Control Systems, PA & Voice Alarm Systems, Nurse Call Systems, Intelligent Building Systems, DDA Installations, Portable Appliance Testing, Maintenance and Periodic Inspection Reporting.

H.M. Electrics Ltd believes that completing a quality project on time and within budget requires a combination of trusted procedures developed over time in a competitive marketplace.

Renowned as a leader in the electrical contracting industry, H. M. Electrics was founded in 1977

Hugh & Declan looking at plans

Hugh, Declan and the company’s 40-strong workforce are passionately committed to the concept of perfect delivery. The Construction Industry is constantly changing and working together as a team makes it achievable to overcome complications, find the correct solution and as a result sustain a happy relationship with their clients.

An approved NICEIC contractor, they are qualified and experienced to provide the following industry approved certificates for: Electrical Fixed Wire Test & Inspection (BS 7671), Emergency Lighting Test & Inspection, Electrical Portable Appliance Testing (PAT), Electrical Fixed Appliance Testing and Visual Safety Electrical Survey Reports.

In addition, they provide electrical maintenance services for a number of clients to ensure safety and security. The key elements of their electrical maintenance service includes: Reactive maintenance team province wide, Cost effective maintenance packages, Electrical equipment breakdown repair and Energy Saving repair recommendations.

The company’s impressive project portfolio includes Foyle College and Ebrington Primary & Nursery School,

“We take great pride in our Health & Safety record” – Declan McAlary

Magherafelt High School, Specialist Joinery Group, Omagh Leisure Centre, Audi Showroom, Mid Ulster Hospital, Queens University Belfast Library, SDC Trailers and Ulster University Coleraine campus, to name but a few.

“We are currently working on Newtownards Leisure Centre, which is an 18 -month contact, and are closing in on completion on Foyle College and Ebrington Primary & Nursery School, and a new Showroom in Belfast for Porsche”

N.I. Ltd.

The Local Supplier with National Power

Branches in Omagh, Limivady, Letterkenny, Buncrana

Wishing continued success to

H.M. Electrics

Best Wishes & Continued Success To

H.M. Electrics

6 Balliniska Business Park Springtown IND. EST. L/Derry, N. Ireland, BT48 0LY

T: 028 796 28505 E: info@heronbros.com

tel: 028 71360110 www.cableandaccessories.co.uk

2 St. Patrick’s Street, Draperstown, Magherafelt BT45 7AL 7

BUILDING IRELAND

Fine example of a sports & lesiure project

Declan added.

“Business is going well. Our experience is a big thing that appeals to our customers while we also take great pride in our Health & Safety record. We cover all of the north and we also travel further afield if and when required. But, our main focus is on the north.”

Declan continued: “Looking ahead to the future, we’d be very optimistic that we will be able to sustain our growth.

We’ve been on the go for the last 40 years so hopefully we’ll still be here in another 40 years!”

Looking for an electrical company with the expertise, and proven track record, to manage the job from start to completion? One that delivers what they say - on time and on budget. Then you need to talk to H. M. Electrics Ltd!

H.M Electrics complete projects with excellence both on time and within budget

H.M. Electrics Ltd T: 028 7964 2112 F: 028 7964 3945 E: enquiries@hmelectrics.com W: www.hmelectrics.com

H. M. Electrics operates a “Contracting” division in which it competes in the local Industry to secure Installation Contracts in Industrial & Commercial Ventures, Sports & Leisure Facilities and Healthcare BUILDING IRELAND

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H.M. Electrics

Best Wishes & Continued Success to from

Wishing

H.M. Electrics

continued success

213-215 Donegall Avenue, Belfast BT12 6LU T: +44(0)28 9027 8653 F: +44(0)28 90314713 www.chromalighting.co.uk @chromalighting

H.M. Electrics

We are proud to be suppliers of and wish them all the best for the future.

Best wishes to H.M. Electrics from Laurence, Dennis and the team @ KI Network Solutions.

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BUILDING IRELAND

A CENTURY’S SUCCESS FOR WALLS ENGINEERING

Walls Engineering has completed a wide range of high quality projects throughout Ireland

Last year saw Walls Engineering mark 100 years in existence so Building Ireland felt it was about time it caught up with one of the country’s leading structural steel engineering firms.

H

ow many businesses last a century? While it remains a difficult one to answer, Co Carlow-based company Walls Engineering continues to stay strong in its 101st year with more than 50 staff and plenty of projects on hand at the moment.

A third generation wholly Irish owned family run business, Walls Engineering is based at Walls Forge, Chapelstown on the

BUILDING IRELAND

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Tullow Road and specialises in the design, detailing, fabrication and erection of steel structures, along with operating an extensive general engineering workshop.

The company’s highly experienced staff and state of the art equipment have allowed it to become a major player within the industry and its adaptability, skill and experience is proven by past results.

Conor Wall is the company’s current Managing Director and outlined what the business is all about to Building Ireland when we caught up with him recently.

“We’re in Chapelstown, Co Carlow and the company is established 101 years now. We’ve 53 staff and my father Peter and my brother Peter jnr are part of the directorship here,” Conor explained.

“We specialise in the design, detailing, fabrication and erection of steel structures and we are also operating an extensive general engineering workshop,” “We carry out work for ESB headquarters and other big names in Dublin. At the moment we’re working on two big projects in the UK so business is good.”

Walls Engineering comprises of two separate sections within the company; the first being Structural Steel and General Engineering works section and the second being the Mechanical Services and Utilities section headed under the management of brothers Conor and Peter Wall jnr, respectively.

The Mechanical and Utilities division operate an efficient and reliable 24-hour on call service to Bord Gais Networks along with being involved with both mechanical and civil works for AGI capacity upgrades to the existing gas network.

At Walls Engineering, they are committed to working with clients on projects of all types and offer a full range of structural steel services. Projects range from large complex structures to light commercial buildings and their manufacturing facility houses the equipment and personnel capable of handling all aspects of structural steel.

With state of the art production equipment integrated with design software it allows the firm to operate in a highly efficient manner.

Walls Engineering also takes pride in the quality of its products, and are supported

by Quality Assurance Accreditation ISO 9001:2008.

As aforementioned, Walls Engineering is a third generation family firm and its history dates way back to the early 1900s when it commenced operations from their forge and over the years has advanced accordingly to cater for market demands.

The firm has grown to become a leading supplier of structural steel and secondary steel components within the Irish construction industry and plays an extensive role within the gas and utilities sector.

Throughout its history Walls Engineering has successfully completed a wide range of high quality projects all over Ireland and have grown to earn a solid track record for producing high quality steel structures and secondary steel solutions.

Using the most up to date design and manufacturing equipment, the Carlow-

based company is committed to fabricating and delivering top quality steel structures and steel components to its clients.

Some of recent projects of the business have ranged from Industrial units, Complex steel structures, Call Centres, Garage Showrooms and Waste water treatment facilities.

While their secondary steel solutions range from Mezzanine floor structures, stairs, access platforms, hand railing, access ladders and an extensive range of steel components.

While Conor admits that the economic downturn had its effect on the business, he also points out that its trusted name and loyal clientele helped it come through it to the point where

The company is established 101 years

The firm has grown to become a leading supplier of structural steel

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BUILDING IRELAND

it is now thriving again.

“We would have been scaled back by the downturn but we’ve built up a good reputation here and the family is wellknown, so customers tend to stick with us,” he said.

“We’ve jobs with Bennett Construction for student accommodation on Dorset Street and we’re also working on a job with them in Trinity.

“We’ve another data centre job going on in Blanchardstown, Paypal in Dundalk and Google and Facebook on Dorset Street as well.”

Customer satisfaction has always been the goal at Walls Engineering and the general feeling amongst the company’s directorship is that it’s what brings clients back to them time and again, as their preferred supplier for their expertise and involvement on their projects.

“I suppose clients choose us first because of our commitment to the programme,” said Conor.

“We give the resources needed to complete a project and we’re completing our work on time for them.”

Walls Engineering guarantees total quality control of structural steelwork during manufacture and installation from start to finish and also possesses the skills, manpower, plant and expertise to deliver any structural steel project throughout the country.

The company also boasts an impressive general engineering workshop which has been in operation over the

Walls Engineering is a third generation family-run business

last 35 years, providing an excellent prompt service to all industries.

With regards to onsite facilities, Walls Engineering has approximately eight on site crews. These highly skilled operatives have fully equipped vans, allowing them to carry out installations, repair work and fabricate on site as required.

In more recent times the company has decided to make an expansion to its facility on the Tullow Road, as Conor explained: “We are expanding capacity-wise here. We are just after putting a new extension to our headquarters here in Chapelstown.”

So if it’s experts in the fabrication and erection of structural steelwork and cladding for either the Industrial, Commercial or Leisure sectors that you require, look no further than Walls Engineering.

Walls Engineering Co. Ltd Walls Forge, Chapelstown, Tullow Road, Co Carlow Tel: 059 9142843 Fax: 059 9142344 E-Mail: sales@wallsengineering.ie Web: www.wallsengineering.ie

The company use the most up to date design and manufacturing equipment

John Flanagan & Co.

Best wishes to

Best Wishes To Walls Engineering From

Walls Engineering

Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors www.pjnolan.ie

Carlow Gateway Business Centre, Athy Road, Carlow

Telephone: 059 9132790 Email: info@jflanagan.ie www.jflanagan.ie BUILDING IRELAND

T: +353 59 9131764

Find everything you need for your new bathroom at the BathStore.

Chapelstown, Tullow Rd, Carlow

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'We are fully committed and obliged under our EPA licences to manage and operate our facilities to the highest possible standards'

IMS: THE WASTE SPECIALISTS

Under waste legislation Construction and Demolition waste is defined as ‘all waste that arises from construction, renovation and demolition activities’. It includes soil and stone, surplus and damaged products and materials arising at construction works or used temporarily during on-site activities together with dredge spoil.

Guidelines are in place to promote an integrated approach to the management of this waste stream.

They are designed to promote sustainable development, environmental protection and the optimum use of resources. The guidelines introduce the concept of integrated waste management planning for construction projects

above certain thresholds.

Integrated Material Solutions Ltd is an EPA approved company that operate Ireland's only landfill site for construction and demolition materials.

Located in the Naul, Co. Dublin, the site has been in operation since the summer and IMS managing director Cian O'Hora is keen to get the word that they are open for business out into

I

f you are responsible for carrying out a construction and demolition project, you must ensure that you have a waste management plan for all waste generated as a result of this activity and ensure that is segregated so that it can be reused, recycled or disposed of in an appropriate way.

Where construction or demolition wastes cannot be reused or recycled, that waste must be transported to authorised waste facilities using the services of authorised waste collectors.

The site has been in operation since summer 2017

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BUILDING IRELAND

IMS have many years' experience behind them

into action in the near future.”

IMS employ five people at the site and Cian stressed that all are highly trained and efficient at what they do, while health and safety is a key area of the business.

“To dispose of the waste in the proper manner, the employees need to know their jobs inside out and to be fair to the guys here, they are very experienced and knowledgable at what they do.

“Health and Safety is something that we take very seriously and the procedures have been put in place that our employees follow in order to reduce or cut out the risk of accidents. It is our aim to achieve a working environment, which is free of work-related accidents and ill health and to this end the company will pursue continuing improvements from year to year.”

Cian added that they are currently in the process of going through the procedure of obtaining the necessary accreditation to carry out their work to the highest standard

the public domain.

“We have been operational since the summer and already our customer base has increased during those intervening months. The landfill is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and we have invested a great deal in order to have the facility meeting all legislation requirements,” said Cian.

“Already, we would have some of the biggest construction firms bringing their C&D waste to us, where it is disposed of accordingly.”

