Irish Trucker magazine August 2011

One of the first things thatstruck me on my visit to KellyEuropean Freight Services

Ltd. was just how professional thewhole operation is. This business ismanaged in an incredibly efficientmanner and that’s arguably the mainreason why their services are soreliably conducted and highly-sought-after.

The directors and transport managerare on-hand around the clock; theyprovide a comprehensive service fromstate-of-the-art facilities, using a

modern fleet and an experiencedcrew. No stone is left unturned inensuring that clients receive anoptimal service … and Kelly EuropeanFreight Services enjoys high levels ofrepeat custom as a result. The factthat the entire fleet is on the roads ofEurope, the UK and / or IrelandEVERY day speaks for itself, really!

Transport manager Paul Templetonnotes: “We’re very proud of the servicewe provide and we go out of our wayto look after all of our customers, bigand small. At the end of the day, the

success or otherwise of this companycomes down to the relationships wehave built up with our customers andwe have put an awful lot of hard workinto that.”

Kelly European Freight Services Ltd.is a family-owned and -run business,enhanced greatly by a superb team ofdrivers, technicians and administrativestaff. The Northern Ireland basedcompany offers a complete, seamlesstransport package from short-termstorage to distribution. Their niche istransporting chilled goods to and from

42

A reliable,temperaturecontrolled serviceKelly European Freight Services Ltd. has forged an excellent reputationsince its genesis in 1997 and has gone from strength to strength over thepast four years in particular. Irish Trucker visited the company’s Lisburn,County Antrim depot and caught up with transport manager PaulTempleton to discuss the history, current status and future credentials ofthis exceptional freight business.

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

The fleet is wellmtaintained

Kelly European is anexeptional freight business

Europe, but they also boastextensive experience withinthe UK and Ireland.

Recognising that thetransport marketplace is acomplex, challenging andcompetitive one, KellyEuropean Freight Servicesoffers exceptional servicecombined with tailor-madetransport and logisticssolutions to meet thespecific requirements of individualcustomer needs.

Kelly European Freight Services wasestablished in 1997 by brothers Adrianand Patrick Kelly, whose thriving flowerbusiness (Kelly Flowers Wholesale)needed a reliable method of transportationfrom their depot in Holland to theirwarehouse in Ireland. Frustrated by theunreliability of local transport companies,they realised that the only way to get itright was to do it themselves.

The company started out with one unit,one trailer and three employees. Soon,other businesses also wanted their goodstransported using a company with suchattention to detail and punctuality. Thedirectors have grown the business steadilyand they now have a fleet of 20 units and25 trailers, with a trusty staff of 35 runningthe show.

The fresh and dependable fleet comprises a mixture offully-maintained Scania, DAF and Volvo tractor units with 25refrigerated trailers and one curtainsider. All the vehiclescontain the very latest technology, including sophisticatedsatellite tracking systems, which provides business partnerswith complete peace of mind. The company specialises inrefrigerated transport with dual temperature control trailersallowing a combination of chilled, frozen or ambient goodsto be transported on the same trailer.

Due to ever-increasing demand, Kelly European FreightServices decided (along with its sister company) to relocateto purpose-built, 50,000 square foot temperature-controlledpremises at Knockmore Hill Industrial Park in Lisburn. Thenew facilities include four custom-built loading bays whichallow up-to-the-minute loading and unloading with short-term storage facilities available for perishable goods.

The management team adopts a very hands-on approach,whether its logistical planning, talking to customers,brushing out a trailer or helping to change a tyre - ensuring

that the wheels are always turning is part of everyone’s job.To keep their vehicles on the road 24 hours a day seven

days a week, Kelly European Freight Services has alsoestablished an on-site workshop, ensuring that the fleet ismaintained in premium condition at all times. As well aslooking after most of their own servicing and repairs, the on-site technicians also handle some service contracts for othercompanies.

Operating 20 temperature-controlled articulated lorriesacross Holland, France, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark andItaly, Kelly European Freight Services collects and deliversto a variety of European destinations. With up to 35 runs perweek and a major emphasis on groupage departures to andfrom Holland (on a daily basis), the company is disciplined,dependable and versatile.

As well as operating a specialist service for the Europeanmarket, Kelly European Freight Services also offers fullloads to Ireland and mainland UK seven days a week forchilled, frozen and ambient goods. The company alsoprovides a groupage service from Ireland to Holland and

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS 43

The fiirm offers a temperaturecontrolled service

Kelly Flowers Wholesale led to thecreation of Kelly European Freight

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS44

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To Kelly

EuropeanFreight

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Vol. 10 No. 5

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Belgium on a daily basis andto other European countriestwice a week, with deliveryand collection aided by afleet of twelve rigid lorries.

Of course, one of the mainproblems affecting alloperators at present is theexorbitant price of fuel. Thetransport manager admits it’sa strain but reveals that theircustomers are generallyunderstanding and don’texpect them to absorb thehikes: “Everybody is havingdifficulty with it but thecustomers we have are verygood and they appreciatethat we have to pass it on.They know we’re notbenefiting from it. It’s anunfortunate situation butsomebody has to pay for itand we like to think we stillprovide an excellent service.”

The company is more thanholding its own at presentand Paul hopes that they willexperience consolidation andperhaps further growth in themedium-to-long-term:“Hopefully the future isbright. We’d be confidentabout our prospects. I don’t see any reason why we can’t go from strength

to strength. Everything is looking goodat the moment anyway and we’re notgoing to take our eye off the ball.”

45

Kelly European FreightServices on the sea

McLoughlin Coachworks have been keepingIreland’s hauliers on the road since 1995

Continued Best Wishes To Kelly European Freight

COMPANY DETAILSKelly European Freight Services Ltd.25 Ferguson Drive,Knockmore Hill Industrial Park,Lisburn,

County AntrimBT28 2EX.Tel. (028) 9262 6294Fax. (028) 9267 2742

Email:[email protected]:www.kellyeuropeanfreight.com

Oliver Haugh used to run hisown haulage company, so heappreciates better than most

exactly the kind of service a modern-day haulier requires when having avehicle tested, repaired or serviced.Oliver has used his wealth ofexperience of the haulage sector toquickly develop his fledgling company,Banner Vehicle Centre, into one of themost exciting, vibrant and successfulentities in its field.

The company was established 18months ago and, from its base atDarragh, Ennis provides acomprehensive range of stellarservices: VTN testing for light andheavy commercial vehicles;tachograph calibration; speed limitersand plating; 24-hour recovery; mobilebreakdown; and all maintenance,repairs and servicing. A veritable one-stop shop, Banner Vehicle Centreoffers all its services under one roof –it is the only company in Clare toprovide this variety of services in onelocation.

In addition to testing, an 8,000 sq. ft.workshop offers vehicle repairs to lightand heavy vehicles. “We’re the onlyall-in-one, test centre / workshop in theClare area,” Oliver confirms. “We alsooffer a 24-hour recovery service, witha fully-kitted recovery truck that canwinch up trucks and trailers. And wecan do mobile repairs.”

Oliver has combined his engineeringqualifications, experience of thetransport industry and vehiclemaintenance skills to offer this first-class service for van, 4x4s, buses andtrucks throughout the Clare region. Forthe past decade, he was involveddirectly in the industry, operating andmaintaining a fleet of up to 33vehicles, having previously received aDegree in engineering from Universityof Limerick. As he always carried outhis own maintenance, he brings awealth of experience as a commercialvehicle technician to the table.

An investment of €2m and twelvemonths of intensive work transformedthe greenfield site at Darragh, Ennis

into a state-of-the-art testing centre.The workmanship on the project isexcellent and this stands the companyin excellent stead moving forward.

Location is crucial in this industrysector and Banner Vehicle Centre isperfectly-placed four miles from Ennison the main Kilrush Road, on a six-acre site with ample secure parkingand CCTV security. A free pick-up /drop-off service is afforded within a20-mile radius.

One of the real beauties of BannerVehicle Centre is the convenience ofits services. If a vehicle comes in for atest and fails for whatever reason, afree quotation can be given on thespot and these repairs can be carriedout on site immediately. The customercan them leave with his cert. Thissaves a serious amount of time andinconvenience travelling between testcentre and garage and back again.

