Irish Trucker magazine August 2012

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AUGUST 2012 Vol. 15 No. 7 EURO 2.95 stg.£2.50

ALL INSURANCE QUOTED

• Motor Fleet For Hauliers • Worldwide Transit Risks • Single Vehicle Haulage • Carriers Liability • Warehouse Risks • Employers Liability • Public Liability

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www.irishtrucker.com CONTENTS Irish Trucker is published by DG Press Kells Business Park, Kells, Co. Meath Telephone: (046) 9241923 Fax: (046) 9241926

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No part of this publication can be published or reproduced in any way without the written permission of the author or Lynn Group Media © Copyright Lynn Group Media 2012 The opinions expressed in Irish Trucker do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publishers, their agents or Irish Trucker.

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INDUSTRY NEWS LIBRA TRANS LTD. Exceptional national & international pallet and parcel distribution service PM PROCESSING LTD One of Ireland’s leading timber harvesting and woodchip manufacturers SJ DAVIDSON MOTORS LTD Supplying high quality new and used cars COOLRAIN SAWMILLS LTD Bringing a vast range of excellent timber products to the Irish and UK markets KNIGHT LOGISTICS & WES CHEM Irish Trucker speaks to owner Jason Leonard ROAD TANKER SPARES INTERNATIONAL Foremost stockist of tanker spares & accessories CULLEN TRANSPORT & TRAILER SERVICES LTD Catering for all internal and external HGV/LGV maintenance TULLAMORE TEST & REPAIR CENTRE Continuing to go from strength to strength GLEESON GROUP Operating a large fleet of trucks from 11 distribution hubs nationwide BRIAN DALY TRANSPORT Celebrating its 20th anniversary HEARTY DISTRIBUTION Providing an efficient and reliable service CORK CITY AND COUNTY COUNCILS Overseeing a variety of projects in 2012 FREIGHTEAM IRELAND Specialists in Ireland-UK-Ireland groupage and pallet market MOLONEY’S GARAGE Renowned long running family business MARTIN BYRNE CAR DISMANTLERS Stellar reputation far and wide LLOYDS MOTORING Developed Lloyds/FED (fuel efficient driving) MCELHINNEY METAL RECYCLING One of Ireland’s most successful & innovative recycling companies SUMMERHILL DISTRIBUTION Family run business celebrating its 15th anniversary JD RECOVERY SERVICES Providing service at national and UK level HARRON TRANSPORT LTD Reliable vehicle transport services MID WEST TRAILER WORKS Striving ahead of its competitors AS BALLANTINE Impressive operation based in Strabane MCCALLISTER TRANSPORT Gone from strength to strength since inception MOYLES GARAGE Offering the complete package CLASSIFIEDS

PM Processing P20

Hearty Distribution P60

Cullen Transport P42

Coolrain Sawmills P30

Gleeson Group P49

Relief for hauliers buying diesel in Sterling The British government has cancelled a three pence per litre rise in fuel duty which was due in August.

The Labour Party had threatened to force a Commons vote on the issue and called on all MPs to unite in scrapping the rise. Fuel duty will be frozen for the rest of the year, the Chancellor told MPs, adding that the government was "doing everything we can in very, very difficult economic circumstances" to help businesses and consumers. The move follows a campaign by road users’ groups, which argued that the rise, announced in the Budget, would damage the economy. Mr Osborne’s announcement is excellent news to FairFuelUK, the FTA backed campaign, which has been lobbying the government for the past year in order to stop planned fuel duty increases and fight for lower fuel prices, and working with politicians of all Parties over recent months to build cross-party support on this issue. James Hookham, the FTA’s managing director – policy & communications said: “It went down to the political equivalent of penalties, but this time the public and businesses have got something to celebrate! “The Chancellor's decision is absolutely right for the economy and removes that extra cost for commercial vehicle operators that would have hit them hard this summer. The Chancellor now sees the merits of using fuel duty cuts to stimulate growth by keeping cash within businesses. The government needs to engage in a national debate about the role of fuel taxation in the economy and we urge the Chancellor to seize this opportunity.”

Noel Sweeney defends the Women Drivers on YouTube Letterkenny based Driving Instructor Noel Sweeney from Swilly Drive School of Motoring has once again come up with a song to give his take on one of the most controversial and hotly debated issues in driving today – women drivers Earlier this year, Noel brought all of his years as a singer, amateur dramatist, playwright and Driving Instructor to bear when he wrote and recorded the popular “Roundabout Song”. Noel has again put pen to paper and composed the catchy tune “Women Drivers”, in defence of all the lady drivers out there. The “Roundabout Song” achieved phenomenal success with over 40,000 YouTube “views” at the time of writing. Noel has spent the intervening time trying to keep his fans sated while they patiently waited for the follow up. “I’ve been listened to men lamenting women drivers for the last 30 odd years” said a reflective Noel. “I’ve held my tongue till now but what better way to respond to the crying men than with a ‘lament’ of my own”! He continues, “The chorus of the song says it all, “Women Drivers, there’s nothing really wrong that I can see, Women Drivers, they’re every bit as good as you and me”. The song and video can be found on The Swilly Group’s Facebook page (Swilly Group), Twitter feed (@swillygroup), Youtube channel (swillydrive) or on their website www.swillygroup.com For more information on The Swilly Group or the services it provides check out our website www.swillygroup.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Incomes stabilising IBEC, the group that represents Irish business, has published the first Irish Consumer Monitor, which shows that consumer incomes will stabilise in 2012, after two years of significant declines. IBEC estimates that the combination of recent ECB interest rate cuts, and a further possible 0.5% reduction over the coming months, will leave mortgaged households €700 better off per annum. The need to take decisive steps to restore domestic demand and boost spending in the economy is a key part of the wider Driving Ireland’s Recovery campaign, which IBEC recently launched. The Irish Consumer Monitor provides unique analysis of consumer spending power by charting key consumer indicators and trends.

IBEC Chief Economist Fergal O'Brien said: "The main cause of the unemployment crisis is the lack of consumer confidence and weak domestic demand. Getting people back to work is the priority, but to do this we need a return to more normal, sustainable consumer spending levels. There are some positive signs domestically, but eurozone worries continue to unnerve consumers."

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SPAR Texaco Junction 14 Celebrates its First Birthday with Announcement of Further Jobs and Investment · Dragon’s Den Stars attend one year anniversary event where local Kildare businessmen say they will create 20 more jobs and invest a further €500k on site expansion SPAR Texaco Junction 14 – the landmark motorway services site on the M7 – has announced that it is to create 20 new jobs and invest a further €500,000 in expansion of the premises. The announcement was made at a special one year anniversary celebration of the locally owned Irish business, which was attended by Minister Michael Ring T.D., and Bobby Kerr, Gavin Duffy, Norah Casey and Niall O’Farrell of Dragon’s Den fame.

The site, which also includes Irish brands Supermacs and Insomnia, was opened last June by local Dragon Den’s stars businessmen and brothers Donal and Liam Fitzpatrick attend Junction 14 First following an initial €7 million investment. The business Birthday Celebration has grown from 40 to 100 employees in this time and the owners are to begin recruiting for another 20 positions to be filled over the next six months. They are also due to begin works on site expansion, doubling capacity for Heavy Goods Vehicles - a group critical to Ireland’s import/export supply chain.

Speaking at the event, Donal Fitzpatrick said, “We are very proud and thankful that the first year has been such a great success, testament to the commitment of our staff and our customers who have shown us the utmost loyalty and support.”

Liam Fitzpatrick added: “On our part, there is a great desire to keep pushing the boundaries, not only to maintain our footing as the best motorway services experience on Irish roads but to keep building a successful Irish business which provides employment locally.”

Managing director at BWG Foods (operators of the SPAR brand) Willie O’Byrne said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Donal and Liam Fitzpatrick - retailers and local Irish businessmen who are true entrepreneurs in their field. It is highly significant that, in this time of continued austerity, they are creating new jobs and continuing to invest in their business and we congratulate them on their success.”