Cian revealed that all waste is brought to them by the customers' own fleet. “We wouldn't operate a fleet of trucks, all waste is transported to us and then we take care of it from there. Everything that comes to us is pre-approved and we make sure that it is safe to dispose of properly.”

Located just off exit five on the M50, their location allows their customer easy access to the facility, which is capable of housing eight million tonnes of waste.

“The facility is a disused limestone quarry that has been properly lined to allow it to be operated as a landfill site. We are the only company in the country doing this, so the aim is to increase the customer base considerably over the next few months.”

A half million tonnes of waste is expected to enter the site annually and Cian added that they are still in the fledgling stages of the business.

“We are licensed to accept 500,000 tonnes of inert Construction & Demolition (C&D) and inert dredging spoils per annum. The licence sets out in detail the conditions under which we are required to operate and manage the facility to ensure that activities do not cause environmental pollution.

“We would certainly have big plans for the future. We have obtained a new licence to recover waste and we will be putting that BUILDING IRELAND

The landfill site is located in the Naul, Co. Dublin

14

Best wishes and continued success to Integrated Material Solutions

Best wishes to Integrated Material Solutions from all of us at Shannon Valley Group 15

BUILDING IRELAND

Environment, Health & Safety is of paramount importance

possible. “All the audits have been done and the systems are in place.

This is something that our predecessors had done already and we are just carrying on their good work.

"Our overall objectives are to enhance the environment at our site by implementing programmes of controlled restoration, and to research, develop and facilitate waste management and recovery options for the construction and related sectors.

IMS is conscious that wasterelated activities have the potential to impact on the environment.

"We are fully committed and obliged under our EPA licences to manage and operate our facilities to the highest possible standards thus ensuring that our activities do not cause environmental pollution."

Some of the biggest construction firms bring their C&D waste to Integrated Material Solutions

Contact Details:

Integrated Material Solutions Sallowood View, Tooman, Co. Dublin Hours: Open today ¡ 8a.m.–6p.m.

Phone: (01) 843 3744 BUILDING IRELAND

IMS are licensed to accept 500,000 tonnes of C&D Waste per annum

16

Demolition - Deconstruction - Soft Strip Asbestos Removal And Disposal Metal Recycling

Best wishes to Integrated Material Solutions from

17

BUILDING IRELAND

The origins of the business date all the way back to 1875

143 YEARS AND COUNTING

Noel C. Duggan Engineering Ltd in Co Cork has been a top-level steel fabricator throughout Ireland and Europe for some time now. Building Ireland learned about what the company has been up to lately from Barry C Duggan, who is fourth generation in the family-run business.

Structural steel is the core of Noel C Duggan Engineering Ltd BUILDING IRELAND

Noel C Duggan is a top-level steel fabricator throughout Ireland and Europe

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F

Their modern production facility utilises the most up to date machinery and highly trained workforce

(Martina and Gena) that look after the hardware end of the business and my brother Thomas runs the Green Glens Arena,” he explained.

“My son is also involved in the business now so that makes him fifth generation. Andrew Duggan (founder) was my greatgrandfather. My father is Noel C, who the company is named after, and my son’s name is Noel T.” It’s certainly come full circle out Millstreet way and Barry’s end of the business has always been structural steel and will continue to be. It’s the company’s “core”, according to the man himself, and he points out that they are the oldest structural steel business in Ireland today.

Noel C. Duggan Engineering operates out of a technologically advanced 8,000m2 fabrication facility, with a highly skilled team, allowing the company to produce in excess of 15,000 tons of steel annually.

The modern production facility situated in the town of Millstreet utilises the most up to date machinery and the highly trained workforce enables the steel fabrication company to achieve a high standard of engineering at a very competitive price.

Using local knowledge and extensive experience the company serves a wide range of customers with professional, prompt and efficient services. Its business success can be largely Situated in Millstreet, Co attributed to the skills of the staff, their attitude Cork the company and team spirit which provided the foundation for currently employs 50 staff

ounded back in 1875 by Andrew Duggan, Noel C. Duggan Engineering Ltd provides steel fabrication services to a wide range of customers in Ireland and throughout the rest of the continent.

The company is situated in Millstreet, Co Cork and currently employs 50 staff, placing a strong emphasis on high quality workmanship and excellent level of customer service throughout its 143 years (and counting).

The family run business has established itself as one of Ireland’s leading steel fabricators and its current Managing Director Barry Duggan was good enough to take time from his hectic schedule to inform Building Ireland what they’ve been up to as of late.

“We have a lot of irons in the fire presently. I’ve two sisters

The company produces in excess of 15,000 tons of steel annually

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BUILDING IRELAND

the culture of Noel C. Duggan Engineering Ltd. However, as a company they go further. What distinguishes Noel C. Duggan Engineering Ltd is their approach towards relationship with customers. To them, each customer relationship is a unique partnership.

Protecting the environment is very important to the team as well and there is a proactive programme in place to encourage the "reduce, re-use and recycle" philosophy whenever possible.

Changing a few things helps to improve their health while helping the environment to assure a cleaner world for future generations. Noel C. Duggan Engineering is committed to the reduction and control of pollution.

The company’s flexibility offers in design and fabrication is virtually unlimited.

The in-house detailing staff utilises Strucad detailing system from Acecad Software & Tekla to provide the accuracy and the level of detail required in today’s steel construction industry.

The professional engineering staff designs the end connections of all members to assure that the structural integrity fully meets all specifications.

Noel C. Duggan Engineering Ltd detailers, under the direction of the professional engineering staff, perform the detailing function to the highest level of accuracy and skill in a timely and cost effective manner. In the event that out-sourced detailing efforts are needed, they have a wide range of professional firms that they utilize who will meet the needs of any project specifications.

Projects of note in recent times include the Old Dell Plant in Limerick and Mater Private in Cork, while the company are also working on a project for Project Tile in Mulhuddart, Co Dublin.

In Naas, Noel C. Duggan Engineering Ltd has been working on a project constructed by Irish International Trading which is a

Quality work is always guaranteed

Best Wishes & Continued Success To Noel C. Duggan Engineering From

LEADING SUPPLIER OF MACHINE TOOLS & ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT TO IRISH INDUSTRY

Industrial, Heavy duty and Marine Coatings

Best Wishes & Continued Success Noel C. Duggan Engineering

Unit 9,Ashbourne Business Centre, Ashbourne,Co. Meath.

WWW.LISTERMACHINETOOLS.COM

Tel: 00353 (0)1 8352900 Fax: 00353 (0)1 8352901 www.ipccoatings.net

T: +353 1 4508866 E: sales@listermachinetools.com P.O. Box 838, Bluebell Ind Est., Dublin 12

BUILDING IRELAND

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Best wishes to and continued success to

Noel C. Duggan Engineering from Esemono

Wishing continued success to

Noel C. Duggan Engineering

www.bphire.ie

A leading supplier of lift equipment for uses in all industries.

Dublin 045 900 932 Cork 021 463 5600

21

BUILDING IRELAND

brand new depot in the Kildare town which Barry says “is huge” in warehousing terms.

“It’s 600 feet long and 100,000 square feet right beside the M7 motorway,” he explained.

“We also have a brand new Land Rover Garage in Cork that we’re working on for Johnson and Perrott.”

All things considered, it’s safe to say that business is in a fairly good place now for Noel C. Duggan Engineering Ltd and Barry concurs that times are much better now than the struggles of a decade ago.

He’s confident that business will continue to improve as it has been over the past couple of years.

“You have reason to be optimistic for the future,” he said. “In 2008, it completely went off and it took a lot of surviving but we got through it and thankfully things are moving in the right direction. “(During the recession) we needed a conscious effort to get small quickly. We did that and our numbers are growing again now.”

So what’s the secret to keeping a family business alive and, seemingly, now thriving again after the best part of a century-anda-half?

Barry says quality of work and the ability to retain clients is very much half the battle.

Noel C. Duggan Engineering Ltd has always prided itself on the quality of finished product it has produced and the company’s namesake’s son has ensured to usher in the very same approach.

“We actually tend to get an awful lot of repeat business and a lot of that comes down to our trustworthiness and reputation for quality,” he stated.

“We have key people in the steel business and we have good people who produce good quality as well. People come back to us because they know they’ll get that quality.”

After 143 years, what more can you ask for than that?

Environment, health and safety is top priority at Noel C Duggan Engineering

Noel C. Duggan Engineering Ltd Main Street, Millstreet, Co. Cork Tel: +353 (0) 29 70039 info@noelcduggan.com

BUILDING IRELAND

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CLOCH CHORA: A HOME FOR LIFE

Cloch Chora development in Corofin, Co Galway

Buying a home whether it be a first time buyer or those looking to upgrade or downsize can be a stressful affair as choosing the right home is one of the biggest decisions that any of us will ever make.

one drawback felt by many when purchasing in a housing estate is that every home is the same with maybe a three or four bedroom dwelling the only choice on offer.

Variety is the spice of life as they say and we all like to be a little different and especially when it comes to our homes so that is why the Cloch Chora development in Corofin, Co Galway is proving to be so popular as it is one of the few housing estates in the country that offer a wide range of four and five bedroom homes all designed differently.

Yes, that is a fact, no two homes are the same, so when purchasing the home owner is not only moving into a state of

G

enerally when seeking a home, housing estates are the preferred choice for many as they are usually located in urban areas near all local amenities. The

Cloch Chora is a 30-house development

With new revised allowances for first time buyers, now is the perfect time to buy

23

BUILDING IRELAND

the art premises, but one that is unique to the rest in the area.

The building contractor developing these homes are City East Construction and managing director Stephen Greaney told Building Ireland all about the project.

“It is a 30-house development with 15 already built and sold.

The next 15 will be completed over the next 14-18 months.

There is a range of four and five bedroom, which are all detached and have their own design, meaning no two houses are designed the same,” said Stephen.

All homes are either A3 or A2 Ber Ratings. Ber Ratings or a Building Energy Ratings is similar to the energy rating of your household appliances with a rating scheme ranging from A to G. 'A’ Ber ratings are the most energy efficient houses, these houses are highly insulated with very low carbon emissions.

The benefits of the Ber ratings are to make the energy usage of a house transparent to prospective buyers or leasers,as well to make the homeowner more conscious of the energy needed to heat and run the home for the future.

“The homes are all being developed to the highest spec. We have many years's experience in the construction industry and I myself have a degree in construction management.

"Our goal is to deliver all projects to the highest quality, in a safe, cost effective and timely manner. We aim to form lasting relationships with clients by delivering excellence in a friendly, engaging and professional manner and see this as a key measure of the success of our business."

City East Construction use a team of trusted and dedicated

“The homes are all being developed to the highest spec”

Each house has a unique design

sub contractors that know what the main contractor expects of them.

“Relationships and teamwork have been vital to building our past success and will be key to our future. Our team have a diverse range of skills and are committed to working closely with our Clients, professional teams and supply chains to develop pragmatic, innovative and cost effective solutions to

All homes are either A3 or A2 Ber Ratings BUILDING IRELAND

24

Best wishes and continued success to

City East Construction

Best wishes to City East Construction from

Supply and Fit Specialists

CUTTINGEDGETILES.IE / T: 091-764333 Branches at Briarhill Business Park and Westside Business Center, Galway.

25

BUILDING IRELAND

City East Construction use a team of trusted and dedicated sub-contractors

either. It is very busy at the moment, but it won't go as crazy as it was in the past. The banks are releasing money a bit more freely which has helped, while the Government's Help to Buy scheme has certainly proven to be popular and we have a number of people that have bought homes here using that scheme.”

