Interview with Alan Jordan, Project Manager, Cronin Movers Group

How important is the construction sector for your business?

The heavy lift division of Cronin Movers relies heavily on the construction sector. Our team are very ‘solutions focused’ and many of the jobs we undertake in this sector come from the daily question raised on a construction site “how do we move that from there to there?’. We have a great range of heavy lifting kit to undertake small and mid-size jobs and given the depth of our team, can respond quickly to the requests of engineers and site managers. As one site manager said recently ‘you’re like yer man James Taylor’ before singing “I just call out your name and I know wherever you are, you’ll come running….”

Do you specialise in any way for the Irish construction sector?

We’ve built a reputation for moving heavy intricate materials that include the likes of The Christ the King Statue which we moved from Dun Laoghaire Park to make way for the building of the new library https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf86_-xIPgE, and Industrial generator moving and electrical system installs for Stewart Construction on-site at the newly built section of Beaumont Hospital.

The reputation we have gained is due to the care we bring to our work, but the reality is that we bring that care to every project. Up to 20 tonne is where we shine, but are happy to manage any size project given our alliance with many international providers of heavy lift equipment to fulfil client needs. We’re very conscious of health/safety and compliance issues and this is very much part of our internal value system and culture.

We read about so many large projects being completed, large data centres for example, are there any similar projects that you have been involved in recently?

It’s been fantastic to see the Irish construction sector start to flourish again on the back of many hard years for the industry. Thankfully, our historical reputation and excellence in delivery saw us through the down turn and we’re starting to see significant increases in demand for our services in the past twelve months. We are currently involved with the new €200m Facebook Data centre development in Clonee, Co. Meath, providing technical machine moving, and office relocation requirements. We are also involved in the €11m development for RCSI Education and Research Centre at Beaumont Hospital.

About Cronin Movers Group

Whether You Are Moving A Pencil Or A Transformer Cronin Movers Can Help.

Service, transparency and a focus on excellence is deep within their ethos. Having invested significantly in their team and infrastructure they are proud of the work they produce on behalf of their many clients across the Irish marketplace. Ongoing training supports their philosophy of ensuring they remain as the go-to company in Ireland for Office Moving, Heavy Lift Relocation Engineering and Focused Logistics.

Established in 1988, they bring a wealth of experience and expertise supported by a rigorous process around project management. Their ISO Certification and engagement with global bodies responsible for guiding health & safety policy, supported by their engagement with industry allows us to provide excellence in all that they do.

More info on www.croninmovers.com 

Interview with Karen Muldowney, Business Development and Marketing Manager

Photo 1 – IIS Training Facility

How do Manley Construction specialise for the Irish construction sector?

Working across the public and private sector, Manley Construction are an award-winning medium-sized Main Contractor, operating nationally in both Ireland and the UK. We have been in business over 30 years and have through our experience delivered numerous prestigious projects over a vast array of sectors including Commercial, Retail, Industrial, Healthcare, Educational, Leisure and Residential. 

Photo 2 – Holbrook Community Renewable Energy Centre, Sheffield

What makes Manley Construction unique?

Manley Construction’s strategic capabilities are based on an excellent culture, resources and competencies along with:

• Our ability to supply timber frame into the residential market
• Our ability to be competitive and deliver “Best Value” to each client based on operational excellence
• Having a fully integrated QMS system
• Being financially viable
• Having a strong history built on solid foundations
• The calibre and experience of the Management and Project teams
• Having a repeat client base
• Having a strong supply chain
• Being experienced across multiple sectors
• Having strong values and a commitment to all people

Photo 3 – Haddington Road Primary School

What are the challenges facing your industry?  

There are many challenges facing the construction industry. We are still unsure of the repercussions and effects that BREXIT will have, indeed this could be a huge opportunity with FDI companies coming to Ireland.  Currently the rising costs of labour and material will always impact on pricing works, having the lowest costs in construction is a challenge if you want to offer the best service to your clients. As the market is growing, the changes within the workplace will have an impact on retaining staff. However, creating an enjoyable environment and behaving as an employer of choice should help, along with engaging with your supply chain should both lead to improved business outcomes. 