To coincide with the one year anniversary celebrations – which are set to continue for customers and motorists throughout this week Junction14 Mayfield has also announced 1Life, the suicide helpline, as its official charity partner in which they have set out to raise €10,000 over the next 12 months.

Averaging 3,500 customers daily, the 24-7 site boasts its very own professional chef and baker. It caters for cars, vans, coaches and trucks travelling the country’s busiest routes between Dublin and Cork, Kerry and Limerick, providing essential motor side services to domestic and commercial customers such 24-hour toilets and shower facilities, free WiFi access, and charging points for electric cars.

For more information on Junction14 Mayfield M7 Motorway Service Area visit www.junction14mayfield.ie. To make a donation to 1Life visit www.1life.ie.

Irish oil firm attracts investors A number of potential investors have approached Irish exploration group Providence Resources about the possibility of joining forces with the company on the development of its Barryroe oilfield off the south coast. Speaking after the group’s recent annual general meeting in Dublin, chief executive Tony O’Reilly Jnr said the company had received a number of informal approaches from investors interested in backing what could potentially be Ireland’s first commercial oilfield.

However, Mr O’Reilly said Providence had “pushed them back” and added that the group was not simply going to do a deal for the sake of it. Drilling at Barryroe, off the Cork coast, had indicated that it contains commercial quantities of both crude oil and natural gas. Providence expects to have an independent report indicating how much oil the field contains by the end of next month. The company owns 80 per cent of the field and intends bringing in a partner to develop it.

Providence also expects to begin exploratory drilling in its Dalkey Island licence area in the Irish Sea later this year. It has already applied for a foreshore permit. The westernmost edge of the licence area lies about 10km from Dalkey Island itself. Some local groups have raised concerns about the implications of the field’s development, but Mr O’Reilly pointed out yesterday that Providence is a “long, long way” from that. In a formal statement issued after the meeting, the company said that it was looking forward to providing updated information on the Barryroe field’s potential later this summer.

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US Logistics firm opt for Clare branch

Seko have chosen Shannon as its new office

The Illinois, US-headquartered SEKO Global Logistics has chosen Westpark Business Campus as the location from which to expand its operations. SEKO new office in Shannon, its second in Ireland, will service demand from its growing customer base in Munster and Connacht. Mark White, President and CEO of SEKO Global Logistics, said the Westpark office will enable the company to more efficiently meet customers’ needs and to forge closer links with them and with suppliers. Regional manager in charge of the new office, Jacquie Whelan said the Westpark infrastructure is perfectly suited to SEKO’s operational needs. “From our enviable setting at Westpark, we will also be able to more readily spot opportunities for development,” said Whelan, who is a native of Ennis and a long-term industry professional. Ms Whelan has worked with some of the largest freight forwarding companies in the world and brings a wealth of talent and experience to her new role. As well as offering the traditional freight forwarding range of products, SEKO will also provide its clients with costeffective IT solutions to manage their warehouse and transport requirements. Founded in 1976, SEKO Worldwide is a global, third-party logistics provider with 50 offices in the United States and more than 110 offices in 45+ countries worldwide.

BBC TV feature Matthews Coach Hire alcohol interlock story A unique idea from innovative local company Matthews Coach Hire was the subject of a recent news feature on BBC TV. Matthews Coach Hire is the only transport company in Ireland to have alcohol interlocks installed – and every Matthews coach and support vehicle carries one of the devices.

The process is simple: in order to get the coach to start, the driver has to blow into a Noel Matthews being breathalyser connected to the ignition. interviewed by BBC TV Fail the test and the engine won't start.

Stop for more than 30 minutes and the system resets, requiring another test is required.

“I couldn’t sleep one night after reading a story about a driver in England who crashed a coach while under the influence of alcohol, and set about finding a solution that would give me, and our passengers, complete peace of mind,” Managing Director Paddy Matthews told the BBC. The crash Paddy referred to was in September 2007 when a driver for the UK firm National Express made a seemingly inexplicable error as he travelled along a motorway.

He mistook a service station entrance for a motorway slip road. His speed all wrong, he hit a kerb and crashed, injuring 33 people, seven seriously.

Just home from holidays, the driver had spent almost all the previous night drinking. At the time of the crash, he was one and a half times the legal limit.

After reading the story, Paddy sourced the device in the UK and Matthews became the first, and only, Irish transport company to install the units in 2008.

“We take passenger safety seriously," said Paddy's son Noel, the company’s Fleet Manager.

"Yes, this system is expensive but how do you put a price on the 'cargo' a coach is carrying?"

Noel said their drivers have happily accepted the introduction of the system and that passengers, once they get used to the perhaps initially disconcerting sight of their driver apparently breathalysing himself, have been reassured.

"People are increasingly safety conscious these days. This system gives us a very real advantage when bidding for contracts, particularly in the corporate sphere.

“Our machines are set to a very low tolerance. There are three limits – the legal drivers’ limit, the professional drivers’ limit, and the Matthews’ limit.

Matthews have been garnering a lot of publicity for their use of the alcohol inhibitors, and have called on the Government to consider their installation in all public transport vehicles as a preventative measure.

National Express followed their lead in 2010, installing the devices into their fleet, and the BBC have asked the North’s biggest coach operator, Translink, whether they will join Matthews in leading the way in safety.

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Stobart makes most of recession Stobart are seeing their Stobart Group reckons it is seeing more new business divisions trading ahead of the previous year opportunities than in previous years for ambient transport and warehousing. In a trading update for the first four months of the year, the group said the majority of divisions trading ahead of the previous year. The Transport and Distribution division has experienced mixed fortunes since March with the ambient transport and warehousing performing. However, “the restructure of the chilled operations, while progressing, has resulted in some further costs.”

Stobart is in the process of taking over Autologic, the car transport specialist, in an agreed deal worth £12.4m. It said Autologic would add significant revenue to the division and provide an entry into a new market. The Estates division now has planning permission for 1.4m sq ft of warehousing at Stobart Park in Widnes. Mild weather in Scandinavia affected exports in the Biomass business, but Stobart said the start of UK power station contracts in the second half would drive long term volume growth.

Stunning New Actros makes its debut at Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI) The revolutionary New Actros premium long-haul tractor unit made its first appearance in Northern Ireland, at a gala launch event staged by dealer Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI).

Held at the dealer’s premises in Newtownabbey, the dinner and presentation evening provided an opportunity for some of Northern Ireland’s leading transport operators to take a closer look at the International Truck of the Year.

Developed from a blank sheet of paper, New Actros is the ultimate truck for long-distance transport. From the outset, designers and engineers were determined to provide the best possible comfort, driving dynamics, safety, productivity and operating economy as well as a sweeping range of cab sizes, engine ratings and options, allowing customers to tailor vehicles perfectly for any application. And with a wide range of flexible and competitive funding packages available from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, acquiring a New Actros could not be easier.

The current Actros holds the Guinness World Record for fuel economy at 40 tonnes gvw but on-the-road tests have shown that the new model is a remarkable seven per cent more frugal when specified to meet Euro 5 emissions regulations, while even the ultra-clean Euro 6 version shows a four per cent improvement.

Guests were treated to a hog roast and a series of ‘wild west’ themed activities, as well as entertainment from BBC Radio star Hugo Duncan, but the real business of the evening was a chance for guests to inspect the five New Actros units on display, with a range of engine ratings and cab sizes right up to the luxurious, range-topping GigaSpace – so big is this range-topping workspace that every other cab on the market would fit inside it with ease!

Colm Diamond, European Logistics Manager of Castledawson-based Link It Logistics, attended the launch with his father Seamus, the company’s Transport Manager, and Bridin McErlean, European Logistics Co-ordinator. “It was a top-notch event, for a top-notch vehicle,” he declared. “The new Actros certainly looks the part and is clearly well designed, and it was great to have a chance to see one, in right-hand drive and UK specification. If the truck performs as well as it looks, it will be a winner.”

Robert Beattie, who drives an Actros 2544 MegaSpace horse transporter for international show-jumper Joanne Sloan Allen, was similarly impressed. “I drive on the Continent a lot and have seen one or two New Actros on the road – but up close they look even more imposing. The quality of the cab interiors is fantastic. The New Actros is a huge step forward and puts Mercedes-Benz even further out in front of the rest of the truck market.”

Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI) is the German manufacturer’s official commercial vehicle dealer for Northern Ireland.

With strong roots in the area, MB T&V sells and supports the award-winning range, which extends from the mighty Actros tractor unit to the compact and stylish Vito van, from sites at Mallusk Road, Newtownabbey and Bush Road, Dungannon. www.trucks.mercedes-benz.com/new-actros New Actros premium long-haul tractor unit

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EU funding for Welsh logistics development The European Union is to provide £2.2m funding for the development of a £7m logistics hub near Holyhead in north Wales, which will benefit Ireland. The money will be invested to drive forward plans led by developer Conygar for the first phase of the hub at Parc Cybi. It will help provide two warehouses plus office buildings to support the development of the port of Holyhead as the UK’s main freight terminal serving Dublin and Ireland. Welsh deputy minister for European programmes, Alun Davies said: "This strategically important site will act as a catalyst for future investment and jobs in the region’s economy. We are committed to developing the right infrastructure to encourage investors and enable businesses to grow. I am pleased we have been able to back this initiative with EU funding, providing a real boost to North West Wales." Conygar Director Peter Batchelor said: "Together with our own substantial investment, the EU funding will enable us to press ahead with confidence despite the difficult economic conditions."

VW commercial sales up 3.5% Volkswagen has reported that its sales of light commercial vehicles worldwide is up 3.5% so far in 2012.

For the first five months of the current calendar year, Volkswagen’s sales of light commercial vehicles, MPVs and leisure vehicles reached 220,500 units worldwide - up 3.5% on last year. Amarok deliveries worldwide rose by 31.7% to 30,500 vehicles, while deliveries of the Crafter went up by 37% to 19,800 vehicles (from 14,400 for the same period in 2011). The T5 Series rose by 0.4% to 66,300 deliveries, while worldwide deliveries of the Caddy went down by 3.1% to 63,200 vehicles (from 65,200). Deliveries of the brand in Western Europe from January to May 2012 were up by 1.3% to 117,900 vehicles. In Eastern Europe, however, deliveries to the end of May went up by 32.7% to 17,400 vehicles. Germany was the highest volume European market for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in the first five months of 2012, with growth of 5.3% to 50,800 customer deliveries. ‘While the segment of urban delivery vehicles, vans, and pickups is somewhat down on some markets, or figures are stagnating, this is offset by the market shares which have been won by our models. This sets us apart from our competitors and the general market environment. We are keeping a very close eye on the tense situation in several markets, however, and we are acting with careful consideration,” says Bram Schot, Member of the Executive Management for Sales and Marketing for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

Volkswagen Commercial Sales are on the rise

€241m to clean up illegal dumps Cleaning up illegal dumps

It will cost local authorities – i.e. the tax payer set to cost the taxpayer €241m to clean up a number of illegal dumps located nationwide. According to a recent report in the Irish Independent, the cost of cleaning up more than 13 illegal dumps throughout the State will be close to the €250m mark. More than €135m has so far been spent and another €100m will be paid to remove rubbish and decontaminate land at sites in Cork, Wicklow, Waterford, Limerick and Carlow before the end of 2013.The total cost of fixing the problem of illegal dumps will amount to €241m. €92m of this will be spent cleaning up the former Irish Steel site at Haulbowline in Co Cork. The massive bill is a result of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling in 2005 that Ireland had broken environmental laws by not having all landfill licensed. A warning came in 2010 that unless works to make the sites safe were carried out, daily fines would be imposed.

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Varadkar: No tax increase The Transport Minister has ruled out any Government plans to increase income tax in December’s budget. Leo Varadkar has said that the Government made a commitment in its programme for Government not to touch these areas - and he hasn't heard of any plans to do otherwise. Preparations are underway for December's budget - the Government has agreed with the Troika to find savings of over €3.5 billion. Minister Varadkar said that the taxes will have to be introduced - but he is hopeful income tax will remain untouched: "The commitment that is made in the programme for government is that we won't increase income tax and we won't cut basic rates of social welfare", he said. "There will be other tax increases, and there will be other reductions in social welfare spending the exact details of that have yet to be worked out and yet to be discussed by government or by the Oireachtas."

Moran Freight sign new deal Yusen Logistics is partnering Dublin-based Moran Freight Services in providing a specialist reverse flow logistics operation for consumer electronics giant Samsung. Samsung’s entire UK supply chain is outsourced to Yusen and the concept for the new operation has been jointly developed by the two organisations. The new operation "ensures the product is ‘touched’, quicker, enhancing communication and the experience received by our customers. This also extends to the normal internal/external benefits expected,” said Ian Ulvmoen, Samsung’s regional logistics director for North West Europe.

“We are pushing boundaries, we constantly look for innovation and drive our 3PLs where necessary to become 4PLs, activities they probably would not look to undertake in the past.

Yusen Logistics has embraced this and shares our mission statement: – Logistics, it’s not just the A to B, we cover the whole alphabet.

“For Samsung, these principles apply equally in reverse. We believe Samsung to be unique in treating reverse flows in the same way as ‘stock’, like all other product within the supply chain. Therefore the processing of returns is just as important as the processing of outbound stock. We can be quicker in the response to our customers, we can be more analytical, identify weakness, address and move on.” Yusen has worked with Samsung since 2000, when a contract was awarded for brown goods distribution. Since then, and with additional contracts for high value products, white goods and reverse flow logistics, the volumes handled have more than quadrupled.

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HGV Direct develops recordable multi-camera road safety system

HGV Direct's newly developed four camera security system, with 24/7 recording facility

Leading truck parts and consumables supplier HGV Direct has taken a lead in the battle to make large vehicles safer on the road by developing its own multi-camera safety system, which can be set up to monitor blind spots and also used to help clamp down on theft and insurance fraud.

HGV Direct's new 4-camera system improves on systems already on the market by providing a 24/7 recording facility. Three of the cameras can be used to cover notorious blind spots, while the fourth can be used in a variety of ways - to cover the cab, or mounted as a security device when the vehicle is unattended so that people approaching to tamper with the load or siphon off fuel will be captured on film. That's a useful addition in the light of statistics published by Truckpol in Spring 2012 showing that 4,417 freight crimes were reported to the organisation in 2011, of which load theft (including fuel) and attempted load theft accounted for the majority (69%).

Alternatively, where animals are in transit, the fourth camera could be mounted to monitor their wellbeing during the trip.

The system can also be used for cctv recording in commercial or domestic buildings.

It's an easy matter to keep a record of what has been captured simply remove the SD storage card and upload the data to a PC. HGV Direct managing director Simon Smedley said: "Improvements to road safety are being driven by large corporate customers, conscientious vehicle operators and by road safety groups, all of whom are rightly keen to reduce the number of accidents in vehicle blind spots.

"There are a lot of systems on the market that cost a lot to install, so we wanted to come up with something more cost-effective that also offers extra benefits. Our system is a genuine all-round safety device - it offers a 360 degree view around the vehicle, and a means of protecting all aspects of road, load, vehicle and driver safety."

The HGV Direct system can be installed on any vehicle, and uses a nine-inch colour display and high-resolution imaging. Its four cameras use infra red for efficient night vision.

The HGV Direct system is available now at a special introductory price of £495 ex VAT (while stocks last), and will be priced at £595 thereafter.

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Thomas Street joins Easytrip’s growing car parks business in Dublin City centre (220 additional car parking spaces now available to Easytrip customers) Easytrip, Ireland’s only provider of electronic tolling and parking payment services, has today announced that its customers will be able to use their Easytrip tags to pay for parking at Thomas Street Car Park in Dublin 8 from the 2nd of July 2012.

A welcome addition to Easytrip’s growing car park business, the Thomas Street facility is conveniently located for business and private customers alike. Situated between the south quay and the thriving Dublin 8 area, the car park is within walking distance of both sides of the River Liffey and opens onto Thomas Street itself with all of its retail, leisure and tourist attractions. It provides secure parking for an additional 220 parking spaces for Easytrip customers with easy access to two of Dublin’s main visitor attractions, The Guinness Store House and Christchurch Cathedral.