All staff members are fully-trained tocarry out all work with maximumefficiency, professionalism and safety.Even outside the annual VTN-

The impressive BannerVehicle Centre in Ennis

46

A headline act

Clare’s newest VTN-approved testing centre, Banner Vehicle Centre inEnnis, has made tremendous strides since its inception in January 2010.Irish Trucker caught up with company founder and owner Oliver Haugh, aman with vast experience of the commercial vehicle sector, who nowoversees one of the largest workshop spaces in the Clare area.


approved test, vehiclessometimes need a routinecheck and these tests –which can be a majorfactor in ensuring roadsafety - are available atkeen rates.

The test centre boaststwo LGV test lanes andone HGV test lane. It hasthe capacity to test 20LGVs and eight HGVsper day. Brake tests andpre-NCT tests are alsoavailable. Banner VehicleCentre is an NSAI-approved tachograph /speed limiter centrecontaining the neweststoneridge equipment.

The modern. spacious,state-of-the-art workshopcan cater for any vehiclerepair from the smallest car up to the largest truck. Thelatest diagnostic equipment can detect problems on allvehicles and repairs can also be carried out on agriculturaland construction equipment. A vast store stocks commonly-used parts and other parts can be sourced within hours from

the company’s networks of suppliers.Oliver appreciates that one of the main things clients

demand in these difficult economic times is value for money– as well as a fast and efficient service to keep downtime toan absolute minimum. And to guarantee customer comfortat all times, a fresh, cosy waiting room is provided with tea

and coffee facilitiesincluded.

What was thethinking behind settingthe business up? “I’ma qualified engineerand I worked intransport myself forten years. Havingbeen involved in thesector, I recognisedan opening for agarage in Clareoffering testing andrepairs under oneroof. We’re employingseven at the momentand business is goingwell.

“We’re building up


Banner Vehicle Centre provides acomprehensive range of services

Wishing Continued Success To Banner Vehicle Centre From

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Call 087 6772744 or 065 6838820 • Fax: 065 6838788 • Email: [email protected]

Repairs being carried outin the main workshop

our client base all the time, having started from scratch.Each month is a new test for us and brings us newchallenges, but thankfully we are doing very well so far.We can do full diagnostic plug-ins on both lorries and lightcommercials and we’re fully qualified to carry out allmechanical and electrical work, from changing a bulb tochanging an engine, from a van up to the largest HGV andtrailer.”

Oliver’s decision to set up his company in the middle of arecession was a brave one, but it shows how muchconfidence he has in Banner Vehicle Centre’s ability todeliver the goods: “I’d estimate that the amount of heavyvehicles on the road is down by about 50% in the locality,so we have a smaller customer base to draw from. A lot ofthe more-established transport companies have closeddown, while younger people are emigrating. A companythat had ten lorries or vans might have four today, if any.That’s the reality and there’s not much fresh blood comingin, so things are tight and we have to provide a high-quality service at an affordable price.

“Hopefully things will pick up for the transport sectorsoon. In the meantime, we’ll continue to provide an optimalservice. I know from working in haulage myself thatcustomers want a competitively-priced, quick and reliableservice with as little inconvenience or disruption to theirdaily schedule as possible. But it’s really all about cost at

the end of the day; that’s what everybody is watching. Byproviding all our services under one roof, we can offersignificant savings with minimum downtime.

“We’re also currently working with a number of bus andtruck operators to introduce a twelve-week test of majorcomponents for a very small fee. This is very popular andcan save operators money in the long run as well makinga major contribution to road safety, which is vital.”

Oliver concludes: “None of the success we’ve enjoyed sofar would be possible without the continued help andsupport of staff, family, friends, suppliers and customers.We’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for theirsupport thus far and we look forward to continuing workingwith them into the future.”


Oliver checks an EBS problemon a trailer while Derek checks

the ABS on a transit bus

48

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Best Wishes To Banner Vehicle Centre

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Best Wishes ToBanner Vehicle Centre

Best Wishes To Banner Vehicle Centre

COMPANY DETAILSBanner Vehicle Centre Darragh,Ennis,County Clare.

Phone: 065 6838820Fax: 065 6838788Email: [email protected]

For a country so young in terms ofcolonisation, people tend to forget howold Australia really is. Some 40000years ago, civilised indigenousinhabitants roamed its fertile lands andas anyone who has ever looked at apiece of coal before will tell you, withthe passing of time comes richesbeyond your dreams. The Australianresources and mining industry hasbeen growing for so long now thateven the recent global financial crisis(or GFC as they call it over there)couldn’t affect it that much. There wasa minor blip in the Australian economy,sometime in early 2009 but then, whenthe rest of us had to deal with bankingindustry bailouts and IMF bigwigsmuscling their way into Irishsovereignty, Australia shrugged off thisminor blip and got on with thebusiness of growing again. In the pastdecade, one of the most significantsectoral trends experienced by theAustralian economy has been thegrowth of the mining sector (includingpetroleum, liquefied natural gas andiron ore) and a major consequence ofthat is the requirement for skilledworkers to work within this industry.The boom has caught them bysurprise to a degree, with industryexperts predicting there will be a needfor an additional 40000 skilled workersto work on resource industry relatedprojects by the end of next year.

For the most part the resourceprojects are based in WesternAustralia, North Western Australia andQueensland and with the massivedownturn in the construction industrytaking place here over the last 3years, skilled migrants from Irelandhave been taking advantage of thisresource boom ‘down under’ torelocate their families lock, stock andbarrel to the southern hemisphere.They have happily reinventedthemselves in a society that’s notburdened with a general malaise andundercurrent of ‘doom and gloom’running through it. People who havemade the move to date have beenunanimously positive, realising that ifthey hadn’t taken the plunge, theymight still be here twiddling theirthumbs, waiting for a flailing economyto turn itself around, unsure, if orindeed when that actually might

happen. As it stands they’re happy,their kids are happy and in goodschools, with everyone enjoying thejoys of outdoor life that Australia hasto offer; and the money at the end ofthe month isn’t too shabby either!

Globester Recruitment, a specialistemployment agency with offices inDublin and Cork, has been workingwith a large number of Australiancompanies over the last few years andhas become something of an expert in

the placement of skilled trades peoplesuch as Plant Mechanics and TruckMechanics into companies based inthe resources sector, particularly inWestern Australia. As ChiefOperations Officer John Duffy says,“The opportunities out there are trulylife changing and having dealt closelywith the companies themselves, I canvouch for their absolute commitmentto ensuring that new employees andtheir families assimilate well intoAustralian society and are happy to bethere. These companies travel 12000miles to be here for interviews so Idon’t think they’d do that if thereweren’t serious about what they aredoing”.

To date Globester has placed over30 Plant and Truck Mechanics intotheir clients in Western Australia, andas Duffy says, that’s just the tip of theiceberg. “To be honest, we have 3companies travelling to Ireland fromPerth over the next 2 months and if wehad 40 excellent, time servedmechanics, they’d all have fantasticnew jobs to go to in Australia in themorning. We are facilitating therecruitment programmes for thesecompanies while they are here, so ifanyone thinks they have the right skillsand want to make the move, then wewant to hear from them”.

Globester Recruitment can becontacted in Dublin on 01 417 9652(ask for John) or at their newly openedCork office on 087 133 6008 (ask forMatt). If you are an experienced DieselPlant Mechanic or Truck Mechanicand are looking to move to a warmerclimate (in more ways than one), thenwhy not put a call through toGlobester, who will be more thanhappy to discuss these open positionswith you in more detail. Globester’swebsite is www.globesterjobs.comand for more information regardingliving and working in WesternAustralia, please accesswww.migration.wa.gov.au also.

49

Golden opportunitiesin God’s Country


Terry Lilly Cars &Commercials in Finglas

50

Terry Lilly continuesto deliverIn October 2009, Terry Lilly Commercials acquired the Fiat dealership andin the same year, they opened a new state of the art premises in Finglas,Co Dublin. Almost two years has now elapsed since that momentous yearfor the long established business and we speak to dealer principal TerryLilly about the intervening 24 months.


Terry Lilly Commercials wasfounded in 1990 and quicklydeveloped a reputation for

supplying top quality used lightcommercial vehicles. Through the hardword of Terry and his team, theircustomer base quickly grew and theyhave set standards that are rivaled byvery few in this competitive industry.

We all know that over the last fewyears, the recession that has grippedthis nation tighter than a vice has hada massive impact on all trades, but themotor trade has been one of the worsthit and unfortunately some businessesdid not avoid the cull, but those withthe experience and guile of Terry LillyCommercials withstood this setbackand one could suggest that they arestronger and more determined for it.