Photo 4 – Rochestown House

What recent projects have you been involved in? 

We are currently working on some really exciting projects such as Haddington Road National School, Ratoath College Extension, Franklin House on Pembroke Road, a residential development at Avourwen, Drogheda, Co Louth, Buvinda House which is going to be Meath County Councils new HQ and Nenagh Hospital Extension to name just a few.  We have recently completed sites such as the Irish Institute of Sports, Warwick University, Scoil Lorcan, St Ita’s Hospital Portrane which included the refurbishment and fit out, as well as 34 houses at Rochestown House which is the largest passive housing scheme in Ireland to date.

Photo 5- Scoil Lorcáin

How optimistic are you going into 2017?

The market has shown great improvement and we remain extremely optimistic about 2017 and the opportunities for Manley Construction. We have a fantastic team around us which will drive us on in our strategic plan of becoming the number one medium sized construction company in Ireland, along with having a significant presence within the UK market (North East of England).

Photo 6 – University of Warwick

You’ve recently subscribed to BuildingInfo – has it been beneficial to date?

We are finding BuildingInfo really good.  It’s very user friendly.  I think it’s very up to date and reasonable priced with good back office support.  

Interview with Peter Booth, Managing Director of Booth Concrete & Booth Precast Products Ltd in Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, one of Ireland’s largest family owned and managed concrete producers.

How do Booth Concrete specialise for the Irish Construction sector?

As a well-established concrete & precast company, operating since 1997, we offer a wide range of products to meet the demands of the Irish Construction Industry.

From readymix concrete to sand, from kerb stones to chimney systems, we can cater for any construction project, whether it be commercial or residential.

Precast Floors being placed

What products of yours are you most proud of?

While I am of course proud of all our products, there are two that I am very excited about going forward.

Our fully insulated precast flooring system is going extremely well. It is a fantastic product having many advantages over the traditional timber joists: sound proofing, insulation and perhaps most importantly, fire proofing. Our flooring systems make for a warmer, safer home.

However, it is our chimney system that I am most optimistic about. It really is a great product and we are getting great feedback from our customers. We have provided quite substantial housing developments all over the country with our chimney systems and we have many more ordered for 2017.

The system is designed to speed up construction especially in timber-frame housing. We have worked with companies such as Ballymore Homes, M.A. Ryan and Diamond Homes.

Precast Floors being placed

The construction industry is emerging from a sustained period of contraction. Where are the growth areas for your business? 

We have seen a steady rise in activity in all areas to be honest. It is true that growth in the midlands has been considerably slower than that inside Dublin but the signs in the last 12 months are promising.

We are providing blocks, concrete and floors for a lot of self-build houses in our locality along with larger developments such as schools and nursing homes. We are currently supplying to Clancy Construction on a new school in Portlaoise. It’s great to see the construction industry flourishing in the midlands once again as I believe it was one of the regions worst hit by the recession.

What are the challenges facing your industry?

Just like everyone else in the country, we are having to cope with rising insurance premiums. While a lot of the public attention is on private car insurance premiums, I feel that commercial motor insurance is something that our government need to act upon before it becomes too expensive for small businesses to operate.

Also, planning laws are making it very difficult to secure natural resources such as sand and gravel. The local authorities don’t appear to appreciate the importance of these resources to the National Development Plan.

Chimney System (Interior)

Chimney System (Exterior)

What recent projects have you been involved in?

As I mentioned before we are currently supplying the blocks for a large school in Portlaoise. We have also supplied 2 levels of precast flooring to a nursing home in Naas, Co. Kildare and chimney systems to large residential developments in Portmarnock, Waterford, Limerick and Cork.

Precast Products/Block Truck

Readymix Truck

How optimistic are you going into 2017?

I am very optimistic, especially with our chimney and flooring systems. A lot of interest has been shown and we already have orders for over 100 chimney systems for the first few months of 2017.

I also feel that our reputation as providers of top quality concrete products is growing, not only in our locality, but nationwide, and I feel that puts us in a great position going forward.