One area of concern that Stephen feels needs addressing is the shortage of skilled workers in the country at present.

“This is certainly a situation that needs to be addressed. A lot of guys left the country when the recession hit and they haven't returned, meaning there is a shortage of skilled workers. There are not many new tradesmen coming through as young people weren't prepared to forge a career in the construction industry during the recession and who could blame them.”

achieve maximum value on each and every project.

“All the sub contractors that we use have a good work relationship with us for many years and all are very experienced at what they do. They all play a part in the success of this development.”

The Architects, Civil and Structural Engineers and Assigned Certifier on the project was Shane Hanniffy, Chartered Engineer of S. Hanniffy & Associates Consulting Engineers, Maree, Oranmore, Co. Galway who specialise in Architectural Design, Structural and Civil Engineering, Planning Applications, PSDP and Assigned Certifier roles.

Stephen admits that there has been a noticeable upturn construction work being carried out, not only in Dublin, but around the country also.

“There is a lot more work ongoing compared to about 18 months ago. In Galway alone, there are many sites on the go.

We are totally focused on our current project at Cloch Chora in Corofin. The new motorway has made a massive difference in travelling time from the city out to Corofin. It bypasses Claregalway, which had been a massive bottle neck for years.

Corofin is just four miles from the motorway and since it opened, it has been a great selling point for us.

“In fact, we have pre-sold a few of the houses that are currently under construction. The prices range from €280,000 for a four-bedroom home to €320,000 for a five-bed house.”

Stephen added that even though the focus is on Cloch Chora, they are always looking to the future and further developments.

“It is essential to plan ahead and we have a few projects in the early stages yet, all of which are subject to planning, but hopefully we will get the go ahead in the near future.”

The company MD is confident that despite their being a major increase in the workload within the construction industry, he doesn't envisage a return to the Celtic Tiger days.

“No, I don't think that will happen and hopefully it won't BUILDING IRELAND

Contact Details: City East Construction Claregalway, Co Galway

26

Best wishes to Stephen and all at City East Construction from

“Wishing continued success to City East Construction”

www.hrheatingplumbing.ie

“Best wishes to City East Construction” t: 091877277 e: peterkreations@gmail.com / tomkreations@gmail.com Raheen Ind Est, Athenry, Co Galway

27

BUILDING IRELAND

PJ Firman & Co was set up in 1967

FIFTY YEARS OF HEATING AND PLUMBING EXCELLENCE

Industry-leading plumbing and heating engineers PJ Firman & Co. Ltd. celebrated their 50th anniversary in October, 2017. To mark this landmark milestone, we travelled to Latimerstown in County Wexford and met Sheila Roche to find out more about this outstanding, long-serving family business.

S

ince its inception more than half a century ago, PJ Firman & Co. Ltd. has forged a stellar reputation as one of the premier plumbing and heating contractors in the south east, providing efficient, costeffective solutions across a wide range of areas including – but by no means limited to – general plumbing and BUILDING IRELAND

heating; water treatment services; boiler, stove and renewable systems; and solar thermal & PV. Professional and thorough from start to finish of every job, including design, installation and servicing / maintenance, PJ Firman & Co. Ltd. boasts the expertise and flexibility to work on projects both large and small for commercial and residential clients alike, invariably delivering on time and within budget, irrespective of the complexity of the work.

The business is fully-certified and embraces the latest technology, methods, products and techniques, with a major emphasis on Health & Safety permeating every facet of dayto-day operations, which are carried out by skilled, experienced and highlyqualified engineers, all fully

28

adept at working comfortably in live environments if and when required.

By providing clients with services they can depend upon, this exceptional, thirdgeneration family business has thrived for more than five decades and the signs are extremely encouraging that they will continue to go from strength to strength well into the foreseeable future.

Installing roof panels

“The business was established in October, 1967 by my father, Peter Firman, who was following in his father, Frank’s footsteps,” says Sheila, reflecting on the genesis of PJ Firman & Co. “Dad started out doing local work and developed the business gradually, building a fantastic team around him, which remains one of the characteristics of the business today.

“We have been very lucky with employees and tradesmen over the years. We’ve always been able to call upon good men, excellent workers and a dedicated team, with a lot of different family members involved through the generations.”

Very much a family business, PJ Firman & Co. Ltd. is today fronted by Peter’s son David (operations director) and daughters Susie and Sheila (directors). “We really do have a wonderful crew around us and we’d be lost without them,” Sheila continues. “Staff have been like family to us and have been instrumental in the success of the business.”

Elaborating on the services provided, Sheila says: “We do all

Hotpress installation

types of general plumbing and heating as well as water treatment services. In this area, we are agents for Avoca, who are Ireland’s No.1 water treatment provider. In solar thermal we are partners with ThermoSolar – Europe’s leading solar panel manufacturer. We also specialise in boiler, stove and aerothermal heat systems and are gas-registered installers – certified by RGII and SEAI to install and service all oil, gas and renewable energy systems.”

For any business associated with the build environment to reach its 50th anniversary is quite an accomplishment – especially considering the volatile nature of the economy and the fact that we have encountered more than one recession during this period. “After 50 years, we are still here for a reason,” Sheila comments. “We are a local business first and foremost and we endeavour at all times to serve local people as best we can, be they contractors or householders.

“We afford all our domestic and commercial clients the same degree of professionalism and customer care, with all work carried out by qualified and trained engineers, who are upskilled on a regular basis as we move with the times that are in it.

“We’ve been fortunate and honoured to work with excellent contractors over the years, who have brought us along with

Industry leading plumbing and heating engineers Susie, Peter, Shelia and David

A full range of water treatment and softening products are on offer

At the Ideal Homes Exhibition

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BUILDING IRELAND

them. As they have grown, we have grown and those partnerships have been very important. We’ve also done a lot of local authority, OPW, school and hotel work and have built up a huge, loyal customer base over the years, always trying to work locally wherever possible. We’re proud to have worked extensively all over Wexford, Dublin and the south east and in order to do this we have been able to call upon excellent suppliers the length and breadth of Ireland.”

PJ Firman & Co. have been keeping the people of Wexford warm for 50 year and Sheila says they are looking forward to the next 50: “You have to know what you are doing and our men are very good.

You need to look after your customers. You have to be confident that you will leave the job right and to this end we do all our work to the highest possible standards. We leave it as we would like to be left for ourselves. There’s no other way – all work has to be carried out properly and left right. We endeavour to use the best possible materials at the best possible prices and have established great relationships with suppliers, which we pass on to customers. We’ve built up unrivalled expertise over the years and provide a local, reliable, professional and friendly service.

“You have to offer a full range of services,” Sheila concludes. “We try to design the best system possible to suit the client’s needs and we make ourselves available around the clock to advise people and to share the expertise that we have acquired over the past 50 years. As it says on our vans, “We leave No Tap Unturned.”

Some of the team at PJ Firman & Co celebrating 50-years

Underfloor heating piping

PJ Firman & Co. Ltd., Latimerstown, Wexford, Y35 WC93 Tel: 053 9143018 Email: info@firmanplumbing.ie Web: www.firmanplumbing.ie

A hotel roof pipe route

An installation of a solar system BUILDING IRELAND

PJ Firman & Co in Latimerstown, Wexford

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Congratulations to PJ Firman + Co on their 50th Anniversary, from Tony, David & all the team at

Ltd.

www.eurosales.ie

Best wishes & continued success to Designing, manufacturing and supplying a wide range of highly efficient and reliable heating products.

t: 01-6680477

PJ Firman & Co

grantengineering.ie t: (057) 912 0089

We serve the electrical, lighting, telecommunications, health, hospitality ,facility maintenance, wholesale, state , semi state and construction sectors.

Crinkle, Birr, Co Offaly, R42 D788

Best wishes & continued success to

FRAYNE CONSTRUCTION LTD PJ Firman + Co from

Specialising in Renovations and all aspects of Building Work.

Over 40 years experience. t: 087-2618636 or 087-7747761 e: frayneconstruction@gmail.com The Lodge, Glenbrook, Wexford

Best wishes to PJ Firman + Co

Best wishes to PJ Firman + Co 31

BUILDING IRELAND

Eir headquarters

CONNECTED, COMPLETE, CONTROL

McCool Controls and Engineering Ltd is a family-run business specialising in Building Management Systems in Ireland since 1991. The Dublin-based company is also pioneering the delivery of Internet of Things (IoT) Solutions which will revolutionise BMS, Lighting and Data Harvesting Systems in Ireland, according to Eรณin McCool.

McCool Controls & Engineering (MC3E) was set-up in 1991 BUILDING IRELAND

A device for dynamic flow reading

32

M

BACnet and M-bus protocols. The HTML webserver software allowing remote access for up to 30 concurrent users allowed unprecedented flexibility for our clients. During our recent works for Jones Engineering HQ building they naturally wanted a sleek cutting edge product for their HQ and Elesta fitted the bill perfectly.”

It seems that the benefits from advanced products spurred McCool Controls on for later innovations as Eóin explained: “We could see the gaps and the market. We could see that the industry wasn’t delivering façade management to the optimum – hence we teamed up with WindowMaster to provide specialist Integrated FMS-BMS solutions with prestigious FMS solutions delivered in sites such as Enniskillen hospital, Arups Dublin and Eir Headquarters.”

Similarly, we could see the benefits to contractors in us providing quality EU manufactured mechanical plant items as part of turnkey offerings; for example, providing BMS solutions on large-scale district heating sites with companies like M&P mechanical inspired us to develop a partnership with German Heat Interface Unit Manufacturer Meibes.

Meibes also produce technically advanced Pressure Independent Control Valves with accompanying prefabricated Manifold Valve system for use in commercial developments.

Recently completed was Charlemont Place Office Block for Oakmount Developments working with McKeon Bros Mechanical Contractors and OCSC consulting Engineers with over 400 PICV Manifold Valve Systems.

But it’s clear that McCool Controls have not lost any of their ambition or passion for innovation as Eóin enthusiastically explained: ”We have made a big leap in the past 12 months developing a product portfolio for full smart building systems.

We recently signed a partnership with Igor Technologies, an American company, to deliver PoE Lighting and sensory systems to Ireland.

“It is going to revolutionise lighting systems in Ireland. Lighting is ubiquitous in buildings and when we utilise this to create a Digital Ceiling the potential for smart Building applications are endless. What’s more it reduces installation costs for contractors also so its benefiting everyone involve with the Building.

“The announcement of the partnership with Igor Inc. was made this past October and is set to deliver Igor’s Power-overEthernet Lighting, Control, and Data Harvesting Solution to the Irish intelligent building market.”

But you need further agility to provide full IoT offerings as McCool’s explained: “Advances in Wireless technology means we can now provide long range, low power IoT Sensors for critical applications where it is prohibitively expensive to wire cables. With battery life of 7-10 years and ranges up to 250 metres through walls we can now easily monitor many parameters … fridge temperature monitoring, occupancy, gas detection, power monitoring, critical alarms, vibrations, temperature, humidity, Open/closed status etc. Connect onto a BMS or use a window based or cloud based software. Connect via Wifi, 868 Mhz or a cellular modem if preferred.”

McCools have this broad portfolio of connected devices, and increasingly manufacturers are developing connected devices with accompanying apps but how do Building owners manage all this.

McCool controls are acutely aware of this as Eóin outlined: “Sitting above all our connected devices, or third party devices, we have IoT Webstudio that can knit all these devices and systems together into one User Interface for the client with all items sitting on a converged network.

“The real power comes from the power of the IoT Webstudio as it integrates Building Services Operational Technology (OT)

cCool Controls & Engineering (MC3E) was set-up in 1991 to meet the growing demand for hi-spec controls systems in the construction industry, with its headquarters situated at Docklands Innovation Park in Dublin.