Having dealt in light commercialvehicles since its genesis 21 yearsago, Terry knew that they had todiversify the business in somecapacity and he revealed thatacquiring the Fiat dealership was aneasy decision to make.

“I suppose like everyone else, thingsjust went very quiet and we werethinking what we could do to increasebusiness. I've always found that Fiathas been a very good seller and theirrange of vans are very popular,” saidTerry. “Plus I had never dealt in carsbefore and this gave our customers anextra option when they came to viewvehicles.”

Terry admits that it is a decision thathe is delighted to have made as itreally had helped turned the business

around at a time when every movehas to be made with the utmost ofconsideration.

“I'm very happy with it. Fiat are agreat company to deal with and I mustsay it really has helped the business.In fairness we are still not as busy aswe were a few years back, but I don'tthink we will get back to that level for anumber of years yet, no one will.

“But, we have to keep working awayand although business is quiet, we arehappy with the direction that thecompany is heading and we willcontinue to work hard to ensurecustomer satisfaction is guaranteed.”

Through the years the expansion ofthe customer base been equaled bythe amount of repeat custom that theNorth Dublin company has retained

over the years and Terry would like tothank all for their continued support.

“Yes our customers have been veryloyal and I would like to thank them forthe support that they have given usover the years and we aim to continueproviding the same level service formany years to come. The majority ofour customers would be commercialclientele, but there is a good interest inthe car sales too and this is an areathat we are hoping to develop in thefuture.”

The one problem that all dealersseem to be having is trying to getfinance for their customers as banksare refusing to release money, whichis ironic, given the fact that it is mainlybecause of them that we are in thismess. However, Terry revealed that heis dealing with finance brokers thathave been very helpful to hiscustomers.

“Trying to obtain finance has been amajor stumbling block over the lastfew years and it has turned right

around from the days, banks wereeager to give out loans, but we useFirst Auto Finance Ireland Limited whohave been excellent in obtainingfinance for customers. So if anyonehas any worries or queries aboutgetting finance then they should justget in touch with us and we can havea chat.”

All new vehicles come with a fullmanufacturers' warranty, while thecompany also offers extensivewarranties on all of its quality usedvehicles. With enormous purchasingpower, the company is also extremelycompetitive on price.

A cursory look around Terry LillyCommercials is all that is needed toestablish this company's bona fides.The company is without question atthe leading edge of light commercialvehicle sales in Dublin, if not thewhole country. A purpose builtshowroom, which houses a myriad ofmarques and models is proof positivethat this company means business.

Terry Lilly Commercials is ideallysituated just 500 yards from theJunction 5 exit on the M50 motorway,but there is a whole lot more to thecompany than the premises.

The company's ongoing success isembedded in its very fabric. Terry LillyCommercials exudes an air offriendliness and professionalism whichplaces potential and existingcommercial vehicle customers firmly inthe comfort zone. This is anestablishment where the commercialcustomer is king.

Success has been built on deliveringhigh levels of customer service inevery aspect of the business fromsales right through to after-salesservice. “We are commercial vehiclespecialists and we know the businessinside out. We have a proven trackrecord stretching back 21 years so wehave the experience to deal with therequirements of the commercialcustomer.”

To complement the company'sextensive sales activities, Terry LillyCommercials also offers a wide rangeof finance options to its customers.“We offer all kinds of finance packagesfrom contract hire, to hire purchaseand leasing. We are experts in allaspects of vehicle financing,” addedTerry.


A range of new and used cars

Terry Lilly Cars & Commercialsacquired a Fiat dealership in 2009

COMPANY DETAILSTerry Lilly Car & CommercialsNorth Road, Finglas, Dublin 11,Ireland.

Ph: 01 8640000 F: 01 8641144e-mail: [email protected] www.terrylillycommercials.ie

A real passion for haulageA real passion for haulageTo say that Will Drennan has a passion for haulage would be an exercisein understatement. The Derry man has overseen his own general haulagecompany through six different decades and Drennan Transport Ltd. istoday an integral part of the transport sector on this island (and beyond).Irish Trucker travelled to Upperlands, Maghera and spoke to the manhimself about his lifetime’s vocation.

52 IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Will Drennan is what we mightterm an industry veteran.And he’s not resting on his

laurels; today, Drennan Transport Ltd.still provides an exceptional dailygroupage service between Ireland andthe UK, operating a fleet of 50 trailersand up to 25 tractor units as well assub-contractors. Will employs 40people directly and overseeswarehousing facilities comprisingsome 100,000 sq. ft.

In addition to his company

headquarters at Upperlands, Maghera(he formerly operated out of his homevillage of Tobermore for 42 yearsbefore relocating in September 2007),Will also has a second satellite depotin Dublin. He may be in the businessfor almost half a century, but the long-serving haulage chief is showing nosign of slowing down. In fact, to thecontrary, by putting his vastexperience and know-how to optimaleffect, he is now providing a daily UK– Ireland dry freight / groupage and

warehousing service that is quitesimply without equal. All in all, it’s anincredible success story – and onewhere there are many chapters yet tobe written.

The genesis of Drennan Transportgoes back to the mid-‘60s, when Willwas a young man from a remote Derryvillage boasting a driving passion forall things transport-related. That hehas managed to forge a career out ofdoing what he loves speaks volumesfor the man’s fortitude, conviction,

Drennan Transport has excelledsince it was founded in 1965


perseverance and professionalism.Will has always placed a firmemphasis on quality service and that’swhy his company has stood the test oftime, for decades providing customerswith a service they can depend on.

“As far back as I can remember, Ialways had an interest in trucks,” hesays. “It was natural for me to getinvolved in haulage and I started outwith a TK Bedford doing generalhaulage in the North of Ireland. I setup on the 1st of July, 1965. I used todraw out of a fertiliser factory inArklow. The roads back then were alot different than what they are today,but at least there were no delays!”

Having worked hard as a one-man,one-truck operation for a number ofmonths, Will soon found that he hadmore work than he could handle onhis own. By the end of the first year,

he had taken on another pair of handsand a second lorry. From there, he hasgrown the business gradually.

In 1969, Will expanded the operationto include UK work and this remains astaple part of the business today. Hehas developed partnerships with fellowoperators throughout the UK, who usehis service for their Irish groupage ona daily basis. In order to provide anoptimum level of service, Will hasbeen careful not to over-stretchhimself. To this end, he uses sub-contractors wherever necessary,deploying a trusty team of owner-drivers and thereby generatingadditional indirect employment. Everydecision he makes is made in the bestinterest of the company, to guaranteea first-class service to a large andappreciative client base.

So, what is his specialist line of work

today? “We work all over the UK andinto southern Ireland. We also did a bitof continental work in the past but wedon’t do too much of that any more asit’s not profitable. We specialise in dryfreight, which I suppose can includejust about anything. Over the years, Iwould say I have transported literallyeverything.” Add versatility to DrennanTransport’s lengthy list of attributes,so!

Fleet-wise, Will operates a fleet ofDAF predominantly, but also runssome Scanias and Volvos. His fleet of50 trailers comprises curtainsiders,flats and Euroliners. As a true veteranof the haulage sector, Will has seenrecessions come and go, and heacknowledges that it’s best to treadprudently and cautiously in the currentclimate:

“We are being very cautious at the

minute. Money is tight and nobody canafford to take any risks. We’ll just keepour heads down and continue toprovide the same top-quality servicewe’ve always provided. I have a lot oflong-term employees here and I’d liketo keep them in a job, so we have torun a tight ship both for their sake andfor the benefit of our customers.There’s no room for waste in haulage.

“I’m taking things day by day, literally.At the moment, I’d be reluctant toinvest big money in new equipment. Ihave a strong fleet that performssolidly and all the vehicles are fresh

and well-maintained in our ownworkshop. You can’t afford to run allbrand-new equipment. I wouldn’t be sosure the investment needed to buynew trucks would give you the returnyou’d need. So it’s hard to justifybuying any new trucks at the moment,much as I’d love to!

“When the recession passes, wehave plenty to go forward with. I havean 80-acre site here and I’m onlyusing about five acres of that at theminute, so we have plenty of room forexpansion if that’s the path we chooseto take.”