You’ve recently subscribed to Building Info – has it been beneficial to date?

It really has. It is great resource for our sales reps. It allows all of us to coordinate with each other, wherever we are in the country. It has great features such as reminders and alerts for commencing projects. It really is a fantastic product. Information is key, and Building Info keeps our sales personnel up to date on what’s going on.

Interview with Paul McKenna – McKeon Group

McKeon Group are multidisciplinary contractors offering Construction, Electrical, Mechanical and Technology services throughout Ireland. Founded in 1950 as a sole trader, the group has grown to become a leading player in the Irish construction and services industry.

How do McKeon Group specialise for the Irish construction sector?

McKeon Group specialise in commercial fit outs and refurbishments, design and build projects, public works contracts as well as high end domestic developments.

With four independently managed divisions our trade and engineering teams are specialised across Construction, Electrical, Mechanical and Technology services. Each division is equipped to operate as a principle contractor, offering our clients support from the wider company skillset and resource pool – delivering a complete building solution.

What makes McKeon Group unique?

There are four key things that make us stand out in the market – our experience, our complete range of services, our people and our attitude.

Our Experience – is a great asset to us. We’ve been around since 1950 so our clients benefit from over 65 years of expertise the industry.

Our complete range of services – Our interrelated disciplines mean we offer a complete building solution to clients. We are one of few contractors who can offer construction, mechanical, electrical and technology under the one roof. Our clients benefit from having only one point of contact throughout projects and it allows us to deliver greater efficiencies and significant cost savings.

Our People – McKeon Group prides itself on its exceptional staff from Senior Management to its own onsite staff. Our people have been integral to our success and growth over the past 65 years – driving the ever evolving processes and systems to ensure quality, efficiency and performance.

We often have clients commenting that it is refreshing to deal with a contractor that retains the “traditional expert resources of a construction company”. By having an in-house pool of dedicated and experienced Engineers, Technical, Trade and Site Staff, complimented by a very experienced Senior Management team who have worked their way up through the ranks, we can guarantee the quality of our projects.

Our Attitude – We work with clients as a partner incorporating our ethos of being open, honest and fair on every project. We have a strong industry reputation amongst all stakeholders for professionalism, quality and value for money.

McKeon Group Head Office – Ashbourne

Do the divisions operate independently of one another?

Yes and no, it’s important to understand that each division is tasked with operating in its own right whilst supporting group projects. A substantial number of contracts undertaken by the Mechanical, Electrical and Technology divisions are in fact for other construction companies or client contracted, with no involvement from any of the divisions other than shared expertise.

In fact, it’s often the case that the construction division is working in partnership with nominated or client contracted mechanical and electrical engineering firms, but as you can imagine it helps the group management team to have an in house engineer that can support those specialist elements of the project as required.    

The Technology Division?

That’s a broad term alright, for good reason. Established in 2007 the brainchild of our Managing Director a telecommunications engineer himself, the technology division was created at a time when diversification was seen as key to business growth. McKeon Group have always been early adopters of technology so this was a natural progression for us. 

The Technology Division provide design and installation services in the following fields: Integrated Telecommunication Systems and Infrastructure, Audio Visual, Building Automation and, Fixed and Wireless Network Systems. In particular, we are seeing a huge take up for our audio visual “learning aid” systems in the educational sector at the moment, which is great to see. Interactive presentations used to engage an audience need no longer be the preserve of the boardroom.

As the importance of technology reaches further into each aspect of our own lives, we too see that the Technology Division is becoming more and more involved in so many of our own projects to provide that final interface between hardware and user.     

Fingal County Council – Building Upgrade

What recent projects have you been involved in? 

We have a diverse client list from GE, IBM, Google, OPW, Fingal County Council, Dublin City University, Keelings and the HSE to name a few. Recent projects over the last couple of years have included Tyrone Court consisting of 123 apartments, IBIS Hotel upgrade in Clondalkin, Innovation House fit out in DCU, Fingal County Council Chamber building upgrade, INTREO Office and Malahide Castle refurbishments, Flight Center Office fit out and a large Audio Visual roll-out in DCU.