Once established, MC3E fast became the industry leader working on the most prestigious and large-scale projects in the country, whilst successfully completing projects of all sizes and descriptions to the complete satisfaction of contractors, consultants and end users. Projects ranged from Hewlett Packard in Leixlip, to the Blanchardstown Centre in Dublin, Coca Coola Plant in Mayo and the National Maritime College in Cork.

In more recent years the list includes the Central Criminal Courts, Terminal 2 Dublin Airport and the EdgeConnex Datacentre. MC3E also have a vast experience in educational campuses recently completing another 4 Blocks in UCD having worked in major campuses such as DCU, Waterford IT, UCC, NUIG and Sligo IT. Traditionally a supplier and manufacturer of Building Management Systems and Motor Control Centres which are built inhouse by BMS/MCC specialist technicians, MC3E has continuously expanded its services to meet the needs of customers and evolving nature of building design. This includes a powerful IoT Supervisory Software, Power over Ethernet Lighting Solutions, LED upgrades, Smart Metering, Heat Interface Units, Manifold Valve Systems, and Façade Management Systems.

Eóin McCool is one of four family members involved in the running of the company and took some time to tell Building Ireland what they’re all about.

“We’re established since 1991 and have many long-term staff with us since the 90’s – first and foremost, that’s the key to our success and the foundation for our ambitious innovation based growth strategy,” Eóin outlined. “The entire team is united in dreaming how we can deliver smarter, more efficient and environmentally friendly buildings and striving to achieve them” “Next up is our nationwide customer base whom we are proud to partner with for many years from contractors to end users and institutions. When we get to work with people with a similar culture it is fantastic, and the end results are superb.

“Choosing the right partner companies and supply chain is also another key factor in our success. Our initial install customer base was built up using conventional BMS product; a real catalyst for change was our partnership with the Swiss/German BMS manufacturer Elesta Building Automation in 2008, allowing us deliver truly advanced solutions in an affordable and robust manner.

“With the innovative product and proactive support from Elesta we could explore new and better ways to deliver BMS and metering solutions using open protocols such as Modbus,

St Vincent’s Hospital

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BUILDING IRELAND

together (with over 250 different Software drivers) but even more significantly it can integrate via API, SQL, DCIM (data centres) or other platforms with Information Technology (IT) Enterprise solutions.

“Bridging the gap between OT and IT allows smart building functionality – now we can use OT infrastructure to provide info to IT systems such as Meeting Room Booking systems, Hotel Booking Systems, Planned Maintenance, Visitor Tracking, Occupancy mapping, Footfall, Analytics or other software packages. And the information flows both ways, so that these systems can feed into the OT operation to ensure they function in the most efficient manner – minimising energy use and maximising occupant comfort.

“We’re revolutionising building control and monitoring in Ireland,” said McCool. “We’ll be launching some new IoT devices soon and expect to double our turnover and staff in the next six months- - Watch this space in 2018!”

MC3E have a dedicated service and maintenance division to meet the needs of clients long after the completion of the project.

The company have long running contracts maintaining schools, colleges, hospitals, hospices, offices, retail, laboratories and pharmaceutical plant. They also specialise in upgrades and are happy to receive enquiries about this, whether it’s a current McCool Maintenance site or not.

Current Major upgrade projects include Dublin Air Traffic Control Centre, Golden Island Shopping centre and K-Leisure Centres.

It seems this company is constantly breaking new ground having launched a new service providing Secure Remote Site support for site BMS anywhere in Ireland Via the Internet.

‘Coolconnect’ can simply provide a back-up service to the BMS maintenance or provide a Bureau service managing and Monitoring your BMS and Energy Usage.

Connection can be via VLAN, Broadband Modem or 4G modem – This means McCool’s can reduce your energy costs and monitor critical plant and equipment virtually anywhere in Ireland.

Eóin adviseed: “We appreciate that security is paramount – so we utilise an extremely secure lock and key Encrypted system; furthermore, there is no requirement for fixed IP addresses or for proprietary remote monitoring operating systems. A massive vote of confidence was securing a contract with the Irish Aviation Authority for secure remote monitoring of Radar Stations throughout the country.”

Customers can be sure that MC3E will continue their innovations as Eóin elucidated: “We globally source only the best products and company’s such as Elesta, Igor and Meibes.

We are also a member of the Dosapac Alliance a Pancontinental organisation of BMS and IoT companies dedicated to advancing smart Building & IoT solutions.”

If you are interested in organising a visit from a member of the

The Elm Park site

sales staff at McCool Controls & Engineering Ltd to view their demo panel and software you can contact them by phone or email (see details below). They also offer an Engineers Ireland Accredited CPD course which includes a live example of some of the powerful systems noted in this article.

The mission for the company continues to be first-rate technology, fervent service and family values.

McCool Controls Address: Unit 12, Docklands Innovation Park, East Wall Road, Dublin 3 T. +353 (0)1 8550542 F. +353 (0)1 8550546 E. busdev@mccoolcontrols.ie

Are You Fully Integrating Your Building?

Get the best performance from your facility:

• Optimise your building performance and functionality • Automate monitoring and control through a single manageable platform • Maximise energy and operational efficiency • Have better decision-making abilities • Strategic control of your facility and reduced risk • Lower life cycle costs • Increased safety and security for greater occupant comfort • Improved ROI over the life span of your building

Best Wishes To Our Irish Partner McCool Controls & Engineering

One of the panels at ABP Food Group in Nenagh, Co Tipperary BUILDING IRELAND

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Dosapac Limited 30 Upper Drumcondra Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9. +353 1 902 0100 alankearney@dosapac.com www.dosapac-alliance.com

Best wishes & continued success from

to McCool Controls & Engineering

DISTRICT HEATING / COMMERCIAL / INDUSTRIAL / RESIDENTIAL

w: www.mandp.ie

Louth (042) 937 9090 Dublin (01) 518 0580

e: info@mandp.ie

Wishing continued success

McCool Controls & Engineering

“Your Peace of Mind is our Business”

www.crottyinsurance.ie Tel: + 00 353 (0)1 290 8800

Best wishes to

McCool Controls & Engineering from

GREAT SERVICE, PRODUCTS, & FLEXIBILITY Ireland's premier electrical wholesale distributor, supplying quality branded products to trade and industry.

ewl.ie

TEL (01) 855 0066

Best wishes to McCool Controls & Engineering

7, Portside Business Centre, E Wall Rd, East Wall, Dublin 3

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BUILDING IRELAND

BUSINESS ‘ABSOLUTELY BOOMING’ AT BOBBY FARRELL & SONS

Bobby, Rob, Evan and Steven Farrell

Based in Thurles Co Tipperary, Bobby Farrell & Sons Painting Contractors have extensive experience in both commercial and residential painting and decorating. Rob Farrell took some time to tell Building Ireland all about the company recently.

S

et-up in 1989, Bobby Farrell & Sons Painting Contractors has been renowned as a successful family orientated business in North Tipperary which is willing to undertake projects anywhere in Ireland.

The Thurles-based company employs 15 staff, including its 63-yearold namesake founder, his sons Evan, Rob and Steven, and Evan’s wife Gemma, who have helped to gear the business towards more commercial BUILDING IRELAND

The Carlow College project which the company were part of

36

projects in recent years.

Rob has been part of his father’s company for 18 years now and was able to give Building Ireland the breakdown on what they’re about and why he feels it has been such a success story thus far.

“Basically we do domestic and commercial painting, wallpapering, spray painting – we pretty much cover the board,” Rob explained.

“We do a lot of work in Dublin and Cork and go as far as Galway for some of the projects we take on. My father has instilled the drive in us to succeed.”

When you speak to Rob after a couple of minutes that drive becomes as clear as crystal. Bob Farrell had his sons helping out in his business from a young age and no doubt plenty of evenings during the summer holidays for Rob and his brother were spent coating walls in all areas of the country.

Rob officially started with the company three years earlier than Evan, but the pair were well experienced by the time they’d taken on their full-time occupation with their father’s business.

“I was born with a paint brush in my hand,” Rob stated.

“When my dad started off it was with a bike and a step-ladder.

“He started out in the 1980s – right in the middle of the recession – and came through it. I came on board in 2000 and my brother started in 2003 and from there we just grew and grew. By 2009 we had decided that commercial projects was the way to go and started travelling to Cork and Dublin practically every week.”

Through the 29 years in business, Bobby Farrell & Sons Painting Contractors have worked with a range of commercial customers completing projects of various sizes and specifications. They’ve often found that businesses will delay having their premises repainted as they are worried about the time consumed and loss of business.

However, the Farrells and their team of skilled staff have honed their skills so that they can complete painting projects efficiently with minimal hassle and disruption cause to the business. They produce a quality finish each time and offer their services at an affordable price.

Gemma Farrell is a key part of the family-run business

Competitive pricing is paramount in this particular industry and its why clients such as Duggan Brothers, Sammon Group, Parson Building Services, Maloney Contracts and Jephsons Shopfitters UK continues to come back to Bobby Farrell & Sons Painting Contractors time and time again.

“Business is absolutely booming right now,” Rob beamed.

“We’ve basically broke it down to three teams between the three of us with three vans on the road travelling to different parts of the country.”

A fast and efficient painting service is what Bobby Farrell & Sons Painting Contractors have become known for and it’s

Some of the highly skilled and professional team at Bobby Farrell & Sons

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not just domestic and commercial painting projects either.

The company specialises in the supply and applications of intumescent painting (fire resistant paint), which works by creating an essential delay between the time when a fire starts and when it takes hold, allowing time for people to safely escape the building and for emergency services to extinguish the fire.

Bobby Farrell & Sons Painting Contractors apply intumescent paint to structural steel surfaces with a variety of colours and finishes available to match your existing décor.

Along with spray painting, the company have also used a spray rolling system on a variety of projects, each time producing a top quality finish in record time with little to no disruption cause to the customer’s day to day activities.

They also pride themselves on a professional, reliable service when it comes to wall papering, with all work being completed to the highest standard. They have an experienced team who have successfully carried out numerous wallpapering projects for various clients.

If you are unsure of the type of wallpaper you would like to go for, Bobby Farrell & Sons Painting Contractors can also provide sound advice on which solutions they think would best suit your needs.

“We try our best for our clients,” said Rob. “You’re only as good as your last job and that’s carrying on from our father.

Like I said, he has instilled it in us.

“The other part of it is that you have to be able to get on with the clientele you are working with and I think we do that here.

It’s very much a team effort from everybody.”

Looking at the New Year ahead, Rob is keen to help continue the company’s growth via taking on more high profile projects similar to ones that were completed over the past 12 months.

The main objective in his mind is to try and double the staff numbers of the business over the coming years.

“We’d love to expand. My own dream is to have a staff of 30 working here,” he said “Next year we’d hope to get another few big jobs again, carry them out to a tee and still have the ambition to think bigger after their completed. It’s a family effort here with everyone on board, there are no individuals.

“Between the three of us we have that trust and hopefully we’ll be able to continue to grow and keep adding to our staff for years to come.”

Wishing co ntinued success t o Bobby Farrell & So ns Tel: (0504) 21857 Slievenamon Rd, Thurles, Co. Tipperary

Best Wishes & Continued Success To

Bobby Farrell & Sons From

AIR TO WATER HEAT PUMPS UNDERFLOOR HEATING EUROPA HOT WATER Kyle, Rathmanna, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Tel: 0504 90778 www.eirland.ie

Bobby Farrell & Sons Painting Contractors 26 Ballycurrane, Thurles, Co. Tipperary Office: 0504-23540 Bobby: 0862598921 Rob: 085 1660071 Evan: 0857741543 E-mail: office@bobbyfarrellandsons.ie

Wishing continued success to

Bobby Farrell & Sons

Part of the fleet at Bobby Farrell & Sons BUILDING IRELAND

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The premises is ideally located in Slane, Co Meath

Electrical work is one of the most intricate jobs within the construction industry as not only do tradesmen have to be meticulous about their work, but the health and safety issues that go alongside this are of the highest standard.