Is this the hardest time Will hasseen? “I have come through fourrecessions, but I would say this isprobably the most difficult forbusinesses because the banks weren’tinvolved before. During previousrecessions, there was more creditavailable to bread-and-butterbusinesses. Banks were supportingbusinesses but they seem to haveclosed their doors now and it’s veryhard to get credit today, which is amajor problem for companies. Fueland other overheads are alsoextremely expensive, so all in all it is


The company is based inMaghera, County Derry

54

In for the long haul

probably the worstrecession I’ve seen and alot of people are going tofind it very difficult to comeout of this one.

“As you get older, youstart to wonder what thefuture holds for youngerpeople in the industry, withCPCs, driver hours, and allthe other rules andregulations. There is somuch legislation to beadhered to that it is verydifficult for honest youngpeople to keep their headsabove the water, yet therogue operators just seemto get away witheverything. That can bevery frustrating.”

And finally, for anyaspiring young WillDrennans who might bereading this, what hasbeen the secret of theDerry man’s success andlongevity in the industry?“Self commitment. And alot of hard work.Youhave to try to besensible and at the

same time to make thingshappen. I have never hada contract in my life. It’s allrepeat business andeverything is done in goodfaith. You have to providea good service and standover your work. I’ve treatedpeople fairly, that’s why Ihave some accounts herefor between 29 and 35years. Once you provide astrong, quality service andare as good as your word,then people will come backand do business with youagain.”


COMPANY DETAILSDrennan Transport Ltd.,24 Lisgorgan Lane,Upperlands,

Maghera BT46 5TECounty Derry

Telephone: 028 7964 2116Fax: 028 7964 3570


J.N.K. Components Ltd.

Main Agents for: OERLIKON WELDING PRODUCTS, EXCELUBE OIL, VARTA BATTERIES,

NIGAS & DONALDSON FILTERSPennybridge Industrial Estate, Ballymena, Co. Antrim BT42 3HB

Tel: 028-256 48111 Fax: 028 256 42422 Email: [email protected] www.jnkcomponents.co.uk

Best Wishes To Drennan Transport

THE CAR, COMMERCIAL& TRACTOR PARTS PEOPLE

Best Wishes To Drennan Transport, from

R.BARKLEY & SONS LTD.U.K. & Eire Services

Warehousing & DistributionHAULAGE CONTRACTORS

14 Landhead Rd., Ballymoney, Co. Antrim BT53 1HDTel: Ballymoney (028) 276 63301 /62696

Fax: (028) 276 65286Heywood Depot

Tel: 0170 662 2252 • Fax: 0170 662 2280

Best Wishes To Drennan Transport, From

145 Moneymore Road,CookstownCo. Tyrone

BT80 9UU

Tel:028 867 63396028 867 63437

Fax: 028 867 64095

E.K

.S. TYRES

(N . I .) L T D.

• •

Wishing Continued Success To Drennan Transport From

JOHN BARFOOT F.C.C.A.

Chartered CertifiedAccountant

8 Broad St., Magherafelt BT45 6EATel: 028 796 31343Fax: 028 796 34185

Best Wishes To Drennan Transport

Best Wishes To Drennan Transport, From

The company was firstestablished in 1996 by Paschaland Geraldine Doolan when an

opportunity arose to take over theservicing contract for An Post andseveral other companies. Back then,things were a bit different than theyare now and things have certainlychanged since the husband and wifeduo first set out their stall, which hasgrown to become one of the mostreliable commercial vehicle repairsand hire companies in the midlandsregion.

They are glad to acknowledge thehelp & support of local businesses likeAthlone Motor Factors, CentralBearing Supplies, Mick Mannion Test

Centre, etc when starting up & are stillglad to be dealing with them.

“We’re based behind Michael MooreCar Sales at Creggan, Dublin Road,Athlone,” Paschal explained. “We havethe garage business for 15 years nowand the van hire is going since 2000.We would employ six staff here,including myself. My daughter, SarahJane, works in the office.”

The Commercial Fleet servicesgarage at Athlone Van Hire hadalready been in operation since 1996and both companies have grownsubstantially over the past 15 yearsthat they have tripled the number ofemployees since they were set up.

Geraldine Doolan is responsible for

the administration and finance end ofthings in the company, and has beenan active partner since the beginning,while her daughter Sarah Jane,currently occupies a role in receptionand administration.

In March 2008, Paschal andGeraldine took the decision toamalgamate both companies and nowthey are currently trading as ‘AthloneVan Hire Ltd T/A Paschal DoolanCommercial Fleet Services’.

Since setting up their van hireservice 11 years ago, Athlone Van Hirehas always offered a high quality ofcommercial vehicle hire to itscustomers in the midlands and all overIreland. The quality of their services

56

Leading the wayFor over 10 years now, Athlone Van Hire Ltd has been Athlone’s highquality van centre operating on the Dublin Road in Athlone, CoWestmeath. Irish Trucker spoke to the company’s Managing Director,Paschal Doolan, to find out more.


Paschal Doolan with somevehicles available for hire

has resulted in a widerange of satisfiedclients around themidlands and beyond.

“Our CommercialFleet Services hasbeen very lucky tohave such a goodclient base,” saidPaschal.

“We would havecontracts to maintainAn Post vehiclesthrough Dan RyanTruck Rental and DAFTruck services Cork,other customersinclude BOC Gases,Kerry Foods, JonesOil, DPD and Group 4Securicor to name afew, so there’s a goodmix there. An Post isthe oldest contract we have here and we’vehad a good relationship with them since westarted working together.”

The company provides HGV & LGVservicing and maintenance for all makes attheir garage in Athlone. They provide agenuine 24 hour seven day breakdownservice also and take pride in always beingcontactable.

They are equipped to carry out DOEpreparation, tail lift repair, and electronic

diagnostic fault analysis at their workshop in Athlone.Athlone Van Hire also enhance their efficiency by usingworkshop’ software which enables them to track theircustomers’ vehicle history and service records, DOE Due

dates & ability to send text reminders to customers whenvehicles are due testing, tachograph calibration etc.

Athlone Van Hire’s services and customer list are equallyimpressive and it’s certainly a credit to Paschal, who himselfhas been at the forefront of the company’s success, havingstarted from humble enough beginnings.

“I started out as a mechanic myself at 17 and I am workingon commercial vehicles ever since,” explained the Offalynative.

Since Paschal ‘started up’, his company has always stuckby their principals to make sure that every vehicle ismaintained to the highest standards Manufacturers servicesheets are completed for each service and DOE test datesare tracked closely.

“We’re busy at the moment,” he stated. “But you just neverknow what’s around the corner and the way things are at


Patrick Warby and RoyMcEvilly at work

Refuelling in progressat Athlone Van Hire

the moment I suppose that saying wasnever as true. “Hopefully things willpick up everywhere, because whenbusinesses around you are sufferingyou will begin to feel the effects, andwe certainly have. Cash flow seems tobe the biggest problem for a lot ofcompanies out there and it’s

something thatcan spread, sohopefully therewill be aturnaround.”

Fuel costs seemto be the chiefconcern for thosein a similar line ofbusiness toPaschal; withdiesel priceshaving reachedrecord highfigures alreadythis year.However, headmitted that it’snot somethingwhich is a primaryissue for hiscompany, butmore so for his

customers. “It’s not affecting us directly too

much, but it is hitting our customershard alright and in that way I supposeit has,” he conceded.

“I think profits in the haulagebusiness now are very marginal and

everything with them has to be kept toa very tight budget otherwise they justwouldn’t be able to keep themselvesoperating.”

Their own fleets of hire vehicles areof course maintained to the higheststandard & are available for short orlong term hire, Self drive insurance isavailable, no mileage charges areapplied and rates are very competitive.

All information is available on theirwebsite www.athlonevanhire.com.

So whether it’s 24-hour roadsideassistance, commercial repairs,maintenance or hire you are lookingfor, be sure to look no further thanAthlone Van Hire on the Dublin Road.


Paschal and Geraldine’s daughterSarah works in the office

Kerry Foods are oneof Athlone Van Hire’soldest customers

COMPANY DETAILSAthlone Van Hire LtdCregganDublin RoadAthloneCo.Westmeath

Tel: 0906 472414Fax: 0906 476006

Continued Best Wishes To Athlone Van Hire From

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Athlone Tyre DepotRoscommon Rd.,

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Best Wishes To Athlone Van Hire, From

Usually these companies arelong standing businesses thathave many years experience

behind them and are equipped to dealwith the changes needed.

One company that slots into thatcategory is Cavan based P&S CivilWorks, which has been supplying aspecialised service to a largecustomer base for the last 43 years.