Whether it’s a trip to town for a concert at Vicar Street or a show at the Tivoli Theatre, Easytrip customers can now park at Thomas Street with no need for cash, tickets or hanging around for receipts. For the many businesses in the area, the Easytrip service will help them to better manage and control business expenses. So too for the many residents in the area who use the car park and now have a hassle-free solution to payment of parking charges with their tag.

“It’s great news for our customers that we have added Thomas Street to our car park business in Dublin,” said Dermot MacEvilly, Chief Executive Officer, Easytrip. “The car park is ideally located and we expect it to have huge appeal for existing and new customers alike. With the addition of Thomas Street, customers can now avail of the convenience of paying for parking electronically in eighteen car parks across Ireland. Our Dublin city-centre parking service is growing all the time and we hope that the introduction of this additional site plus our unique combination of a tolling and parking service from the one tag, will attract even more new business,” Dermot MacEvilly concluded.

Easytrip customers who have activated the parking service can utilise the service immediately and no longer need to take a ticket when entering any of Easytrip’s listed car parks. Those who have opted for tolling only, can simply switch on Easytrip’s parking service by logging in to their account at www.easytrip.ie or by contacting Easytrip directly at Lo call 1890 67 67 68 or from the UK & Northern Ireland on 0844 544 6767.

Commenting on the introduction of the service for his customers, Conor Keoghan of Thomas Street Car Park said, “This car park is central to a thriving area of Dublin city centre and to be able to offer the Easytrip service adds greatly to its appeal. We pride ourselves on delivering service excellence to our customers, incorporating the latest in technology to ensure our customers receive the ultimate experience with us. We have no doubt that Easytrip will deliver that for us and will attract new business to Thomas Street. ” For further information on any Easytrip service or car park facility locations please see www.easytrip.ie or email info@easytrip.ie.

Waste collection costs go up in capital (and beyond) As of July 1st, Dublin customers are paying more to have their bins collected due to an increase in landfill levies. The landfill levy applies to black bag waste and is allegedly imposed to encourage recycling. The fee increased from €20 a tonne to €50 a tonne last September. And from July 1st it has gone to €65 a tonne to dispose of refuse at a landfill. Greyhound, who collect waste for two Dublin local authorities, are one of a number of waste companies to have announced the increase in charges. They will raise their fee 16.5%, claiming that they had taken over loss making services from Dublin City Council and South Dublin Council.

Greyhound will be increasing the per-lift cost of a 140-litre black wheelie bin from €3.60 to €4.20, while the fee for 240-litre black bins will go up from €6 to €7. Householders who use black bags will now be asked to pay €10.50 for three tags instead of €9. In South County Dublin, the 31c/kg charge will go up to 33c. Greyhound Recycling took over Waste Collection costs increase for the bin collections of 140,000 customers from Dublin customers Dublin City Council in mid-January. Other service providers, Greenstar and Panda, say they will pass on a pro-rata increase, while Oxigen says it does not plan any increase in Dublin this year. And there’s more pain for the householder: landfill levies will increase by a further €10 euro a tonne in July, 2013.

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UPS buys plasticbodied trucks UPS has purchased 150 CV23 plastic-bodied delivery trucks which are 40 per cent more fuel efficient than the traditional UPS P70 diesel vehicles. The composite cars weigh some 400kg less than the previous P70 trucks, and will be deployed in the fourth quarter of 2012. The CV-23 has150-horsepower, an Isuzu four-cylinder diesel engine and a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission. The engine is smaller than a traditional UPS diesel engine with the goal that the smaller engine will use less fuel during daily operations. UPS had run trials in five extreme markets for a year from April 2011.

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

LoopRope ties down a distribution deal with M. Donnelly & Co. Sales expected to reach a sixfigure sum before the end of 2012 Hy-Tech Logistics has signed a distribution deal with M. Donnelly & Co. for its newly launched rope product LoopRope, which is endorsed by RTE’s Dragons’ Den panelist Bobby Kerr.

L/R: Martin Donnelly, MDM Donnelly & Co., RTE’s Bobby Kerr, Dragons Den - Ambassador for M. Donnelly & Co. will distribute LoopRope and Stuart Burke, licensee, LoopRope in Europe and NI of Hy-Tech Logistics LoopRope through its large network of stockists and LoopRope will be found in every good hardware and DIY store, co-op stores, motor factors, plumbing and electrical outlets as well as garage forecourts over the next few months. LoopRope is currently available to purchase online at www.looprope.ie Having taken the US by storm, LoopRope was brought to Ireland by Stuart Burke of Hy-Tech Logistics. LoopRope is a fully adjustable industrial shock cord containing multiple tie-down lengths and attachment points. LoopRope ultimately makes tie-downs easy and is ideal for camping, adventure sports, transport and farming. It is also perfect for attaching items to cars, for use by couriers, service engineers and by families at home and in the garden.

“We are delighted to have teamed up with Hy-Tech Logistics to distribute LoopRope in Ireland, including Northern Ireland, said Martin Donnelly, managing director, M. Donnelly & Co. “We have been distributing LoopRope for the last few weeks and the feedback has been excellent. Based on initial responses, we expect sales to reach a six-figure sum before the end of the year. The fact that LoopRope is being endorsed by Bobby Kerr speaks volumes for this new innovative product.”

“LoopRope is safe, secure, easy to use and doesn’t tangle,” according to Stuart Burke, licensee, LoopRope in Europe and managing director, Hy-Tech Logistics. “There is nothing like LoopRope in the country and it is an unrivalled product the world-over and we are delighted to sign a deal with such a reputable company as M. Donnelly & Co.” “LoopRope is a product that is loved in the US since it was created in 2009,” according to Jeff Dahl, inventor, LoopRope.

“In a short space of time we secured big retailers like WalMart, Costco, Cabela’s, Camping World, Pep Boys and we are now selling into the United States Armed Forces. We are very excited about this new distribution deal for LoopRope in Ireland and we hope that LoopRope users get as much benefit and enjoyment from using the rope as I did in creating it.”

Companies have limited faith in the Government Only 54% of company directors in Ireland believe the present Government is performing well. An Institute of Directors poll reveals that, when questioned on how the Government has performed since taking office, 35% of directors said it needs to improve. However, only 9% said it is no better than the previous office holders. Directors of companies employing less than 35 people were more critical in their views. The survey also indicated that confidence in the continuation of the Eurozone is high, with 70% believing it will still be intact next year. Slightly more than half of all directors are satisfied with the Government's efforts to support business. The country's most important sectors were listed as food & agriculture, exports, foreign direct investment, the workforce, technology and tourism. A total of 127 directors were quizzed in May by Behaviour & Attitudes.

Man sentenced for fuel laundering A 60-year-old Westmeath man has been given a two-year suspended sentence for laundering diesel in a shed in the Midlands. Tullamore Circuit Court heard that Liam Murtagh, from Castletown Geoghegan, admitted laundering up to 6,000 litres of diesel a day at Barnaboy, Daingean in Co Offaly. He then delivered it in a specially adapted tipper truck to a location he refused to disclose to gardaí. The court was told the offence has cost the State up to €7,000 a day.

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Iveco launches the new Stralis Hi-Way Iveco Stralis Hi-Way

Setting new standards in efficiency, quality and customer value * Reduced cost of ownership * Lower fuel consumption * Euro VI engines with unique HI-eSCR technology * Enhanced cabin ergonomics, comfort and design * Advanced road safety features * New tools for operational management Iveco launches, today, the STRALIS HiWay, the next generation of the company’s heavy-duty vehicle range. The new STRALIS offers a highly competitive proposition to the heavy-duty transport sector of today and tomorrow.

The vehicle stands out in efficiency, quality and customer value and delivers in terms of Iveco's commitment to sustainable

mobility with ultra-clean tailpipe emissions.

With the new STRALIS Hi-Way, Iveco reinforces the company’s strategy to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) for the customer. The STRALIS Hi-Way delivers reduced fuel consumption, lower maintenance costs, enhanced reliability and quality, improved cabin ergonomics and driver comfort as well as optimised operational management.