T

here are many electrical contractors operating in Ireland, some with more experience than others and some that have spread their wings far beyond these shores.

For this month's edition of Building Ireland, we profile one such firm who are not only one of Ireland's leading electrical contractors in their field of

THE MTM WAY expertise, but their reputation has excelled in countries like the U.K, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and even as far away as Israel and Australia.

MTM Engineering is celebrating 20 years in business this year having been initially established by Martin and Patricia Mee in 1997.

Headquartered in Grangegeeth, Slane, Co Meath, this is a family run business that specialises in in sub mains cabling on large scale industrial and commercial projects.

Many of the companies clients are involved in the data centre or pharmaceutical industries and from humble beginnings, the business has grown over the years to where they now employ 140 people.

General Manager Brendan Mee, who is Martin and Patricia's son gave us an insight of the day to day running of what now can be described as a multi national company. “My Dad and Mam started the business and in those days, we were a small firm concentrating on cable installation and termination, but as the business grew so to did the workforce,� said Brendan.

MTM Engineering have a team of professionals, many of who have risen through the ranks of the company and they now can deliver projects from Electrical, Mechanical

The company celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2017

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BUILDING IRELAND

There were over 100km of MV cable installed in Dublin Airport T2

haven't returned and there is a shortage of tradesmen in the country.”

Brendan added that the dawn of the recession brought about great change in the company as they were forced to look elsewhere for work.

“It wasn't until 2012 that we started focusing on Europe and it did take a while to get established in other countries, but we

and Civil design through to final handover and commissioning on sectors including Pharmaceutical, Data Centres, Wind Farms, Renewables, Incinerators, Manufacturing, Hospitals, Power Station’s and Commercial Projects.

“We are now in a position to provide a wide range of services to a diverse scope of clients in different industries.

By completing projects not only to the highest standards, but on time and within the budget limit has certainly helped enhance our reputation not only in Ireland, but in other countries as well.”

Brendan stressed that one of their main focuses is on employee satisfaction and ensuring that their employees are well looked after in every aspect of the job.

“We would have a low turnover when it comes to our work force. Many of the lads here would be with us for years, with many of them serving their time as apprentices and staying on with us.

“There is a phrase we use which is the 'MTM Way' and this is where we instil a belief amongst the workers to look out for each other and what I mean by this is that working as a team gets the work done more efficiently and to a higher standard. We do a lot of inhouse training here. We actually have a mock construction site at our headquarters in Slane where we carry out training.

“We try to grow from within the company and that is why we focus on apprenticeships. There are 15 people here at the moment on apprenticeships. During the recession, it was almost impossible to get skilled workers as a lot were forced to leave the country, but now that there is a pick up in the work load here, they still BUILDING IRELAND

MTM Engineering are a specialist cable installation and termination contractor

Bespoke lifting and handling equipment

40

Best wishes & continued success to

MTM Engineering

Fiona Kelly

Wishing Continued Success To MTM Engineering From

Chartered Certified Accountant, Registered Auditor & Tax Consultant

Accounting, Auditing & Compliance, Bookeeping, Company Secretarial, Payroll, Taxation Planning, Sole Trader, Limited Companies Radrumskean, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan

Bracklin, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan M: 086-4104666 T: Office 042-9780555 Email:admin@cmacelec.ie www.cmacelectrical.com

Tel: 042 969 0744 / 087 925 0597 Email: info@fionakelly.ie

Best wishes to MTM Engineering from

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BUILDING IRELAND

stuck at it and we are delighted with the progress that we have made since then.

“The company has been involved in many prestigious projects in the last few years and from an Ireland perspective, we have doubled our workload from last year which is great.”

Accreditation wise, MTM are continuously reviewing their methods of management, and the delivery of their projects. They involve their whole company in this process and as such the whole team take ownership of their achievements.

"We have internationally recognised accreditations such as the Safe-T-Cert, ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004, OSHAS 18001:2007 and VCA* 2008/5.1.”

For the next 12 months, MTM's goal is to grow the Irish market and expand in the U.K where they only recently have

Tailor made plant and equipment (Skills Assessment Rig)

started working in.

“At the moment, there is work there for the next eight to ten months, but that is not to say we are actively seeking more work beyond that. It can be a bit more difficult tendering for work abroad as there are different procedures in most countries, but we are happy with the direction that the business is going and we feel that as long as we continue to deliver the level of service that our clients have become accustomed too then the future looks bright.”

Contact Details: MTM Engineering Ltd, Grangegeeth, Slane Co. Meath C15 X751 Ireland Tel +353 (0) 41 988 4475 Email: info@mtm-engineering.com

MTM Engineering completed the cable installation and termination at the Aviva Stadium BUILDING IRELAND

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Best wishes to MTM  Engineering

Wishing Continued Success to

MTM Engineering

Wishing Continued Success To

MTM ENGINEERING

Callanberg, Inniskeen, Dundalk, Co. Louth Tel: 042-9374855 Fax: 042-9374857

Best wishes to MTM Engineering

43

BUILDING IRELAND

HOME IS WHERE THE HEA(R)T IS

Leitrim Warmer Homes started off as a project of Leitrim Development Company

To improve the quality of life and living conditions of low income households through the implementation of energy efficient measures and related work, to employ and empower unemployed people through a social enterprise model and respond to community needs, this is the mission statement of Leitrim Warmer Homes CLG. We headed to Drumshanbo to meet manager Donal Quinn to find out more about this exceptional operation.

Company as a Pobal CSP [Community Service Programme] with a twopronged mission – to generate social enterprise and employment and also, to improve the health and welfare of older people living in inefficient homes.

This mission has remained and continues to focus the direction the

L

eitrim Warmer Homes began operating over ten years ago as a project of Leitrim Development Company. A new company called Leitrim Warmer Homes was established in May, 2016.

Reflecting on the genesis of the organisation, manager Donal Quinn points out, “Leitrim Warmer Homes was formed by Leitrim Development BUILDING IRELAND

Injecting cavity wall insulation

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new company takes.

Leitrim Warmer Homes primary work comes from a scheme funded by Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) called Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme. This provides energy efficient measures to homes that qualify (i.e. low income households).

The revamped vans with new logos and signage all ready to serve the communities of Sligo, Cavan, Donegal and Leitrim

the energy efficiency and warmth of low income, privately owned households. Attic and cavity wall insulation are available free of charge to house owners whose homes were built before 2006 and are in receipt of either fuel allowance, job seekers allowance or family income support. “As well as cavity wall and attic insulation, we also install extractor fans for bathrooms and kitchens to bring homes up to room insulation regulations. Mould and condensation are major issues due to lack of heat, lack of ventilation and too much moisture. So homes need insulation to retain the heat; ventilation for the air; and fans to remove moisture at source, Donal adds, we work in conjunction with SEAI and if the home needs a boiler or heating system installed, then that will be

Leitrim Warmer Homes complete these works in Leitrim, Sligo, Donegal, Cavan and North Roscommon. Considering that around 60,000 Irish households are estimated to live in persistent fuel poverty (with a further 160,000 experiencing intermittent fuel poverty), then the contribution to local communities of Leitrim Warmer Homes in helping low income families by delivering the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme, cannot be underestimated.

Through the scheme, Leitrim Warmer Homes carries out works including cavity wall insulation, attic insulation, lagging jackets for water cylinders, energy efficient lighting, bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans, energy conservation advice, ventilation and draught proofing. The scheme aims to improve

An engineer working on attic insulation

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BUILDING IRELAND

done as well, although not by us.”

Quality is at the forefront of everything Leitrim Warmer Homes does, “Leitrim Warmer Homes has been licensed by NSAI to use only the highest-quality materials, we’re in business more than ten years now and we have been working with SEAI for all of that time in a partnership approach”, says Donal adding, “the quality of the work is paramount. If the quality isn’t there, then SEAI won’t renew our contract.”

At present, there is crew of eight installers, “we have developed great expertise in insulation over the years and will take on any work that comes up, including a lot of cavity wall insulation for local builders, national schools and business premises. We don’t limit ourselves, though our focus is on homes”, Donal continues.

“Advertising and marketing is mainly word of mouth, parish newsletters, local papers notes. We still maintain strong ties with Leitrim Development Company, we see them as a sister company and are proud of our association with them. A great deal of their work is for vulnerable and isolated people, and so they are in a position to continue to link Leitrim Warmer Homes services with eligible clients There’s a very strong ethos in the organisation to provide a community service and help vulnerable people. Donal says, “in keeping with our Community Service Programme, we try to use local businesses as far as possible. For example, we source a lot of materials through Mulveys Hardware in Drumshanbo, while McGowans Garages keep our vehicles on the road and all the cavity wall insulation we use is Kingspan. If a home owner needs help with applying for and securing grants, we can also facilitate them with that.

While the social element to the company is to be applauded, no business will survive as a viable, sustainable entity without some commercial activity. To this end, Leitrim Warmer Homes works on new builds and retrofits outside of the SEAI work.

Any profit we make is reinvested back into the community.

Leitrim Warmer Homes hopes to continue to grow, “employing more people, improving energy efficiency of homes in turn improving health and wellbeing, working with local community projects and measures, to reduce energy consumption and improve local economies,” Donal concludes.

DAVITT PLAN & DESIGN ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS

Multi-disciplinary Architectural/Engineering Consultancy

Wishing continued success to Leitrim Warmer Homes W: www.davittplanningdesign.ie E: info@davittplanningdesign.ie Main St., Drumkeerin, Co, Leitrim.

P: 353 71 96 48886 F: 353 71 96 48886 M: 353 87 90 67606

Wishing continued success to Leitrim Warmer Homes

Call Seamus: 087-2653604

Corramahon, Caradice, Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim

Wishing continued success to Leitrim Warmer Homes

Leitrim Warmer Homes, Laird House, Church Street, Drumshanbo, County Leitrim.

Tel / Fax: 071 9640771 Email: info@leitrimwarmerhomes.ie Web: www.leitrimwarmerhomes.ie

Best wishes to Leitrim Warmer Homes from

Chartered Tax Advisors, Certified Public Accountants and Registered Auditors

Tel: (071) 964 1568

www.m or a nm c na m a r a .ie Hartley Business Park, Carrick on Shannon, Co. Leitrim, Ireland

BUILDING IRELAND

Email: mulveyshardware@gmail.com Dowra Rd, Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim

P: +353 (0) 71 967 1524 E: info@moranmcnamara.ie 46

RAISING STANDARDS

Skyline Scaaffolding is a leading industrial and commercial scaffolding contractor

Since its establishment in 1999, Skyline Scaffolding Ltd has built itself a proud reputation for providing its clientele with an excellent service with a strong emphasis on safety.

W

hile a comparatively small company, Skyline Scaffolding Ltd punches above its weight and Building Ireland learned more from Kevin Walsh, who is one half of the Co Tipperary-based company’s directorship.

“From an early stage” Kevin explained, “we recognised that we needed to find a way to differentiate ourselves from others who were providing similar services.”

This led to a strategic decision by the directors, Kevin Walsh and Roisin Mellett, which changed the company’s focus from the house building side of the construction industry to the provision of services to the industrial sector – BUILDING IRELAND

specifically in chemical, pharmaceutical and food manufacturing companies.