Established in 1968, P&S Civil Works

has gone through many changes overthe years and its ability to move withthe times and meet the customers’requirements has kept them at theforefront of their field of expertise.

Having being established by brothersPat and Sean Smith, the initial serviceprovided was land reclamation andwater works, but over the years thebusiness developed into constructionboth domestic and commercial.

These days, Pat’s sons Killian,Declan and Gavin are all involved asis Sean’s son David. Both Sean andPat have since taken a back seat inthe business, but still hold an activeinterest. Irish Trucker speaks to Killian,who is now managing director and hetells us about the direction thecompany is now heading in.

P&S Civil Works relied heavily onconstruction industry over the years as

Getting the job done

59

Diversity is the keyThe ability of a company to diversify into other areas of expertise has sawmany such firms survive the current economic recession.



Best Wishes To P&S Civil Works, From

Unit 36, Kells Business Park, Cavan Road, Kells, Co. Meath

T: (046) 9293272 F: (046) 9293275 E: [email protected]

www.mgmofficesupplies.ieBest Wishes To P&S Civil Works, From

Tractamotors LtdStockist of Hankook Performance Tyres

Dublin Road, Cavan Tel: (049) 4375900

www.hankook.ie

Congratulations To P&S Civil Works On 40 YearsIn Business & Continued Success In The Future

From

JACKSON STEELS LTD

Angle • Box • Flats • Rounds • Tubes • Square Bars Plate Steel • IPE’s • Beams

Re-Bar Cut & Bent 10mm -25mm • Reinforcing Mesh

Stockists Of All Types Of Steel, Timber & Aluminium Sheets

Canningstown, Cootehill, Co. CavanTelephone: 042 9660204 • Fax: 042 9660461


Clients Recommend Us

Wishing Continued Success To P&S Civil Works From

Poles Co-OpCreamery Ltd

We now stock a full range of building supplies

TIMBER DRYLINING INSULATION

& STEEL REINFORCINGVisit Our Plumbing & Heating Store

FOR ALL YOUR PLUMBING & HEATING REQUIREMENTS

See our wide range of bathroom suites &shower doors all at keenest prices

PLEASE CALL OR PHONE FOR SPECIAL QUOTATIONSLeading Suppliers of Fencing,

Land Drainage Pipes, Animal Medicines, Coal Fertilizer, Cattle, Pig & Poultry Feed

We Stock A Comprehensive Range of Horse Products, Feedstuff & Wendal Herbs,Also Whitewood Shavings At Lowest Prices

Prompt Attention & Delivery Is Our MottoPoles, Co. Cavan Tel: 049 4330108/ 4330499Fax: 049 4330074 • Email: [email protected]

Congratulations & Best Wishes To P&S Civil Works

www.irishtrucker.com

Irish PipelineComponents

LimitedUnit 524 Greenogue Business Park,

Rathcoole, Co. DublinTel: 01 2570100 • Fax: 01 2570300

www.ipcireland.comwww.pipefixsolutions.com

Continued Best Wishes To P&S Civil Works

from its base at Drumuck, Stradone; it operated a quarryas well as developing houses and industrial units.

But since the Celtic Tiger’s roar became more of awhimper, Killian admitted that they faced into an uncertainfuture, but it is one that that they have tackled head on.

“There has definitely being a big slow down in the last fewyears and I think everyone involved in the constructionindustry felt it,” admitted Killian. “We would have about halfthe work force that we use to have, but in fairness, we arenow working in other areas and these have kept us going.”

These other areas that Killian talks about are sewerageworks and water mains that has seen the Cavan basedfirm pick up a number of contracts in over the past fewyears.

“We’ve also been involved in sewerage works and watermains for many years and it was a small part of thebusiness, but now it is our main source of work. Throughour experience, we have obtained a number of contractswith various councils around the country, while we have

also obtained work in the U.K.”Following the pricing of a number of jobs in the U.K, P&S

Civil have won the contract to lay 13 and a half kilometresof pipeline in Scotland for Farrans (Construction) Ltd andKillian admits that this is a big boost to the company.

“We were in for a number of contracts in the UK and it’snot the easiest of places to get work, especially as wewouldn’t be as well known over there. However, we havemanaged to get this one in East Sterling and hopefully thiswill lead to more work.”

Killian stated that the current work force would betravelling over to Scotland for this project as they look tomake a good impression on their new employers.


The company recently won a contract tolay 13.5km of pipeline in Scotland

P&S Civil are doing a lot of sewerageand water work at the moment

Proud to be associated with P&S Civil Works & continued success in the future from


Best Wishes To P&S Civil Works Best Wishes To P&S Civil Works

Best Wishes To P&S CIVIL WORKS


“We will bring our own staff over toScotland. The drivers and pipe layers,most of who have been with us formany years are tried and trusted. Thisis a very important job for thecompany and we’re confident ofcompleting it to the satisfaction of allconcerned.

“This also means that we will behiring more workers here in Ireland, soit has a positive effect on the economyhere also, so it’s all good.”

The UK is not the only place thatP&S Civil works are currently pricingjobs as they look to expand the

business into other parts of Europe aswell.

“We are also pricing in othercountries as we look to expand ourportfolio, Poland among them. We’verealised that Ireland is going to bequiet for some time and there is aneed to branch out into other countriesin order to be a continued success.

“There are always uncertainties inthis industry, but you have to lookforward and that is what we are doing.Hopefully, we can build on what weare doing.”

In a bid to keep overheads to a

minimum, the fleet is kept in pristinecondition during its lifespan, which atP&S Civil works is usually in theregion of five years, but they are alsolooking to improve the fleet.

Another string to the company’s bowis the fact that they also operate a fuelservice delivering home heating oil totheir customers for over 20 years.

“We hope to keep at the same levelthat we are at in Ireland and maintainwhat we are doing, while the aim inthe UK is to develop the businessfurther over the next few years. If canmanage both of these, we will be veryhappy indeed,” concluded Killian.


COMPANY DETAILSP&S Civil WorksDrumuck, Stradone,Co. Cavan

Tel: 049-4330115

Email:info @pandscivilworks.com

P&S Civil have been involved in bothdomestic and commercial development

Work is carried out toexacting standards


Best Wishes To Cummins Transport, From

B&R TranSpares

Hewitsland, New Ross, Co. WexfordContact Brian 0871265149

Contact Richie 087 1719324T: 051 425971 • F: 051 420838

Best Wishes To Cummins Transport, From

MURRAYInternational Transport

Dry & RefrigeratedInternational TransportSlevoy, Foulksmills, Co. Wexford

086 8038850051 565135

E: [email protected]

11 Deerpark Rd, Cashel, Co. Tipperary, Tel : +353 (0)62 63054

Mob : +353 (0)87 1213652Fax : +353 (0)62 63977 Email : [email protected]

WISHING ALL AT CUMMINS TRANSPORTCONTINUED SUCCESS

Wishing Cummins Transport All The Best In The Future From

David Moran T/A D.P.M & CoThe Old Post Office, Ballymitty

Book Keeping & Accountancy ServicesFor Small & Medium Enterprises

Contact David MoranTel: 051 561800 • Fax: 051 560 660

Mobile: 087 2660946Email: [email protected]

Best Wishes To Cummins Transport From

WOULD YOULIKE YOUR COMPANY

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For this month's edition of IrishTrucker, we profile one suchbusiness; New Ross based

Cummins Transport, which over thepast 12 years has been providing a topquality service to a large customerbase. We speak to the company'smanaging director Shane Cumminsand he tells us about the trials andtribulations of being involved in suchan industry.

Cummins Transport offers aspecialised service to their customersand Shane admits that the success ofthe business is mainly down to thequality of service that they provide.“We can tailor our services to meet thecustomers' total distribution needs,direct from the end of their productionline or port of entry to final delivery attheir customers premises.”

Cummins Transport's fleet can beseen mainly operating in Europe andFrance and Italy in particular as theytransport beef and lamb among othergoods to these countries. The level oftheir success over the last decade orso can be measured by the number ofthe high profile companies that thework for.

“We have a large customer base thatcovers a number of industries and wework on the continent most of the time.Many of our customers have been withus since the start and we are gratefulfor the work and cooperation we havereceived from them.

“It is our intention to continue with thelevel of customer satisfaction that we

provide and improve on that ifpossible. We have an excellentworking relationship with ourcustomers and that is something wewill be aiming to maintain.”