Alessandro Mortali, Senior Vice President Heavy Range Iveco, said: “The new STRALIS maximises savings in all key cost areas. As a result, the total cost of ownership for the ten most common vehicle missions decreases by up to 4%”.

Enzo Gioachin, Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing Iveco, said: “The current economic situation is among the most critical our industry ever faced. With the launch of the New STRALIS, we are countering the negative trend. Our package offers the right combination of innovation, enhanced services, and direct cost advantages to our customers”.

The STRALIS Hi-Way features highly-innovative new engine technology - including the patented HI-eSCR developed by FPT Industrial for Euro VI - to meet the latest emission standards while leaving fuel efficiency gains uncompromised.

The STRALIS Hi-Way comes, in addition, with a thoroughly redesigned cabin, advanced and integrated telematics systems, improved customer service tools, as well as state of the art road safety applications.

The new vehicle generation has undergone extensive quality and reliability audits with over 6 million kilometres of durability testing and over 11 million kilometres of real-world driving exposure.

The new STRALIS is manufactured at the Iveco heavy vehicle production facility in Madrid, Spain. This plant was recently awarded a silver medal in the prestigious World Class Manufacturing (WCM) programme, one of the highest scores possible.

The programme focuses on eliminating waste and loss, and involves an international, objective auditing of 20 items covering workplace organisation, quality, maintenance and logistics.

New STRALIS Hi-Way: the main innovations in brief The new STRALIS comes with Cursor FPT Industrial engines, ensuring low fuel consumption and excellent performance.

The unique High Efficiency SCR (HI-eSCR) catalytic reduction system, designed, patented and produced by FPT Industrial, makes the new STRALIS the only heavy vehicle on the market to meet Euro VI emission limits without the use of EGR. This exclusive solution has allowed Iveco to simplify the after-treatment system and to use the same “body-in white” of the existing cab, since with HI-eSCR the engine does not require any additional cooling.

HI-eSCR offers Iveco’s customers many advantages, such as a weight reduction, lower fuel consumption and increased durability due to a less complex, yet highly efficient, technology.

The carefully redesigned STRALIS Hi-Way cab with improved ergonomics and comfort is the product of close cooperation with dealers and customers. The external restyling of the cab has focused on improving vehicle aerodynamics and therefore fuel efficiency, and features a new central grille and redesigned “air deflectors” and a new bumper dam design, among others.

Offering an all-round transport services solution for all operations and fleet management needs, the new STRALIS adds to the already broad range an offer with the unique "Driving Style Evaluation" function; IVECONNECT, an exclusive IVECO system that incorporates in a unique device infotainment, navigation, driving support and fleet management services, and the IVECONNECT FLEET function for fleet management.

The STRALIS Hi-Way incorporates the most advanced electronic systems available, such as EBS with the Brake Assistant function, Lane Departure Warning System, ESP, Adaptive Cruise Control, Daytime Running Lights, the new Driver Attention Support function and the Advanced Emergency Braking System.

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Growth in manufacturing June saw the manufacturing sector in Ireland grow at its fastest rate in over a year. The latest survey brings more positive news after the European agreement on banks was welcomed by the Government last week as a "major game changer". Irish manufacturing activity had fallen in every month bar one of the nine up to February, but the NCB Purchasing Managers' Index climbed to 53.1 in June from 51.2 in May. Anything above 50 indicates growth. Ireland's PMI ‘scores’ have consistently outperformed the rest of the eurozone but Finance Minister Michael Noonan has warned that efforts to match last year's GDP growth rate of 0.7% depend on the performance of our trading partners in Europe. Noonan also said it was worrying that our unemployment rate remains at a high of 14.8%. But the manufacturing employment sub-index grew for the fourth month in a row to 55.9 in June - the highest level since December 1999!

New business also increased for a fifth successive month, while June also saw the first reduction in input costs for two-and-ahalf years.

Safety regime looked on at Irish Ports Inspection regimes on passenger ships calling at Irish ports have been tightened following the Costa Concordia accident and will be strengthened again from next year. The Irish Marine Survey Office of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (MSO) has confirmed this and Brian Hogan, who heads up the (MSO) and is Chairman of a major international shipping safety organisation, the PMoU*, confirmed that all passenger ships calling at ports in Ireland and in the 26 other countries which are members of the Paris MoU will face enhanced safety checks on their crews and procedures from next year. Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar welcomed the move and announced a stronger focus on marine safety: ‘Over the next year, I will be leading a drive within my Department to give greater priority to marine safety.

This will mean more inspections by marine safety officers, improved training for Coast Guard volunteers and better preparedness for oil pollution incidents’. Brian Hogan explained that: ‘The cruise ship industry has been earmarked for significant growth in Ireland. Dublin and Cork Ports are just some of the ports which have targeted the cruise industry for further development’. “The Costa Concordia accident highlighted the terrible consequences which can arise when things go wrong. It’s therefore vital to ensure that the highest safety procedures are in operation on cruise ships calling to Ireland. “The safety inspections currently carried out on passenger ships calling to Ireland are already among the toughest in the shipping world. And from 2013, staff from the MSO will run additional detailed checks on whether crews are trained and familiar with their ships. This will include checks on safety and abandon ship drills, as well as fire fighting.” Ships which commit the most serious safety violations ships will be detained in port by the MSO until the problem is remedied.

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Boniface 30th Anniversary Event – A Great Success And A Fantastic Day Out On the 12th June 2012 Boniface hosted an open day at their Thetford site. For 30 years Boniface Engineering have been at the forefront of recovery equipment innovation, design and manufacture. To celebrate this momentous occasion, and make their 30th birthday one to remember, Boniface hosted a day filled with demonstrations, competitions, food, drink and entertainment.

Unlike most other events and shows, Michael Boniface was keen to provide real life scenarios where the casualties were flat on the floor with no rigging in place. The challenge he threw down to the instructors and operators doing the display was to complete the recovery without causing significant damage to the casualty.

The day of the event was soon upon us and the factories, yards and streets were all looking great dressed with flags and banners.

The first visitors arrived way before the start time – keen as always to take a look at what was going on!

Throughout the day there was a chance to take part in some fun Two Century 1075s in action events. These consisted of the Express Loading challenge where a car had to be removed from between 2 others using Midhurst Engineering’s F450 fitted with Century Express, the Rotator Skills Challenge where the operator had to manoeuvre a weight between a slalom of cones without moving them using a Holmes 600R belonging to Kelly Recovery, a Slidebed Loading Challenge using a stock Midlum fitted with Champion aluminium slidebed and the immensely popular Snatch ‘n’ Go which entailed moving 8 snatch blocks of various sizes over a set distance against the clock and attaching them to a bracket at the other end of the course. This proved to be an epic battle between England, Germany and Ireland which went on late into the night. At 11am, Mike Boniface gave a short speech in the marquee welcoming everyone to the event and thanking them for taking the time to come and join in the celebration. This ended with him introducing John Hawkins from Miller Industries who gave a brief account of what the spectators could expect to see in the arena. With the speeches finished the demonstrations in the arena got underway.

The 1st demonstration was a fridge trailer weighing approx 30t loaded with wet paper on its side flat against the concrete.

This was to be a tricky recovery as there was no rigging attached and they weren’t sure if the sides of the box would take the load from the paper pushing against it. Carrying out the recovery were Brett & Lee Mansfield of The Mansfield Group assisted by Lee Roberts from the USA, rolling the unit & trailer over away from them using the 1075 Rotator of Cosbys which featured the new HHU underlift and the latest style Century 262” H beam rear legs – incidentally, this is the first vehicle in Europe to feature these latest Century products and their first public showing! Commentary was given by John Hawkins and Tom Luciano of Miller Industries along with some technical calculations and commentary from Nick Ovenden.