“It almost happened by accident, in that we won a contract for provision of scaffolding in a chemical company and that opened my eyes to the opportunities and the challenges that were there,” saif Kevin.

Accidental or not, it was a brave step at the time to turn the company from focusing on the house building sector

which was booming to such a comparative niche.

But that decision changed the nature of the company’s operations for good and has been a key factor in the company weathering the recession and now being poised for future growth.

In targeting this pharmaceutical sector initially, the directors in Skyline Scaffolding Ltd recognised that in

The companies premises is centrally located in Cahir, Co. Tipperary

47

addition to providing best in class scaffolding, the service provided to clients would also need to be exemplary.

This decision influenced every stage of operation, from the move away from quick stage scaffolding to tube and fitting scaffolding; to changing storage facilities so that all scaffolding is stored indoors as well as staff training and upskilling.

In particular, the company invested heavily in safety, through staff training and investment in safety equipment – going above and beyond the minimum standards required. As Kevin acknowledged, it was a risk – but a calculated one.

“We trusted ourselves, our team and our approach. It was a serious investment but one that has paid off,” he outlined.

This on-going commitment to safety was recognised with the company achieving Safe-T-Cert in 2013 which is a certification scheme for the Safety Management Systems of contractors working in the construction industry.

In 2014 and 2015, the company achieved a “B” grade Safe-TCert, a recognition of the continuous improvement ethos of the company.

In 2016, the company was attained an “A” grade in the SafeT-Cert, and this achievement was formally recognised by a presentation to the company by CIF Director General, Tom Parlon at Construction Industry Federation Head Office in Dublin.

With over 25 years of experience working nationally and internationally in the construction industry, Kevin has developed an impressive list of contacts which has been instrumental in ensuring that Skyline Scaffolding Ltd can access expertise as required, be it in scaffolding design or enhancing the Company’s safety standards.

“As a small company”, Kevin stated, “we can’t afford to have

this expertise in-house, so a critical success factor for us has been to know who to use and when to use them!”

Kevin also points to his staff, many of whom have been with him for over ten years, as a critical factor in the company’s success.

These skilled staff embody the company ethos of service and safety, a company culture where everybody knows what they have to do and the standard to which they have to operate.

An enviably low turnover in staff ensures that the investments made in staff training and equipment pays dividends.

Additionally, Skyline Scaffolding Ltd used its size for competitive advantage with a stated objective of extreme responsiveness to client requirements.

“In ways,” Kevin noted, “our size means that we are agile and can respond quickly and our customer service ethic is a critical component of everything we do.”

This approach is reflected in the impressive list of companies for which Skyline Scaffolding Ltdworks.

The company have 15 staff working with them at present

Skyline Scaffolding was set-up 1999

The skilled staff embody the company ethos of service and safety

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BUILDING IRELAND

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BUILDING IRELAND

All tube and fitting scaffolding is stored indoors

With this progressive attitude, where there is an appetite for continuous improvement in all aspects of the business, there are even better times ahead for this firm.

Currently, Merck Sharpe and Dohme, Dunreidy Engineering, Radley Engineering, PM Group, Jacobs Engineering, Office of Public Works, Suir Engineering, CBRE, Glanbia and Grants at Tullamore Distillery are all clients.

It also helps that the company is centrally located in Cahir, Co. Tipperary with good access routes to both Waterford and Cork as well as the M8. As Kevin explained, this geographic location supported the company’s ability to respond quickly to client needs with Cork, Kilkenny and Waterford, all less than an hour away.

With its team of highly trained and hand-picked staff, the directors of Skyline Scaffolding Ltd are looking forward to the future. In continuous pursuit of excellence, Skyline are now examining the option of expanding into Layher Scaffolding.

This revolutionary scaffolding approach is renowned globally for quality, safety and efficiency and is a good fit with Skylines Scaffolding Ltd’s ethos.

In Kevin’s words: “We can’t stand still – we were recently invited to attend the latest Layher Open Day in the UK. It was a chance to meet Layher personnel from both the UK and their parent company in Germany and gave us an opportunity to see what’s being done elsewhere and to learn from the best.”

Skyline Scaffolding Ltd Address: Unit C1, Cahir Business Park, Cahir, Co Tipperary Tel: 052 744 3219 E-mail: info@skylinescaffolding.ie

Best Wishes & Continued Success To

Skyline Scaffolding From

OFFERING Basic Scaffolding Advanced Scaffolding Scaffold Management and Inspection Mobile Towers First Aid Working at Heights Manual Handling Harness training And many other construction related courses

Naas Industrial Estate, Naas, Co. Kildare.

Tel:(045) 88 90 28

Kevin Walsh (Director of Skyline Scaffolding), Tom Parlon (Director General, CIF) and Roisin Mellett (Director of Skyline Scaffolding) are presented with the “A” grade Safe-T-Cert certificate BUILDING IRELAND

www.bostontraining.ie

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Best Wishes To Skyline Scaffolding, From

Maher Plant Hire (CLM) Ltd.

Cashel Road, Clonmel Tel: 052-6121333 Fax: 052-6172433 E: Maherplant@eircom.net www.maherplanthire.com THE WIDEST RANGE OF HIRE TOOLS & EQUIPMENT LOCAL TO YOU!!!

Main Dealers for Hitachi Power Tools * Plant Operator Training (CSCS) Also Available*

Ireland's premier supplier of scaffolding services.

T: (057) 862 4923 E: info@laoisscaffolding.ie

Wishing continued success to

Skyline Scaffolding

W: laoisscaffolding.ie

O'Moore Forest, Mountmellick, Co.Laois, R32 V3W4

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BUILDING IRELAND

SERVICE, PRICE, ADVICE

The place to be on St Patrick’s Street, Portumna

For nigh on a-century-and-a-half, D Lynch & Sons has been an integral part of the building trade in Portumna, providing locals with unrivalled products, materials and service levels. We caught up with AllIreland winning hurler and company director Eoin Lynch to find out more about the outstanding family-fronted operation which is deeply embedded into the everyday lives of the local community.

of Kudox radiators and towel rads.

Other departments at D Lynch & Sons include: paint and accessories; tools and hardware; appliances; bathrooms; doors and floors; fuels; and garden & outdoors, while ‘The Loft at Lynchs’ first floor showroom contains beds and bedroom furniture along with quality bedding and mattresses in all sizes, timber doors and floors, bathroom suites and showers, heating and fireside accessories, giftware, clocks and lanterns, pictures and frames, rugs and mats, etc.

D Lynch & Sons Ltd. has been part of the Homevalue Hardware network since its inception, Homevalue Hardware & DIY is a 100% Irish-owned co-operative comprising over 65 independently-owned stores nationwide. Its reputation in the hardware industry has been built on providing the best products at the lowest price and both professional tradesmen and DIY enthusiasts alike will readily testify that Homevalue means real value and real expertise.

Homevalue has been serving Irish tradesman and the Irish construction industry for over half a century, forging a strong reputation for stocking the best brands and

L

ocated on St Patrick’s Street, D Lynch & Sons has been serving the people of Portumna for almost 150 years, stocking a vast selection of products, from general hardware and building materials to DIY and soft furnishings.

A member of the influential Homevalue Hardware network, they pride themselves on their three core values of service, price and advice. Whether a customer is building a new home, redecorating an existing one or simply engaging in a spot of DIY, D Lynch & Sons are sure to have everything they need.

A wide range of building materials is stocked, including – but by no means limited to - cement, plaster and plaster slabs, construction timber (imported and native), sheet material, radon barrier, roofing materials, slates, roof windows, septic tanks, sewer pipe and fittings – essentially all the materials required for any construction project, large or small.

From their well-stocked heating and plumbing department, meanwhile, D Lynch & Sons also supply the most up to date and efficient methods of heating homes including condensing oil boilers, wood pellet boilers, solar panels and solar tubes, oil tanks, cylinders and pumps.

They supply a wide variety of boiler and non-boiler stoves and can also tailor an underfloor heating package to suit any project as well as stocking a comprehensive selection BUILDING IRELAND

Some illustrious visitors dropped into D Lynch & Sons after Galway landed both the senior and minor All-Irelands in September.

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providing top service levels.

For well over a century, D Lynch & Sons have also catered for the farmers of East Galway and North Tipperary, stocking a comprehensive range of agricultural products including fertilizers, animal feeds, galvanised gates, fencing, electric fencers, feeders, cattle crushes, water troughs, silage covers, bale wrap, bale netting, etc.

A veritable hive of activity, D Lynch & Sons Ltd. is a fundamental part of everyday life in Portumna and surrounding areas, sourcing and supplying top quality products and materials since 1870. Over four generations, they have established themselves as a vibrant and reliable component of the community fabric, through good times and bad.

The genesis of the business dates back to 147 years ago when founder Daniel Lynch relocated from Charleville, County Cork to Portumna, County Galway and established a company that he would front for almost 50 years, When Daniel passed away in 1919, his son Eamon took over and continued to build the business up in conjunction with his wife, Mary.

Eamon and Mary’s son, Dan, joined the thriving family enterprise in 1976, and oversaw a major revamp of the store in 1994. Like his father before him, Dan is heavily involved in both the local business and sporting communities, particularly Portumna GAA club, whom he served as chairman for seven years. Today, Dan and his wife Kathleen are both actively involved in the business.

The fourth generation of the Lynch family has also become involved in D Lynch & Sons, with Dan and Kathleen’s son Eoin joining full-time in 2005. While a lot may have changed over the years and decades, much has remained the same, including the core values of the business and the determination of D Lynch & Sons to be the best hardware retailer they can be through offering a vast range of extremely competitive products, coupled with unrivalled customer service and the best advice available.

With the worst of the recession now behind us, Eoin is pleased to report that things are picking up again at D Lynch & Sons – a business which is of course indelibly

linked to the construction industry: “Last year and this year have been the first ones in a while where things have started to move in the right direction again,” he notes. “We had a few tough years and at one stage we saw our turnover halved within an 18-month period, but thankfully things are improving again and the signs are encouraging for a period of growth going forward. We’re certainly on sure footing now compared to where we were eight years ago.”

Regarding the make-up of the daily trade, Eoin continues: “Traditionally, it would have been 80:20 heavy build:DIY but that went to about 60:40 during the recession. At the moment, we’re doing around 65:35 heavy:light. We also have a very important agri element to the company and we relied on that when there weren’t as many builders and tradesmen on the ground.”

In keeping with their location, a comprehensive, all-inclusive selection of products and materials is offered: “In a rural area, you have to cover all the departments and you also need to have a specialist knowledge of all those departments,” says Eoin.

“Service, price and advice are our three core values and we feel we are very strong on all three. We compete well on price and service but it’s the advice that gives us a major advantage over the bigger sheds and gets a lot of customers coming back to us over and over again. We listen to our customers and help them out in every way possible.

“It’s worth stressing that we are

very, very competitive when it comes to price. There’s a perception out there that local hardware stores aren’t as competitive as bigger stores on price but invariably we are and then we also deliver on service and the advice, so our customers are getting the best of everything.”

Trading under the Homevalue Hardware banner is critical when it comes to gaining a competitive edge. “My father was involved with AHL and the Homevalue brand from the beginning, and I currently sit on the board as of this year, so there’s some continuity there,” says Eoin.

“The buying power of the Homevalue brand has been very important to small buyers in builder’s providers like ourselves and has given us a competitive advantage that’s really standing to us. The Homevalue brand is getting stronger and is synonymous with value and quality.”

In terms of growth, Eoin points out that homewares and DIY are key growth areas at present, while building materials are also on the up, albeit coming from a very low base… “We’re not getting back to 2005/06 levels but the one-off housing market and home renovations are very important markets at the moment,” he states.