With 10 highly trained employees onthe books, Shane admits that it's downto a team effort in order for thebusiness to maintain its high levels.

“I have a loyal and trustworthy staffmany of who have been with me sincethe start. It gives great peace of mindknowing that they are more thancapable of carrying out any operationto the highest standard.”

Of course another vital part of thebusiness is the fleet and to this end,Shane stresses it is essential thatevery vehicle and trailer is wellmaintained. Mercedes have been thepreferred choice of truck for manyyears now. They also have a vast arrayof trailers from curtainsiders totemperature controlled units, all ofwhich are relatively new.

“We run a well maintained fleet ofvehicles and trailers. All our vehiclesand equipment are purchased from anumber of sources and are serviced byour maintenance team.”

Shane admits that the haulageindustry has suffered greatly in the last18 months or so and costs have beenrising on a regular basis, leaving it verydifficult to provide the level of servicerequired.

“It has been a tough time, especiallywith the price of diesel rising so

frequently. It makes it that bit harder tosurvive, but we are determined tocome through without reducing thehigh levels that our customers expect.”

Hauliers call for a fair playing fieldhas fallen on deaf ears in recent times,but there is a need for change soonerrather than later as many businessesin the industry continue to suffer.

There are many guidelines in thehaulage industry to be followed andCummins Transport ensure that thealways have the relevant licensing,permit approvals and currentguidelines necessary.

“When you are working on thecontinent, there is plenty of legislationto be adhered too, especially when youare transporting meat. Through ourmany years' experience, we ensure toavoid any problems and make suredeliveries are made on time.”

Shane admits that in this industry youtake each year as it comes and hepoints to customer satisfaction as themain ingredient for a successfulbusiness. “Our aim is to hold on towhat we have and ensure that ourcustomers are pleased with the servicethat we provide. We are confident ofdoing that. There are many issues thatneed to be addressed and hopefullythey will be looked at. The haulageindustry has suffered enough over thepast few years and most operators arestruggling to survive, but you have toremain confident and that is what weare doing.”

65IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

A cool operationA cool operation

The transport of refrigerated goods is a specialised areawithin the haulage industry and there are a number ofcompanies within Ireland that provide such a service.

Cummins Transportsfleet can be seen all

over Europe


Best Wishes & Continued Success To Magee International, From

A professional standard of quality services for thecommercial and private vehicle owner such as:

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Best Wishes To Magee International Haulage, From

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Continued Best Wishes To Magee International Haulage, From

2 Derryvolgie Avenue, Belfast BT9 6FL

Te: +44 (0) 28 9066 1938Email: [email protected]

www.curcon.co.uk

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Best Wishes To Magee International Haulage, From

WishingContinuedSuccess To

MageeInternational

Sales ● Service ● Rental ● Import & ExportUnit 6B Charlemont Ind. Estate, Moy,

Dungannon, Co. Tyrone BT71 7SD

T: 028 87 789775 F: 028 87 789809M: 07780 665737 E: [email protected]

67

Magee Haulage - theinternational transportspecialistsMagee Haulage Ltd is one of the most reputable international transportcompanies in Northern Ireland. Office manager Jackie Magee, who is wifeof managing director Aidan, explains more.


Since its formation in 2000,

Magee Haulage has been

providing a top-class

international haulage service between

Ireland, the UK and continental

Europe.

A young, dynamic, family-run

business based in Dyan, Caledon, Co.

Tyrone, Magee Haulage has

established a tradition for quality,

reliability, value for money and total

dedication to customer

service. As well as

specialising in

international haulage, the

company also offers a

national haulage service

that covers the 32

counties.

“We pride ourselves on

offering a reliable and

efficient international

transport service,” says

Magee Haulage office manager Jackie

Magee, whose husband Aidan heads

up the company.

“We specialise in international

transport to the UK and various

destinations throughout continental

Europe, including France, Italy, Spain,

Germany, Holland and Belgium. It’s a

tough business to be in, the hours are

long, but it’s what we know and do

best. We’ve established ourselves

over the past 10 years and hope to

continue on an upward curve in the

coming years,” she adds.

Magee Haulage is ideally located to

serve the needs of companies

throughout the North, especially those

in the nearby towns of Dungannon,

Armagh and Monaghan.

“We’re seven miles from Dungannon,

seven miles from Armagh and seven

miles from Monaghan. We service all

the surrounding areas with our trucks

leaving for Larne Port on a daily

basis,” Jackie explains.

Over the years, Magee Haulage has

built up an impressive client list that

includes Norfolkline, McBurney

Transport (Ballymena), O’Neill

Transport (Coalisland), Loane

Transport (Kesh, Co. Fermanagh),

Hunter Transport, Moy Park Chickens

(Dungannon) and Monaghan

Mushrooms. It also carries out work

for Johnson Haulage in Dumfries,

Scotland and has a contract to

transport fish from Lochinver in the

Scottish Highlands – which is the

second largest fishing port in Scotland

– to the continent.

“We have the capacity to transport

anything. We’ve two very good

contracts with Moy Park and

Monaghan Mushrooms. In addition, we

do a lot of work for other well-known

transport companies.

”The type of products on

our back-loads range from

groceries for the likes of

Asda and Sainsbury’s to

clothes for Next. We have

an excellent working

relationship with our

customers.”

Magee Haulage employs

seven drivers, all of who

are highly skilled,

competent and are fully

aware of the importance of customer

service. Each driver is ADR-trained for

the carriage of dangerous goods. The

company operates a fleet of 10 trucks,

six refridgerated trailers and one

curtainsider. Having invested in a

modern high specification fleet, the

company can transport everything

from foodstuffs to furniture.

Of farming stock, Aidan is a qualified

mechanic who had worked for PMP in

Armagh and Ewing’s in Dungannon

“The price of diesel is hitting everyhaulage firm hard. There is plenty of workout there, but the cost of fuel is killing theindustry. As a well-established company,we are able to take the hits better than

other companies. But it must be very hardfor companies who are only starting out.

before setting up Magee Haulage.

When he’s not carrying out

maintenance work in the company’s

purpose-built garage which was

constructed in 2005, he’s behind the

wheel of one of his trucks on another

delivery to the UK or Europe.

“Aidan likes to lead by example,”

Jackie laughs.

“He’ll put his hand to anything. Even

though he’s from a farming

background, he has always been

fascinated with trucks. I think our three

children – Shonagh (11), Oisin (seven)

and Emer (four) – are taking after him!

They love the truck shows. We

entered trucks into the Lady of the

Lakes Truck Show in Enniskillen and

the Granville Truck Run in Dungannon

last year and they enjoyed every

minute of both.”

Of the company’s 10 trucks, eight are

Scania. Jackie elaborates: “Aidan

swears by Scania. We also have a

DAF and a Volvo, but Scania is clearly

the number one choice. Aidan always

had a particular liking for the 143

model and he still has one which is

15-years-old but is still going strong.

We have a modern fleet overall that’s

equipped to deal with any job.”

Similar to all transport companies,

Magee Haulage hasn’t been immune

from the recession with Jackie

admitting that rising fuel costs have

put a considerable strain on the family-

run business.

“The price of diesel is hitting every

haulage firm hard. There is plenty of

work out there, but the cost of fuel is

killing the industry. As a well-

established company, we are able to

take the hits better than other

companies. But it must be very hard

for companies who are only starting

out. I wouldn’t like to be starting out

again, that’s for sure.”

Regardless of fuel costs, you can be

sure that Magee Haulage won’t allow

its standards to slip. Aidan, Jackie and

their team have worked hard to make

it the thriving operation it is today and

are committed to maintaining the

highest possible standards.

In conclusion, Jackie praises Magee

Haulage’s drivers for their contribution

to the company’s

success.

“They have

played a huge part

in the growth and

success of our

company over the

years. They know

the roads of

Ireland, the UK

and Europe inside

out and can always

be relied upon to

do a good job.”


Wishing Continued Success To Magee International Haulage From

Supplier of Spares To Suit

DAF - SCANIA - VOLVO - BPW -ROR

76 Clonfeacle Road, Blackwater Town, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone BT71 7HP

Tel: 048 37549575 • Fax: 048 37548883Mobile: 07710 377099


Best Wishes & ContinuedSuccess To

Magee International

“We pride ourselves onoffering a reliable andefficient international

transport service”

COMPANY DETAILSMagee Haulage Ltd

Ph: 048-37569619078-34777620e-mail: [email protected]

Main Street, Kesh,Co. Fermanagh BT93 1TF

Tel: 028 686 31555Fax: 028 686 31638Email: [email protected]

www.loanetransport.co.uk

Wishing Continued Success To Magee Haulage

LMC Trade Sales arecelebrating 10 years as aleading supplier of high

quality previously owned lightcommercial vehicles to the motortrade.