As it was going to take some time to get the casualty ready for the roll over, several other scenarios had been set up and were performed whilst the fridge unit was being recovered. These included a container lorry on it’s side being rolled towards the Century 1075 of Manchetts Recovery, a 7.5t Box van that was upright but stuck in a ditch behind a barrier which was recovered using BJ & The Bear (a stylish Century 1140 Rotator belonging to Neil Yates of NYR), a digger that had become bogged down in a ditch which was easily recovered using Saunders Recoverer, a tanker being rolled over by Saunders towards their Recoverer Sidewinder, Manchetts Recovery’s Century 1075 and The Mansfield Group’s 1075 Rotator working together to manoeuvre a box trailer between them and load it onto a Boniface Lowslide recovery trailer and a demonstration of the extremely versatile Holmes 600R belonging to Cockerills Recovery.

At 4pm, all the demonstrations and most of the events had been completed. It was now time to gather in the factory for the award ceremony and the Grand Prize Draw which would be in a reverse raffle format with the winner taking away a Champion aluminium slidebed kit worth over £11,000.

Olympic Challenge Results Results for the day’s events were as follows with all winners receiving a dedicated gold, silver or bronze trophy: Express Loading Challenge - Gold Medal Winner - Tony Cornwall from Boniface; Silver Medal Winner - Ronan McVeigh from Kelly Recovery (Ireland); Bronze Medal Winner - Jonathan Rogers from Unity Recovery in Leicester Rotator Skills Challenge - Gold Medal Winner - Roy Gatward from Gatward Recovery Ltd; Silver Medal Winner - David Bracken from Brackens Recovery (Ireland); Bronze Medal Winner - John Dalton from JD Recovery (Ireland) contd.

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Slidebed Loading Challenge - Gold Medal Winner - Keith Quinn from Kelly Recovery (Ireland); Silver Medal Winner Stephen Eagle from Manchetts Recovery; Bronze Medal Winner - Jim Raybone from ARR The Grand Prize Draw & The Luck Of The Irish!

Jimmy Magee of Magee Motors, Co. Roscommon in Ireland as the lucky winner and the proud owner of an £11,000 Champion Slidebed kit.

The winners of the Snatch ‘n’ Go event were as follows: Gold Medal Winner – Lee Mansfield from The Mansfield Group;; Silver Medal Winner - Sascha Rekow from Germany; Bronze Medal Winner – Adrian Mitchell from Ireland Free Anniversary Extras From Boniface For the rest of their Anniversary year, Boniface will be including some additional items with their vehicles. Each vehicle sold will include a Boniface branded drivers bag comprising a Boniface branded torch, Boniface cap, notepad & pen and a laser etched crystal block for your trophy cabinet.

Light vehicles will also benefit from side rave capping on all steel beds, a new upgraded cab command unit and a radio remote holder fitted as standard in the cab.

Heavy customers will see their new vehicles with special 30th anniversary door sill trims, Speedliner to the interior of their lockers with a special 30th anniversary logo, colour coordinated levers, fairleads and hooks, personalised stainless steel fold boom trim with 30th logo, enamel badges to the bodywork and an improved fork package including pair of 578 low forks.

To see more of the Boniface 30th Anniversary event, find out more about their products, services and stock vehicles, visit their web site at www.boniface-eng.com

’trg’ to develop new business opportunities in Ireland The ongoing development of its branch network has been enhanced by the opening of a brand new office in Dublin for trg, the leading logistics services company. Despite only recently opening this office, the company has already secured a major contract opportunity that requires the provision of up to 40 drivers a day. Announcing details of the new office in southern Ireland, trg’s Managing Director Wayne Clarkson said, “The team here is focused on developing new business opportunities to ensure that trg becomes a market force, both in the North and the South of Ireland. The immediate success of trg has opened a new office in Dublin winning a new major contract has enabled the branch to hit the ground running and we are confident of adding many more contracts in the coming weeks.” “In the UK, trg has rapidly gained a reputation for its service excellence and we are keen to develop this business opportunity in Ireland, focusing on bringing our skills and expertise to the Irish commercial vehicle market,” added Wayne Clarkson. trg is one of the UK’s leading providers of total logistics solutions and further information about the full range of services provided by the company can be obtained by viewing their website on www.trglogistics.co.uk The new trg office is based at: trg, Suite 12, Omega House, Collinstown Cross, Cloghran, Co Dublin.

Tel: +353 1 8447402 Fax: +353 1 8120015 Email: trginfo@trglogistics.co.uk Contacts: Regional Director – Donna Topham, General Manager - Pat Proud foot , Recruitment Consultant – Noel Billings

Exports reach record levels Companies supported by Enterprise Ireland achieved a record level of exports in 2011. The agency's latest annual report shows that €15.2bn of goods and services were exported last year, compared to €14bn in 2010. The number of people in full time employment in export businesses also increased to more than 141,200, from around 137,200 in 2010. Enterprise Ireland boss Frank Ryan said the level of exports last year exceeded pre-recession levels. "Indigenous industries are now selling more overseas than at any time in the history of the State," he said.

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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The company were finalists in the 2012 Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport Awards

In perpetual motion Libra Trans provides an exceptional, affordable local, national and international pallet and parcel distribution service. Irish Trucker had a chat with Sales and Finance Director Tom Duffy to get an insight into this stellar, technology-embracing business, which has been going strong for 20 years.

L

ibra Trans Ltd. was initiated from humble beginnings in 1992. Since then, the operation – which is fronted by MD Gary Turner – has forged an unrivalled reputation for itself. Director Tom Duffy, who has been with the company for 14 years, explains: “Same-day traffic is our core business. That’s the backbone of the business, plus overnight pallet distribution, UK – Ireland transport and groupage to Europe. We own 17,000 sq ft of warehousing with two dock levelers, strategically located

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within the M50 ring road, as well as an additional 100,000 sq ft through The Pallet Network.”

Libra Trans, who are ISO 9000-certified, were finalists in the technology section of the 2012 Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport awards, having invested very heavily in IT over the past 18 months. The new system they’ve put in place is going to spearhead the company’s future growth, as Tom notes: “We have developed our own bespoke internet system with IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

track and trace, partner link-ups and online POD retrieval, which is emailed to customers within 48-hours of completion.

We introduced this system to improve the quality of the product and the service – as well as the price – and so far it is working out extremely well. The IT system controls all aspects of our freight business and it is a custom-created database which we run internally.

“We have always been at the cutting edge of technology and always try to find the best way of doing things. Rather than go for an off-the-shelf IT system, which would obviously have been cheaper, we have installed a tailor made system that we can tweak ourselves as we need to. It was more expensive but it brings us more business, so it’s money well spent.

“In this line of work, you are always looking for new opportunities. Two or three years ago, a lot of Libra Trans’ work was construction-based, so we’ve looked to replace that and it has gone well. In terms of the recession, we are bucking the trend due to the quality of our service.”

Fleet-wise, Libra Trans operates a total of 35 vehicles (car vans, Transits and Canters, 32-foot box van rigids and 24-foot curtainsiders) between subcontractors and their own vehicles (mostly Renault). This mix is both uncommon and successful, as Tom confirms: “The difference between our model and the competition is that we own all the HGVs ourselves, which is unusual and gives us more control and a better standard of customer service.”

Looking to the future, Tom adds: “We are hoping to expand and also further develop the side of the business with TPN, to secure more palletised freight into the UK. We fully joined TPN in January this year, having been an input member since its foundation.”

Very much part of the local community, Libra Trans are also members of South Dublin Chamber of Commerce and official sponsors of the Shamrock Rovers soccer team. The Rovers sponsorship came from Gary Turner’s involvement in the club and Libra trans have been sponsors for the past three years. It is a fitting tie up, as league champions Shamrock Rovers have been delivering the goods in Europe recently, just like Libra Trans.

Tom – who is the company CPC holder – is President-elect of Clondalkin Rugby Club.

Over the years, Libra Trans has been involved in some fantastic and unusual projects, including baggage handling for the state visit of the Japanese Emperor (who needed two 30ft trucks, along with a 16ft truck for luggage alone) and also the Canadian Presidential visit. The company also twice handled the needs of Mary McAleese during her term as President of Ireland.

In 2006, the company received widespread recognition when they provided two 30ft trucks for the American Ryder Cup team. Over the years, Libra Trans have developed extremely close relationships with their customers and strive to always improve their services through innovation and plain honest service.