“We can offer everything from the foundation to the front door and everything in between. We always endeavour to get everything the customer needs. We carry a significant amount of stock and also offer a Just In Time delivery method from our suppliers, ensuring direct delivery of all building materials to site as and when they are required.

We go out of our way to ensure that

D Lynch & Sons has been an integral part of the community in Portumna for almost 150 years

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BUILDING IRELAND

the builder’s needs are met and exceeded at all times.”

Direct, gainful employment is generated from a team of twelve and D Lynch & Sons Ltd. is very much a local, community-based family business. The Lynch’s are synonymous with the local Portumna hurling, rugby and golf clubs, in keeping with a rich sporting tradition that runs in the family. In many ways, their successes in business and in sport mirror one another.

Eoin Lynch played underage international rugby for Ireland and represented Portumna and Galway at all levels in hurling, including a six-year stint with the Tribesmen seniors between 2006 and 2012. With Portumna, he featured on one of the GAA’s greatestever club hurling teams, collecting six Galway SHC titles and four All-Ireland Club medals, with brother Eamon sharing in three of those national successes.

Alongside the Lynch’s, the Cannings, Hayes and Smith brothers also played leading roles in those astonishing Portumna triumphs, epitomising the close family ties, camaraderie and strong sense of community spirit that exists in the area. “With the business, we tend to keep it at a local level and the vast majority of our business is carried out within a 30-mile radius,” Eoin reveals.

Looking to the future, the outlook for D Lynch & Sons is positive and Eoin says it’s very much a case of onwards and upwards: “We’re definitely on surer footing now than we have been at any time in the last eight or nine years,

A lot has changed over the decades but D Lynch & Sons’ commitment to service, price and advice is a constant.

so our aim is to develop and grow the business in line with - or above – the market,” he concludes. “We’ve had a few tough years but it’s time now to look to the future with a positive mentality. We’re hoping to continue to grow by serving our customers to the best of our ability, focusing on our three core values coupled with a strong work ethic.”

D Lynch & Sons Ltd. St Patricks Street, Portumna, County Galway.

Tel: 090 97 41014 Email: info@dlynch.ie Web: www.dlynch.ie Facebook: www.facebook.com/dlynch.ie

Best Wishes To D Lynch & Sons

Best wishes & continued success to

D Lynch & Sons

D Lynch & Sons

grantengineering.ie t: (057) 912 0089

Crinkle, Birr, Co Offaly, R42 D788 BUILDING IRELAND

54

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AT ITS BEST

The company has a well-established team of fully qualified and competent personnel

Over the past 20 years, Michael Higgins & Co Ltd. have developed a stellar reputation for providing unrivalled mechanical engineering services to the pharmaceutical, petrochemical, food & dairy sectors. We travelled to County Carlow and met up with the eponymous founder / managing director to find out more about this diverse, market-leading operation.

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stablished in October, 1997, Michael Higgins & Co. is a class-leading mechanical engineering firm that has successfully delivered a vast number of projects of varying sizes and complexities across the pharmaceutical, petrochemical, food & beverage and building services sectors.

The company prides itself on the fact

that the vast majority of business is repeat custom and referral work - due to the fact that it offers clients a highlypersonalised and tailored service. A skilled, fully-qualified, experienced and creative team of professionals boast strong in-house capabilities in all areas pertaining to mechanical contracting, including design, tendering, procurement, fabrication, installation, testing and commissioning.

Communication is key at Michael Higgins & Co Ltd. and all personnel are extremely competent in liaising with all relevant parties from inception through to hand-over, including suppliers, designers, main contractors and subcontractors.

Michael Higgins & Co’s reputation is built on the fact that they offer reliable solutions, delivering quality products whilst remaining mindful of safety, quality, schedule, budget and the environment. Their core strength lies in the fact that they provide a professional, organised and responsible service, backed by a proactive and positive attitude to problem-solving, budgeting and

55

contract planning.

A quick glance at the client list – which reads like a veritable Who’s Who of main contractors and pharma companies – tells us all we need to know about the high esteem in which Michael Higgins & Co Ltd. is held across the industry: Merck, Sharp and Dohme; Takeda; Ipsen Manufacturing; John Sisk and Sons (Pharma); BAM Contractors; P J Hegarty Glanbia; Rhottapharm; Mallinkrodt; Covidien Helsin Birax; Sigma Aldrich, Teva; Statoil / Topaz; PCI; Thames Water; Caloric GmbH; Viridian Huntstown; lndaver Ireland; Suir Engineering, etc., etc.

Founder / MD Michael Higgins has been involved in mechanical engineering for almost half a century, since beginning to serve his time as a fitter in 1969. He first started to work as a mechanical contractor in the pharmaceutical sector with Schering Plough – since taken over by Merck, Sharp and Dohme – doing both plant installations and upgrades. Work soon followed with other pharma companies as well as dairy contracts, including a BUILDING IRELAND

lot of repeat business for reputable main contractors Hegarty and Sisk.

In 2015, Michael Higgins & Co Ltd. completed all the stainless-steel process drainage on Glanbia’s new plant at Belview in Waterford. “They’re also doing an extension there and we are doing the stainless steel process drainage. We do a lot of that in both single-contained and double-contained, endorsed and recommended by Kent Stainless in Wexford,” Michael notes.

Biopharma and process water systems are other specialist services provided, incorporating quite a bit of stainless steel and bio-piping.

Turnover is around €3.5m, while employment is generated for between 20 and 25 people on average. How did Michael acquire so much expertise of the pharmaceutical sector?

“I’ve worked with a lot of companies in this area over the years and you just pick up more and more experience and know-how. I was supervisor / manager before going out on my own and had a good understanding of what their expectations were.

“Between these companies and food & dairy, that would

The firm practices in the Pharmaceutical, Petrochemical, Food and Beverage and Building Services sectors

account for a large percentage of our work. We do a lot of boiler installations, etc., and we can compete very well with the bigger mechanical contractors. Around 90% of our work would be carried out in live environments and our engineers would be well used to that by now. The staff are very important to me and I look after them well – the majority of them have been with me since I started out. They provide excellent workmanship and that’s why we have a strong core of people and companies who keep coming back to us over and over again.”

It's an unforgiving market as margins are tight, so only the strongest will survive. “Rates have more or less frozen over the last ten years so it’s tough at times but we are very fortunate to have very good clients – especially the likes of Hegarty and Sisk,” says Michael. “We work very hard on building trust. We have a great relationship with Hegarty’s who have just finished a new biopharma plant in Damastown for Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals.”

The founder is joined on the board of directors by his son, Michael Jnr., with senior engineer Seamus Ryan also an integral part of the team, having joined straight out of college.

Steady growth is the order of the day and this has been achieved through a painstaking process of delivering outstanding workmanship and building confidence and longlasting relationships with clients.

The company has made impressive progress over the past two decades and, going forward it’s going to be a case of onwards and upwards for Michael Higgins & Co Ltd. – one of Ireland’s premier pharmaceutical mechanical engineering contractors.

“We have a 4.500 sq ft workshop in Rathnure, County Wexford, where we carry out all of our own stainless steel fabrication,” the MD concludes.

“We have a regional office there now and this will become our head office in the future. We purchased an old creamery there in 2009 and are in the process of developing it into our HQ.” To stand still is to go backwards; Michael Higgins & Co Ltd. is strategically moving forward. In many ways, this particular success story is only just beginning!

Michael Higgins & Co provide a highly professional, organised and responsible service

Michael Higgins & Co Ltd., The Lock, St Mullins, County Carlow.

Tel: 087 2772673 Email: michaelhigginsandco@gmail.com Web: www.michaelhigginsandco.ie

Michael Higgins & Co. are a class leading mechanical engineering firm first established in 1997 BUILDING IRELAND

56

Best wishes to Michael Higgins & Co from

Best wishes to Michael Higgins & Co from

tdoneill.com 021 4276605

5 Lapps Quay, Cork

Best wishes to Michael Higgins & Co from

Swift Scaffolding Ltd. Tube & Fitting Specialists Providing a nationwide service to:

• Pharmaceutical Plants • Government Agencies • • Industrial Enterprises • Local Authorities •

www.swiftscaffolding.ie T: 057 8648626 M: 087 7697554

Specialists in the installation & Maintenance of, plumbing, ventilation & air conditioning systems

www.airconmech.com

Best wishes to Michael Higgins + Co

4-5 Burton Hall Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18

Best Wishes & Continued Success To

Michael Higgins & Co From

Wishing continued success to Michael Higgins & Co One of Ireland’s leading suppliers of Welding, Engineering and Safety Products.

Expert advice since 1979

Metron International Ltd.

Unit D12, Baldonnell Business Park, Naas Road, Dublin 22.

P : (01) 4660500 F : (01) 4105751 Email : sales@metron.ie

22 South Richmond Street Dublin 2

www.metronwelding.com

57

Tel: 01 478 3055 Web: www.alantierney.ie Email: info@alantierney.ie

BUILDING IRELAND

AWARD WINNING ROOFING SPECIALISTS

Abbey Roofing Specialists deliver a full range of architectural roofing and cladding systems

Abbey Roofing Specialists have become known for providing a service to their clientele that includes the complete package.

Building Ireland found out more from the company’s Managing Director Trevor Smyth.

B

ased in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, Abbey Roofing Specialists Ltd have been in this business since 1974 and pride themselves on glowing reputation for high standards, commitment, reliability and a customer service that is second to none.

The company has been under the directorship of Trevor Smyth for the past seven years and, along with BUILDING IRELAND

Financial Director David Workman, the duo have endeavoured to make sure that Abbey Roofing Specialists has maintained its standing as a firm which carries out projects to a high standard.

From supply and fit, as well as bespoke design and fabrication, they have you covered at Abbey Roofing Specialists. No matter what your roofing needs are or how big or small the project, they can get it done.

The company has served throughout Newtownabbey and the surrounding areas throughout the past 43 years, with MD Trevor Smyth having been on board with the business nearly half that time.

The Co Antrim man was good enough to take time from what is currently a hectic schedule to tell Building Ireland more about the company.

“Abbey Roofing Specialists was setup in 1974 by Alan Kerrigan,” he

58

outlined. “At the minute we’ve 20 staff with a team of up to 60 plus site operatives. I’m the Managing Director and I’m in partnership with David Workman, who is the Financial Director of the company.

“I’ve been working here since 1998 and became Managing Director in 2010. Our team are highly skilled specialists in what they do and we’re one of the first companies to install green roofing products and we pride ourselves on the reputation we have built here.”

Abbey Roofing Specialists are regular recipients of the Contractor of the Year commendation from suppliers such as Kalzip – an endorsement of the company’s consistent quality and professional service.

Whether you are building, extending or renovating, Abbey Roofing Specialists Ltd can provide you with a professional roofing service and at a

price that won't break the bank.

Trevor’s first day with the company is fast-approaching the 20-year mark, having first started out with a background in general construction.

“I came into this business from the sites,” he stated. “I was a general foreman and went into contracts management and eventually made it to Abbey Roofing. After 12 years I was Managing Director of the company.”

It’s now nearly eight years since Trevor became the head of operations at Abbey Roofing Specialists and the last few have marked some busy times for the company.

Many of their projects have been local, as the man himself outlined.

“We’ve been very busy over the past few years. We have secured an awful lot of work locally,” said the Managing Director.

“We’ve also been using a lot of cost-saving exercise and working hard to ensure business. We have a small department here for bespoke projects like private houses and things like that.”

At Abbey Roofing Specialists, they deliver a full range of architectural roofing and cladding systems using the latest tools and technology. From roof inspections to roof installations of the highest quality, their team of experts are always on hand to ensure that they provide the clients with a service that is tailored to suit their specifications and budget.