Since 2001, the well-knownfamily-run concern hasestablished a tradition of value-for-money and total dedication tocustomer service. Based on theAughnacloy Road in Dungannon,the company’s garage is easilyaccessible to customers in bothNorthern Ireland and theRepublic of Ireland.

LMC source and sell only thebest used commercials fromEngland. All models have oneprevious owner and a full servicehistory. They also source andsupply vans direct to the publicand are able to offer competitivefinance packages.

In addition, LMC specialise inservicing, vehicle recovery, plylining, tow-bars and diagnostics,making it a one-stop shop for allyour commercial needs.

“The first 10 years have gonewell for us and hopefully the next10 will be just as good,” explainsLawrence McMenemy, who setup the business along with hisbrother David (their father Haroldis also involved).

“When someone buys a van from us,they know they are getting a qualityvehicle. We deal only with reputablesuppliers in the UK. The full history ofevery van we stock is documented socustomers know what they are getting.Anything we sell is fully guaranteed.”

LMC Trade Sales carry a large rangeof the most popular light commercials,including the Ford Transit and TransitConnect, Peugeot Partner, VauxhallVivaro, Mitsubishi Canter, CitroenBerlingo, Nissan Navara and the VWCaddy and Crafter. If you are lookingfor a particular model that isn’t instock, the McMenemy brothers willgladly source it for you. If you are notsure what you are looking forward,there is an extensive range of modelsin stock at any one time to help youchose the right vehicle for your needs.

“We have something to suit everyoneand have a very strong customer-base,” Lawrence says.

“We always have at least 30 lightcommercials in stock. That figurewould have reached 60 during theboom years, but obviously things havechanged since then. We supply mainlyto the retail sector with our customersranging from florists to farmers tobuilders. The vans we bring in fromEngland are generally a differentquality to what you get in Ireland.Generally speaking, the English vanowner takes more pride in the

69

LMCcelebrates10 years inbusinessLooking for a high quality used lightcommercial to suit your needs? If so, LMCTrade Sales in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone arecertainly worth a visit.



Best Wishes To LMC Trade Sales From

Gardiner TransmissionsOver 20 Years In Business

GEARBOX & REAR AXLE REPAIRSCAR & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

REAR DIFFS & BEARINGS

Unit 4C, Dreen Road, Cullybackey, Co. Antrim BT42 1EB

Tel/Fax: 028 2588 1197Email: [email protected]


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For all your building Needs

20 Ferry Road, Washing Bay, CoalislandTel: 028 87740601 • Mobile: 077 02640076


Continued Best Wishes To LMC Trade Sales

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028 8776 9182028 8776 9178

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Best Wishes To LMC Trade Sales, From

CAT is a leading supplier of Vehicle Logistics Solutions.Our Services include but are not limited to:• Local hauling • Long-distance hauling• Towing inoperative vehicles• Services for Car Dealers• Services for Leasing & Hiring companies

With our safe & reliable fleet of modern car carriers, we set the industry standard for efficiency and service.

No Job is too Big or too Small for CAT!Aughameeney, Carrick-On-Shannon , Co. Leitrim

Tel: 071 9650825 Fax: 071 9650177 Mobile (Irl): 086 2609616 Mobile (UK): 07788 190999


www.cat.ieContinued Best Wishes To LMC Trade Sales

Costello Auto Trans (CAT)Car & Commercial Transportation

Ireland - UK - Ireland

Wishing Continued Success To LMC Trade SalesSales

The No1 “All Makes” Motor Factorfor all your Car Parts & Service Items

2, Washingford Row, Milltown,Dungannon,Co. Tyrone, BT71 7BG

T: 028 877 26640 F: 028 877 26780Email:[email protected]

www.europarts-motorfactors.com

Automotive parts distribution

Co. Armagh’s Most Progressive Motor FactorHuge stocks of quality car and light commercial

parts with easy access and no parking restrictionsFAST & EFFICIENT DELIVERY SERVICE

AVAILABLE TO MOTOR TRADE

Best Wishes To LMC Trade Sales

STOCKISTS & DISTRIBUTORS OF AUTO PARTS & PERFORMANCE ACCESSORIES

Units 5-7, 127 Mahon Road, Portadown, Co. ArmaghTel: 028 38330700 • Email: [email protected]

www.accomponents.co.uk

appearance andupkeep of hisvehicle than theIrish owner.

“I know a lot of ithas to do with thebetter quality roadsthey have overthere, but what wehave found is thatthe English modelsare serviced moreregularly and aremeticulously lookedafter.”

Once a vehicle hasbeen sourced inEngland, theresponsibility oftransporting it backto Ireland falls toCostello Auto Trans(CAT). Based inCarrick-on-Shannon, Co.Leitrim, thecompany hasspecialised in cartransportationbetween Ireland andthe UK since 1986.

“We have a goodworking relationshipwith Liam Costelloand his staff in thesame way as wehave a goodworking relationshipwith the garageswho we deal with inEngland,” adds,Lawrence, whoregularly makes thetrip across the IrishSea to source thebest used lightcommercialsavailable.

“The great thingabout CostelloAuto Trans is thatno job is too bigor too small forthem. Theyalways try toaccommodate anyspecial needs orrequests that youmight have.”

One of LMC’sstrongest selling


46-47 William St.,Portadown, Craigavon, Co. Armagh BT62 3NX

Tel: 028 3833 2020Email

[email protected]

Beauty By MacBeauty By Mac

GILLIAN WOULD LIKE TO WISH ALL AT LMC TRADE SALES CONTINUED SUCCESS

53 Ballymagerny Road, Loughgall, BT61 8PLTelephone: 028 3889 1283. Mobile: 07725 163862

Fax: 028 3889 1136. E-Mail : [email protected]

INDUSTRIAL/PUBLIC AUTHORITYPRIVATE GARDENSGROUNDS MAINTENANCEINTERIOR LANDSCAPINGGARDEN DESIGNSPORTSGROUND AND DRAINAGE

INDUSTRIAL/PUBLIC AUTHORITYPRIVATE GARDENSGROUNDS MAINTENANCEINTERIOR LANDSCAPINGGARDEN DESIGNSPORTSGROUND AND DRAINAGE

Best wishes to all

at LMC TradeSales

2 Northland Row, DUNGANNON, Co. Tyrone BT71 6AW.Tel/Fax: 028-8772439025 Dungannon Street, MOY, Co. Tyrone BT71 7SH. Tel/Fax: 028-87784390

CCoonnttiinnuueedd ssuucccceessssttoo aallll aatt

LLMMCC TTrraaddee SSaalleess


WHITESIDE Haulage & Plant Hire

21 Loughview Road, Crumlin, Co. Antrim BT29 4RE

Mobile: 07860110119Office 028 94453856 • Fax: 028 94422688

HEAVY HAULAGESITE CLEARANCEPLANT HIRE

CONTINUED BEST WISHES TO ALL AT LMC TRADE SALES


DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL Intruder Alarms • CCTV Systems

Intercoms & Security Lighting24 Hour Emergency Service

T: 02838 334344 M: 077763 63235Email: info@[email protected]

Best Wishes ToLMC Trade Sales

FINN MOTORSAthlone Road, Ballymahon, Co. LongfordSPECIALISING IN UK IMPORTSCARS, VANS & COMMERCIALSMANY MAKES AND MODELS

Continued Best Wishes to LMC Trade Sales

TEL: 086-8539636

Wishing Continued Success To LMC Trade Sales From

Specialists In All Types of Light Commercials27 Feddan Rd., Ballygawley,

Co. Tyrone BT70 2APTel: 079 29208826

Skye BodyRepairs

points is its location just seven milesfrom the border, meaning that many ofits customers hail from the Republic.

“Our location is a big thing. As well asbeing close to the border, the M1motorway is only half-a-mile away withthe result that we’re within a hour’sdrive of anywhere in Northern Ireland.