From the company hub in Parkwest, Dublin 12, strategically-located close to Libra Trans has a fleet of 35 vehicles the M50 and with convenient access to IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Wishing Continued Success To Libra Trans, From

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all of Dublin, Libra Trans offers a 24-hour, 7 days a week service. They have the network and vehicle structure in place to transport anything to any part of the capital or beyond.

Libra Trans are a sponsor to Shamrock Rovers football club

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Libra Trans offer a complete logistics solution

Next-day 32-county pallet distribution is offered as well as a nationwide collection service. Libra Trans is a fullylicensed operator, affiliated to the IRHA and shifting over 500 consignments per day. Contract hire is available across the entire vehicle range, from a halfday to a yearly contract with all costs included in the agreed price.

A state-of-the-art warehousing facility offers short and long-term storage solutions quickly and conveniently.

Facilities are in place for striping containers and trailers for cross docking and onwards direct distribution. The unit has 24-hour CCTV security with mobile patrols and is fully insured. Forklift facilities are onsite for convenient transfer of cargo.

Through their freight forwarding

network, Libra Trans are also able to quote on consignments to anywhere in the world - from small cartons to pallets part and full loads and containers, destined for the UK, Europe, Asia or the Americas.

Libra Trans is fully committed to the environment and to Health & Safety, with all staff members trained accordingly. They have all their vehicles maintained to the highest standard.

The management team at Libra Trans firmly believes that their people are their strongest asset. To this end, they have brought together a team of highlyskilled and experienced staff who represent the company – and their customers – with distinction.

With their new bespoke IT system in

place and continued investment in vehicles and technology, and new partnerships secured, this awardwinning, state-of-the-art distribution company has already led the way for 20 years and is clearly here for the long haul.

CONTACT DETAILS Libra Trans Ltd. Unit 5 & 6 Parkwest Enterprise Centre, Nangor Road, Dublin 12.

Tel: 01 6265912 Fax: 01 6265918 Email: tom@libratrans.com www.libratrans.com

Accountants & Business Consultants We Start Where Other Accountants Finish Jasmine Lodge, Main Street, Celbridge, Co. Kildare t: 01 6303048 / 01 6281195 e: info@hthaccountants.com www.hthaccountants.com Continued Best Wishes To Libra Trans 18

The Heineken Cup won by Leinster made a visit to Libra Trans

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Transporting a timber harvester

PM Processing - the future of renewable energy Established over 25 years ago, PM Processing Ltd is one of Ireland’s leading timber harvesting and woodchip manufacturers. Director and founder Pat McManus, explains more.

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

operations. We now also specialise in woodchip production and supply which is a growing business in Ireland. It’s a much cheaper option to oil, and that’s one of the reasons why there is a significant move towards renewable energy.”

PM Processing’s expertise in handling timber from harvest right through to woodchip production and delivery ensures a product of the highest quality, while ensuring ease of traceability. The company’s knowledge and expertise in any forest clearance is unrivalled. They undertake many different contracts which entail anything from the harvesting and extraction of timber on steep, mountain slopes to difficult deep bog-land clearances.

More recently, PM completed harvesting on an Island on lower Lough Erne. This was a very different contract to normal operations which involved firstly transporting the machines over the lough to the island using a barge. The barge then was used to transport the harvested logs from the island back to main-land.

Pat’s workers travelled to the island

F

rom humble beginnings, PM Processing Ltd has grown into a highly successful family-run business specialising in timber harvesting and haulage, woodchip production and supply.

Based at Macken, Co. Fermanagh and with depots at nearby Derrylin and Ballivor, Co. Meath, PM Processing operates specialised harvesting and extraction machines as well as a small fleet of HGV lorries, completing the full forest to mill service. The company employs highly-skilled operators to undertake the harvesting, extraction and haulage operations to ensure a quality and professional service.

Having identified a niche in the market for wood fuel as an alternative to traditional fossil fuels, PM IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Processing invested in a Jenz Hem 561 HP wood chipper three years ago. The company manufactures a woodchip product varying between 20 and 50 per cent moisture and a uniform size of either G30 or G50, depending on customer specification. The woodchip is supplied using 20 tonne walking-floor, tailor-made delivery trailers for efficient offloading.

“The business has come a long way since we started out as a single harvester operation all those years ago,” Pat states.

“We have grown to become a strong, experienced company in all aspects of timber harvesting, extraction and haulage

Woodchip is a renewable fuel that is cheaper than the fossil alternative

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PM Processing is a successful family run business

every morning by boat; a very different experience indeed!

PM complies fully with forest, water, environmental and health and safety guidelines. It also holds all the relevant licences to carry out operations.

PM Processing operates four Scania

trucks, which Pat describes as being “reliable and economical�, four selfloading log trailers, low-loader for transporting machinery, and two 20tonne walking-floor trailers which are used to deliver woodchip. In addition, the company operates a number of

Best Wishes To PM Processing Ltd From

timber harvesting and loading machines that include Volvo, Terex, O&K, Samsung, Timberjack and more recently a John Deere 1470E wheeled harvester and a 1510E forwarder.

PM harvests between 8,000 to 10,000 tonnes of timber per month. They are

Timber being harvested

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEERING LTD

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

the main harvesting and haulage contractors for one of the biggest sawmill and timber processing facilities in Ireland; Balcas Timber Ltd in Enniskillen.

“We steadily grew the company to three harvesters before we decided to purchase our first truck and thereby provide the full forest to mill service

about 15 years ago,” explains Pat who is joined in the family business by his wife Christina, son Martin and daughter Patricia.

PM Processing has grown steadily since branching into woodchip production and supply. The timber used in the production of woodchip is bought from state-owned forests, Coillte and

private growers.

The company supplies woodchip to customers using substantial amounts of heat such as mushroom growers, nurseries, pig farms, schools, and also to Bord na Mona Energy, direct to their power station in Edenderry, Co. Offaly, where woodchip is used in their co-firing system for energy production.

John Deere Forestry Ireland Ltd. Parts & Service Tel. 0404 44969 • Fax. 0404 44972 Ballyknocken, Glenealy, Co. Wicklow. www.johndeere.ie Contact Ed Power • Mob. 087 2542570 poweredwardj@johndeere.com PRODUCTIVITY | UPTIME | LOW DAILY OPERATING COSTS

Continued Success From All At JOHN DEERE FORESTRY IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Wishing Continued Success To PM Processing Ltd From

Murphy & McManus

SOLICITORS Bank Of Ireland Buildings, 143 Main Street, Lisnaskea, Fermanagh BT92 OJE Tel: 028 67721012 Fax: 028 67722357 Email: solicitors@murphy-mcmanus.com

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Remember if its got to be done, its got to be Donegan Tel: N.I: 028-6632-2930 • R.O.I: 048-6632- 2930 Mobile N.I.: 0783-6790727 • ROI.: 0044-7836790727 79 Loughshore Road, Silverhill, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, N. Ireland, BT74 5NH info@donegandelivery.co.uk • www.donegandelivery.co.uk BEST WISHES TO PM PROCESSING LTD

Best Wishes & Continued Success To PM PROCESSING LTD From

MAGUIRE FUELS 553 Loughshore Road., Corrakeel, Belleek, Co. Fermanagh BT93 3FS

Tel: 028 68658046 Fax: 028 68658046

Continued Best Wishes To PM Processing Ltd From

13 Dublin Road, Enniskillen, Co.Fermanagh, BT74 6HQ

T:028 6632 4371

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Continued Best Wishes To PM Processing Ltd 24

www.itsplanttech.com IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Experts in timber haulage

There are many reasons for choosing woodchip. Apart from currently being 50% cheaper than oil and gas, it’s renewable, sustainable, carbon neutral, locally sourced, economical and reliable. PM’s woodchip product is free from any contaminants and is manufactured from seasoned virgin timber. Once chipped the product is dried naturally in storage and finally delivered to customers via walking-floor trailers, making off-loading of the chip highly efficient.