Innovation House – Fit Out

What does the future hold for McKeon Group?

Goals for the future include substantial growth and expansion. We want to build on the number of multi-million projects we undertake, while retaining our smaller projects. We have come out of the leaner years and we want to expand again. We have just moved our head office into a new purpose built facility in Ashbourne to cater for our expanded team.

Our early years were built on spotting opportunities that other contractors of our size didn’t see and capitalising on them. We plan on continuing that tradition as we grow. It is wonderful to see the economy accelerating again and McKeon Group intend on being part it. We have a number of large projects underway and in the pipeline for the rest of 2016.

You’ve recently subscribed to Building Info – has it been beneficial to date?

Most definitely, BuildingInfo allows us to reach out to our client base for specific projects they have in their pipeline, to build new relationships and to keep us abreast of the growing market trends. 

END

Details on McKeon Group’s full range of services as well as their portfolio of completed projects can be found on their website – www.mckeon.ie

Call on 01 8402116 or contact Paul McKenna at paul.mckenna@mckeon.ie

Interview with Darren Cox and Frank Smith, Inksplash Cre8tive Workspaces

In this profile piece Darren Cox and Frank Smith provide an overview of the services their company (Cre8tive Workspace) provides to the construction sector. Working closely with Architects, Contractors and Interior Designers, Cre8tive Workspace offer unique and creative design solutions to new office developments, refurbishments and fit-outs.

Tell me how are your services used within the construction sector?

Our services are used by the following:

Contractors, that glaze and furnish new and refurbished office fit-outs.
Various tenants, landlords, and management agencies looking to provide frosted window manifestations, wall graphics, and general signage during building upgrades.
A0 prints of technical drawings.

In which project categories do you specialise?

Graphics for office fit-outs including Wall Graphics, Window Graphics, Window Frosting, Acrylic wall plaques, Way-finding signs, Exterior signage.
Graphics and signage for office refurbishments.
Graphics and signage for Retail fit-outs.
Hoarding graphics around new developments.
Virtual Shop-front window graphics.

Fig 1 – Window Frosting at TDS Office Fitout

Name some recent projects in which Cre8tive Workspace been involved?

Some of the projects we have been involved in include:

Graphics and signage for TDS new office fitout at Citywest.
Graphics and signage for Kantar Media new office fitout at Eastpoint Business Park.
Ireland’s largest wall graphic (30m height) at new Deutsche Bank HQ, East Point Business Park.
Graphics and signage for Equifax new office fitout at Grand Canal .
Graphics and signage for Coronation Fund Managers new office fitout at Grand Canal.
Graphics and signage for Sysnet new office fitout at Carrickmines.
Maynooth University Campus expansion, wall graphics in new extension.
Re-brand Blanchardstown Shopping Centre with new logo to all areas of Shopping Centre.
Built new websites for Airside Retail Park, and The Park Retail Centre Carrickmines.
Glass manifestations at the new refurbishment / extension to the Four Courts in Dublin.

Fig 2 – Wall Graphics

Many offices now incorporate areas for group work and collaboration, how are you tapping into this trend?

We have installed wall and glass manifestations in many collaboration work areas that have helped create a working environment that looks great, motivates, and inspires.

As the construction industry re-emerges I have noticed a lot of businesses re-branding and repositioning, is this something that Inksplash can assist with?

At Inksplash / Cre8tive Web we are an ideal partner to assist any business looking to rebrand or reposition due to our vast experience in this field, and the fact that we have full control of the manufacture process at our state of the art facility in Carrickmines, Dublin 18, and with our highly skilled experienced workforce. We can also offer a full branding package as we print everything in house, from a business card to the largest building wraps, and everything in-between

Fig 3 – Raised Letters

Inksplash Cre8tive Workspace are based in Carrickmines south Co. Dublin and have recently worked some some of Ireland’s largest Contractors, Architects and Interior designers on many prestigious commercial developments.

Further details can be found on Cre8tive Workspace website.