“While we always get good businessfrom the south, things pick up a lotwhen the euro is strong againststerling. On our website(www.mlctradesales.com), we have aVRT (Vehicle Registration Tax)calculator for our southern customers.This system provides the Open MarketSelling Price (OMSP) as determinedby Revenue in the Republic for VRTpurposes and the amount of VRTpayable in respect of vehicles that areheld on the Revenue Commissioners’database.

“Needless to say, our southerncustomers have found this service veryuseful.”

LMC customers can alsouse the website to search formakes, models, prices as wellas the availability of vehicles.And while an extensive rangeof vehicles is available to buy,Lawrence reveals that theFord Transit is LMC’s bestseller.

“A lot of people still swear bythe Transit, but there is a bigdemand also for other makeslike the Volkswagen Caddyand the Citroen Berlingo.Regardless of the make ormodel, the bottom line is thatyou can be assured of a topquality used commercialwhen you buy from us.”


COMPANY DETAILSLMC Trade Sales 68 Legilly Road, Dungannon,

Co. Tyrone, BT70 1PE.

Telephone: 028 8772 4317 Mobile: 07748 112 820 Fax: 028 8775 0473 Email: [email protected]:www.lmctradesales.com

Best Wishes To LMC Trade Sales, From


The Insurance Centre, Sandyford BusinessCentre, Sandyford, Dublin 18

TEL+353 1 2932350FAX +353 1 2932360

E-MAIL [email protected]

www.mikemurphyinsurance.ie

TRUCK - CAR - BUSHOME - VAN - TRAVEL

FLEET - BUSINESS - LIABILITYSHOPS - OFFICES - MORTGAGE

LIFE - HEALTH

FOR ALL YOUR INSURANCE NEEDS

CONTINUED SUCCESS TO MSM RECYCLING

Mike Murphy Insurance Group is a trade name of Insureforsure Ltd. And regulated by the Central Bank Of Ireland

MIKE MURPHYGROUP

Hauliers, Are you aware ofthe very competitive rating

available from Sparrow Insurances?

Why not give us a call beforeyou renew your insurances

5 Wesley Terrace, Portlaoise, Co. Laois.T: (057) 8688888 F: (057) 8672936


www.sparrowins.ieSparrow Insurances Ltd is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland

Best Wishes To MSM Recycling

MAIN DEALERS FORATLAS Material Handling Machines

&Truck Mounted CranesDOOSAN Waste Handling & Recycling Machinery

BOBCAT Skid Steer Loaders • BELL Loading ShovelsTEREX Wheeled Loaders

Wishing M.S.M. Every Success For The Future

Montana Plant Sales643 Greenogue Ind Est.,Rathcoole, Co. Dublin.

Tel: (01) 401 8844Fax: (01) 401 8843

www.montanaplant.com

WORN TRUCK TYRES

Bought For Truck Tyre Retreading

Only good quality cases

Sizes required 295/80 315/80 385/65-22-5


Contact Sean on 057 9344292

www.condrontyres.ie

Best Wishes To M.S.M. Recycling Ltd

HEAVY PLANTSERVICES

Dedicated Shear & Baler Specialists

Higham House, Knockcroghery, Co. Roscommon

Telephone: 087 0631642Email: [email protected]

Best Wishes to MSM Recyling, from

Mobiles: Richard: 086-2552724Mary @ 086-2482313

Unit 401 Grants Drive, Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin

Tel: 01-4587005 Fax: 01-4588857

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL HAULAGE

M.S.M. Recycling wasestablished in 1996 andoffers the experience of three

generations of the Ward family (whohave been in the metal recyclingbusiness for over 75 years). TheTallaght-based company provides ahigh-quality recycling service and isfully committed to continualdevelopment of the potential for metal(ferrous and non-ferrous) and glassrecycling in Ireland. M.S.M. alsoprovides a keen off-site dismantlingservice.

Even though the company hasdeveloped steadily over the years,managing director Con Ward and histrusty team still provide a personalservice to customers, considering

themselves part of a two-waypartnership. Con supplies hiscustomers with a top-class service;this is why he can count the likes ofDiageo, Roadstone, Tuska Marine andLightship Guillemot amongst hisextensive list of clients.

This year marks the 15th anniversaryof M.S.M. (Midlands Scrap Metal)Recycling Ltd’s inception. FounderCon Ward is originally from CountyLaois but he relocated the company toDublin a couple of years ago, havingpreviously operated in recycling as asole trader under the banner of ConWard Metals. As part of a proud familytradition in the recycling sphere, hebrings plenty of experience to thetable, noting:

“I’m third generation. My fatherCharles Ward was involved in thesame line of work, and so was mygrandfather – also Charles – beforehim. I was literally raised into this andmy own son Jason is in the familybusiness alongside me now, so youcould say we’re fourth-generation now.Then there’s my brother Anthony –when I started up, Anthony gotinvolved and he’s still here today as ashareholder / director.”

Con is originally from Mountmellick inthe O’Moore County. M.S.M startedout in Laois but moved to Tallaght twoyears ago to take advantage of alarger catchment area. The move haspaid dividends as the volume of workhas grown significantly and M.S.M. is

75

M.S.M.; the metalrecycling expertA third-generation family business, M.S.M. is one of Ireland’s foremostrecycling specialists. Irish Trucker visited the company’s headquarters atCookstown Industrial Estate in Tallaght and met up with MD Con Ward todiscuss the range of services provided and the ongoing success of thebusiness.


MSM Recycling is one of Ireland’sforemost recycling specialists

busier today than it has ever been.Indeed, they could be a lot busier –and could provide employment to a lotmore people too! – if they received

more co-operation fromlocal authorities.

So what is thecore serviceprovided? “Wespecialise inprocessing allferrous andnon-ferrousmetals, whichcovers allmetals. We offera nationwidecollectionservice. We cansupply skips ofany size,tailored tocustomers’

needs. They might want a skip on-sitelong-term or we can do one-offs forfarmers etc. Or we can send a lorrywith a crane and grab.

“The metal is weighed and we willpay accordingly. The beauty is thatrather than charge companies to takeaway their unwanted scrap metal, weactually pay them! The good thingabout the market is that these metalshave a particular value and we will paythat.”

As for the actual recycling of themetal, M.S.M. boasts contracts withsteelworks in Spain and Turkey andhas also sold further afield into evenmore exotic locations such asVietnam, China and India, workingthrough agents. The era of thecontainers and the global villagephenomenon is a big help in thisregard.

“We have a new system installedwhere we just load 20-foot containersand we have unlimited access tocountries all around the world. We canload 24 tonnes at a time onto thesecontainers in Dublin Port and thisgives us access to a world market.”

M.S.M. works off a Greenstar site,boasting one-and-a-half acres wherethey take in materials and processthem on site. The company operatesits own fleet of seven chain-lift and

hook-lift Scanias covering the 26counties and also sub-contractsadditional lorries if they areexceptionally busy. To say that themove to Tallaght was a resoundingsuccess would be an understatement,as Con confirms:

“We are in the process of trying torelocate to a new site because thisone is already too small. We have aworkforce of 27 here at the momentand – if we get our move – we coulddouble that. If certain bodies adopteda more favourable, positive approachto metal recycling, we could createemployment for another 20 or 30people easily. But we’re not getting thesupport we deserve for some reason,and this is very disappointing.

“M.S.M. is a very positive company.Everything we do is beneficial to theenvironment and we also export,which is good for the domesticeconomy. We are also fully taxcompliant and we do everything by thebook, yet we seem to run intobureaucratic red tape at every turn.We could take on 20 people instantly –and that should be seen as a priorityin the current climate.”

As for the future, Con concludes:“There is very good long-term viabilityin the recycling industry. Our orderbooks are very strong and countrieswhich are growing are looking for thisraw material. We could expandsubstantially if local authorities wouldlook at the work we do in a morefavourable light.”


MSM specialise inprocessing all ferrous

and non-ferrous metals

COMPANY DETAILSMSM RecyclingUnit 41,Cookstown Industrial Estate,Tallaght,Dublin 24.

Telephone: 01 461 0077Fax: 01 452 6236


CLASSIFIED

5 STAR QUALITYDRIVERS AVAILABLE

For Trucks & BusesPart Time & Full Time. No Fee.

Call Damian Now On

1890 82 99 99

IRISH

& LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Don’t be left in the darklog on to


If you are interested, please send your current CV [email protected], or call Matt

on 087 133 6008 to find out more

Documents

Irish Trucker magazine August 2011