The firm is fully insured and deliver a high standard of service and you can take a look at some of the projects that they’ve undertaken for individual properties, commercial, public and domestic sectors across Newtownabbey on their website (abbeyroofingspecialists.co.uk).

The company have received numerous awards for their work down the years, including a Contractor of the Year gong for their work on the Omagh Fire Station in 2015.

The excellent work continues on numerous projects throughout Northern Ireland, and south of the border, as Trevor explained.

“We’re working on several (projects) at the minute,” he said.

“We’re working on a new acute mental health facility in Belfast City Hospital.

“We’re also working on a sports facility in Dairy Hall for Kalzip Roofing. It’s a complicated bespoke building which started back in May and is on course to be finished in 2018.

“We just recently completed a large distribution warehouse for Henderson Group and we also just finished a development in Abbey Centre in Newtownabbey for Dunne’s Stores.”

Among the companies high-profile clientele are McLoughin

Abbey Roofing Specialists was set-up in 1974

& Harvey, Herron Brothers, Woodvale Construction and Tracey Brothers and it’s no surprise either. With Abbey Roofing Specialists a high standard of workmanship and customer satisfaction is guaranteed.

Repeat business has been a key aspect of the company’s success down through the years, so what has been the secret to keeping clients coming back time and time again?

“We have a reputation built up of providing and developing projects to a high standard,” said Trevor. “We can work from the concept to the project’s completion through our vast experience.”

Competitively priced and offering free quotes, it seems choosing Abbey Roofing Specialists first is somewhat of a nobrainer.

So what’s next for the company?

“We’ve done a lot of educational, hospital and local council work in the last couple of years. We are looking at ways to develop and expand the company, so hopefully we’ll be doing it again in 2018,” Trevor concluded.

Abbey Roofing Specialists Ltd Unit 13, The Ferguson Centre, 57-59 Manse Road, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim BT36 6RW Tel: 028 9083 7423 Email: info@abbeyroofingspecialists.co.uk

ABBEY ROOFING The company received the Contractor of the Year award for their work on the Omagh Fire Station in 2015

59

BUILDING IRELAND

SETTING THE STANDARD IN MEP CONSULTANCY

Cogan & Shackleton LLP are setting the standard in MEP Consultancy for over 50 years

For 50 years, Cogan & Shackleton LLP has been providing exceptional MEP consultancy services throughout Ireland and the UK. We dropped into their Belfast office and caught up with partner Ian Douglas to find out more about this industryleading practice.

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stablished in 1967, Cogan & Shackleton LLP boasts extensive experience within many diverse market sectors, including health, education, security and defence, transport, commercial, industrial, marine, leisure and retail, delivering high-quality independent MEP consultancy services to both public and private sector clients.

Committed to delivering naturally innovative engineering solutions, BUILDING IRELAND

Cogan & Shackleton aims to create an inspirational build environment that is stimulating and enriching.

They develop robust mechanical and electrical system designs for all aspects of the build environment, with their team of in-house engineers trained to integrate and pass on a deep and practical understanding of engineering through all stages of development - from concept design to project handover and post-occupancy evaluation, culminating in reliable, cost-effective, practical, elegant engineered solutions.

The fully-qualified, professional, motivated and experienced team of consulting engineers at Cogan & Shackleton LLP have vast expertise across a vast array of areas including district heating systems; low carbon design & low energy design services; energy audits; plumbing & heating; air conditioning; electrical services design; lighting design; fire alarms; high voltage electrical design and distribution; BIM / 3D modelling; and

60

thermal modelling Other expert services provided include BREEAM assessments; expert witness; CDM services; construction Health & Safety; project management; and acquisition surveys & reports.

Over the past half a century (and counting!), Cogan & Shackleton LLP has forged a place for itself at the forefront of industry, widely recognised for the provision and implementation of stellar MEP consultancy services across the island of Ireland and the UK mainland … and sometimes beyond!

The business was established 50 years ago by the eponymous Frank Cogan and Des Shackleton but operations are today overseen by partners John Smyth, Brendan O’Hara and Ian Douglas. The latter is delighted to report that, with the worst of the economic recession – which wreaked havoc across the construction sector as a whole - behind us, Cogan & Shackleton is very much on the up and up again: “Like everybody else, we struggled

The company are currently working on a project at Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art & Design

through the recession but we are coming out the other side of it now and things are looking promising again,” he states.

“We’re busy and key projects keep coming in. We’ve recently finished work on a brain injury unit in Bristol and we are currently working on a development at Edinburgh BioQuarter for University of Edinburgh. We’ve also recently completed a number of MOD [Ministry of Defence] projects in the UK and we also work for the Prison Service.”

To give an indication of the versatility and variety of the MEP consultancy services provided, Ian continues: “We did the Embassy in Nepal and also worked on the refurbishment of HMS Caroline in Belfast – the First World War Battle Cruiser which has been transformed into a museum. So, indeed, there is a lot of variety to the work and we get to deliver some very exciting projects as well as your more down-to-earth factories, office blocks and hotels, etc.”

As for the key to the practice’s ongoing success, Ian says it’s simply a matter of “giving the client what they need when they need it”. If a little bit of magic dust can be sprinkled along the way, then all the better. At the end of the day, the trick is to come up with a practical solution that meets with the exact project requirements: “You have to sit down with the client and determine what their needs are, then guide them through the process,” Ian notes. “You’re looking to strike a balance – engineering solutions that are practical first and foremost, and imaginative if required. The bread and butter stuff is vitally important, so we focus on coming up with ideal solutions at all times. Where there is scope for something imaginative, we can also provide that.”

Looking to the future, Ian is confident that the business can continue to grow: “We have successfully navigated the recession and are currently in a strong position, with a strong team in place and we aim to move forward and expand by giving clients what they need and by providing a good service across the board.”

At the time of writing, direct employment was being generated for a team of 15. “All of our engineers are trained in Revit / BIM modelling and that’s very much the way the industry is going,” Ian points out. “Coordination is critical and developing detailed modelling of the services that are going into the buildings.”

Over the years, many projects have been successfully delivered in the Republic of Ireland and Ian confirms that this will remain a key market for Cogan & Shackleton going forward: “We’ve done a lot of work down south,” he concludes. “We’re doing a factory in Ballymote, County Sligo at the moment as well as Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology and we were also one of the key players on Dublin Port Tunnel through Mercury Engineering.”

The firm provide innovative engineering solutions

For 50 years, Cogan & Shackleton has been providing unrivalled consultancy services to a who’s who of mechanical and electrical contractors and the signs are encouraging that they will continue to service the build environment for many more years, nay decades, to come.

Cogan & Shackleton LLP, 195 York Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT15 3HB. Tel: 028 9037 1440 Email: admin@coganandshackleton.co.uk Web: www.coganandshackleton.co.uk

Cogan & Shackleton LLP were one of the key players on Dublin Port Tunnel

Cogan & Shackleton LLP provide exceptional MEP consultancy services

61

BUILDING IRELAND

A PROFESSIONAL ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR FARM BUILDING NEEDS

The company is synonymous with buildings that are well designed and built to last

Ethvan Ltd, trading as McCormick Builders NI Ltd in Northern Ireland, is a leading agricultural and industrial building contractor based in Castlefin, Co. Donegal.

Specialists in structural steel and reinforced concrete, the family-run operation provides a complete design and build construction service to customers throughout the Republic and Northern Ireland.

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stablished in 1969 by Hugo McCormick, the company has continued to go from strength to strength under his son and managing director Hugh McCormick.

Hugh, who has over 30 years’ experience in the building industry, is BUILDING IRELAND

joined by his wife Corrina and son Ethan, who holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Construction Engineering & Management from UUJ. The name ‘Ethvan’ is an amalgam of Ethan and Evan, Hugh and Corina’s other son, who is training to be a school teacher.

The family is supported by a 22-strong team of highly-skilled and qualified staff.

The company was set up to cater for the needs of the agricultural sector, which continues to account for over 90 per cent of its business. Ethvan Ltd designs, plans and builds from the ground up and is synonymous with farm buildings that are well designed and built to last. It has supplied and erected thousands of farm units over the past 48 years and is recognised for its expertise, quality, pricecompetitiveness and friendly service.

“We’re a professional one-stop shop for all your agricultural building requirements,” Hugh McCormick says matter-of-factly.

62

“We provide a professional design and build construction service supplied under the NEC3 construction contract.

We’re fully licensed and insured with a reputable workforce. We’ve also achieved the CE marking for structural steel, which is now a legal requirement for all fabricated structural steelwork.

Also, a farmer can’t apply for grant aid if he’s not dealing with a CE certified company. Our location six miles from Lifford means we are within easy reach of our customers on both sides of the border.”

Ethvan Ltd constructs and is widely experienced in all types of agricultural buildings. It has extensive experience in Poultry Housing, cattle housing, milking parlours, concrete slurry tanks, beef units, silo pits, portal frame shed supply and erection, above and below ground concrete slurry stores, insulated panelling and commercial unit construction.

In recent years, the expansion of the poultry industry throughout Northern

and Southern Ireland has let the company further expand heavily into the poultry sector. Poultry units have become a major part of the business and Ethvan Ltd have become one of only 4 approved main contractors in Ireland for Moy Park Ltd. The contractor acts as a design and build contractor for other main name consuming companies such as Brand Chickens in Western Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo and Bowler Eggs in the UK to name but a few.

“We specialise in free range, broiler, rearing and laying units.

We provide start-to-finish design and build construction solution for all types of poultry housing. We have found it to be the best performing sector in the last few years, followed by the dairy sector which has come back strongly since the EU milk quotas were lifted in the Republic last year,” explains Hugh, who supplied the entire turnkey project, including tank and dairy housing, for Foyle View Farms’ recent expansion in Strabane.

“We offer a fixed price quotation for your proposed agricultural investment and supply a superior steel-framed, low maintenance farm building. Our steel, cladding, sheeting, fixtures and fittings comes from reputable sources. We act as the main contractor on the development and provide all relevant safety documentation, CAD drawings, insurances and building guarantees. Our reputation is second to none.”

Ethvan Ltd’s agri sheds can be fabricated to any height, length or width to your exact requirements. Hugh and his team are with you every step of the way, providing a complete

The company's mixed fleet

service from start to finish. Only the best quality materials go into making an Ethvan building!

“I’ve worked in this business since 1990 and in that time, I’ve got to know a lot of farmers. I’ve built up a great rapport with them and a clear understanding of their needs. They like the fact they we can provide them with a full service, from the foundations up to completed project. We take care of the entire project for the farmer, which means there is less hassle for them, and also, overall, saves them money. We have several teams of our directly employed workforce that work with the steel fabrication, erection and cladding, and reinforced concrete. We have every angle covered and carry an extensive range of plant and machinery to get the work done in the best time.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank our customers for their continued support, our suppliers and our staff for the huge part they’ve played in our success to date,” concludes the affable contractor.

Hugh is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Building, which is at the heart of a management career in construction. The Chartered Institute of Building is the world’s largest and most influential professional body for construction management and leadership, and has a Royal Charter to promote the science and practice of building and construction for the benefit of society. Its members work worldwide in the development, conservation and improvement of the built environment.

Ethvan Ltd (McCormick Builders NI Ltd) Liscooley, Castlefin, Co. Donegal.

Telephone: 074 9146536 Mobile: 087 2477665 Email: ethvan@eircom.net

The family-run business provides a complete design and build construction service to customers on both sides of the border

Ethvan Ltd is a highly-regarded agricultural and industrial building contractor

Specialists in structural steel

63

BUILDING IRELAND

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