Over the years, PM has established a tradition of value-for-money, reliability and total dedication to customer Delighted to be associated with PM Processing Ltd

service. PM Processing look forward to the future with positivity regarding the outlook for renewable energy. “While we will continue primarily as a timber harvesting company, we are always open to new business ideas. In the current economic climate, as a business we need to innovate and diversify where possible. Considering the world-wide strive to increase the use of renewable energy, we will continue to grow the woodchip part of the business, as we see a bright future for biomass as a renewable energy fuel”, concludes Pat.

PM Processing, Clonliff, Macken, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh.

Telephone: 028 6634 8545 Mobile: 07836 296572 Website: www.pmprocessingltd.com

TIMBER LTD

Balcas Timber Ltd Laragh, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland BT94 2FQ Tel: +44 (0) 28 6632 3003 Fax: +44 (0) 28 6632 4082 www.balcas.com

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Contact Details

The company is headquartered in Macken, Fermanagh with depots in Meath and Derrylin

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SJ Davidson Motors in Dungannon

A family success story For nearly 50 years, SJ Davidson Motors Ltd has been supplying high quality new and used cars and to customers throughout Ireland. More recently, the Co. Tyrone-based company has broadened its horizons by exporting to Europe and beyond.

L

ooking for a quality new or previously owned car or 4x4? If so, SJ Davidson Motors Ltd in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone has the vehicle for you.

Founded in 1965 by the late Samuel John Davidson, the company is now run by his son Philip, who has 22 years’ experience in the retail car industry. SJ Davidson prides itself on being “the family business big enough to compete and small enough to care”, and who could argue with that after nearly 50 successful years in business. In that time, the company has established a tradition of value-for-money, reliability and total dedication to customer service.

For many years, SJ Davidson has catered for thousands of satisfied customers from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. In more recent times, however, the company has been attracting more and more clients from overseas who can view all makes, models, prices and the availability of vehicles on the SJ Davidson website,

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www.sjdavidsonmotors.co.uk.

“We sell all new makes and models of new import and UKsupplied vehicles. We also stock a quality range of used vehicles,” Philip explains.

“Cars account for about 50 per cent of our sales and 4x4s the other 50 per cent. When someone buys a car or a 4x4 from us, they know they are getting a top quality vehicle. We deal only with reputable suppliers in the UK. Any used vehicles we sell comes with a full service history, has been given the full MOT beforehand, while an after sales service is also provided.

“Business is holding up okay, despite the recession which seems to be particularly bad in the South where a large number of our customers used to come from. We don’t get as many people walking into the garage as we used to either, but we have a strong presence online and that’s where a lot of our business is coming from now. We are even exporting to IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

High end vehicles moved in some style

places like the UK, Malta and Australia.

“A lot of hard work goes into this business, but if you target the right market, you will make the sales. You would think that there isn’t as much of a demand for luxury 4x4s in these tougher economic times, but thankfully there is still a market for them.”

SJ Davidson’s showroom and display area boasts a vast selection of all makes and models of new and used UK supplied vehicles as well as a wide range of 4x4s and quality used vehicles. The company offers complete dealer facilities, including full finance packages (it is an agent for Black Horse The SJ Davidson Transporter is an impressive sight in real life and on paper

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Motor Finance), service facilities and after sales care. In addition, cherished UK number plates are also available to buy.

As a family business, SJ Davidson prides itself on offering a personal one-to-one service in all departments, from sales through to servicing for all its customers. Philip believe’s after sales care is as being just as important as purchasing a vehicle as it helps us to maintain a lasting relationship with his customers.

If you are looking for a particular model that isn’t in stock, Philip will gladly source it for you. If you are not sure what you are looking for, there is an extensive range of models in stock at any one time to help you choose the right vehicle.

The experience of purchasing a vehicle from SJ Davidson is as simple as purchasing from your local dealer, but at a lot less money.

These savings, combined with SJ Davidson’s famous oneon-one service, will make purchasing your next vehicle a pleasurable experience.

One of SJ Davidson’s big selling points is its location just off the M1 motorway between

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If you want a car or 4x4, SJ Davidson is the place to go

Belfast and Enniskillen, and in the heart of Northern Ireland. Dungannon is just 30 minutes from both airports in Belfast and Belfast Port, which makes SJ Davidson easily accessible for overseas customers. Its location just a

few miles from the border also makes it easy to reach for Republic of Ireland customers. In less than two hours, you can be in Dublin Airport or Dublin Port.

SJ Davidson employs eight highlyqualified staff, including two sales

personnel. Opening hours are from 9am to 6pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9am to 8pm Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.

Philip is very appreciative of the support SJ Davidson receives from all of its customers. He concludes by saying: “No matter what the make or model is, customers are always assured of a top-quality new or used vehicle when they visit us.”

CONTACT DETAILS

ACCESSORIES FOR 4X4’S, LORRIES & VANS Standard off the shelf products or have your vehicle customised to your own personal specification

Best Wishes & Continued Sucess To SJ DAVIDSON MOTORS

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SJ Davidson Motors Ltd 1 Ranfurly Road, Dungannon, BT71 6ED, Co. Tyrone.

Telephone: 048 8772 2896 Fax: 048 87772 2947 Email: sales@sjdavidsonmotors.co.uk Website: www.sjdavidsonmotors.co.uk IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Best Wishes To SJ Davidson Motors

Costello Auto Trans (CAT) Car & Commercial Transportation Ireland - UK - Ireland

CAT IS A LEADING SUPPLIER OF VEHICLE LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS 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 Email: info@cat.ie

www.cat.ie Continued Best Wishes To SJ Davidson Motors

Best Wishes To SJ Davidson Motors, From

DG Engineering Specialises In ALLOY & STEEL TANKS 3 SERIES SCANIA BUMPERS CAT WALK’S • TOOL BOX’S SIDE • PIPES AND UP RIGHT PIPES 41 Terrenew Road, Castlecaulfield, Dungannon BT 70 3AB

Mobile: 07739095430 Tel/Fax: (028) 87761662

Our extensive range of services includes: • Alloy wheel repairs • Bead and abrasive blast cleaning • Kerb or pot hole damage repairs • Alloy welding • Diamond turning for Prestige Alloys

Specialists in Alloy Wheel Refurbishment 6 Uunshinagh Lane Portadown BT62 3RL

T: 028 3884 1180 M: 07530 942813 www.a27engineering.co.uk

Best Wishes To SJ Davidson Motors From Ray Wilson

Tamnamore Tyre Centre 34 Bovean Rd., Dungannon BT71 6HR

• Alloy Wheels Specialists • All Types of Tyres • 4 Wheel Computerised Wheel Alignment

Tel: 028 87751555

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Dungannon Tel: 028 8776 1482 Belfast Tel: 028 9043 4545

Your Number One Hire Solution Best Wishes To SJ Davidson Motors

www.corrigansvehiclehire.com Continued Best Wishes To SJ Davidson Motors

Leslie McCammon & Son ACCIDENT REPAIR CENTRE

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❥ FREE ESTIMATES ❥ BENCH FACILITIES ❥ LESONAL & MAXMEYER PAINT SYSTEMS ❥ PAINT REFINISHING & LOW BAKE OVEN ❥ AIRBAG DIAGNOSTICS ❥ HEADLAMP ALIGNMENT Unit 2, Cottage Quinn Yard, Old Eglish Road, Dungannon Telephone: 028 8772 4407 Email:leslie@lesliemccammon.wanadoo.co.uk 29

Coolrain Sawmills is based in Portlaoise

Making timber cool again Coolrain Sawmills Ltd. is constantly reinventing itself, bringing a vast range of excellent timber products to the Irish and UK markets. Irish Trucker dropped into the Portlaoise base and had a chat with director Steven Norval to discuss the current well-being of this exceptional enterprise as well as the massive challenges they face due to spiralling fuel costs.

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

I

n existence for over quarter of a century, Coolrain Sawmills Ltd. has developed organically over the years, evolving into one of the top producers of garden fencing, timber panels, decking, gates and commercial timbers.

One of the main functions of the mill has always been the production of pallet timbers for the pallet manufacturing industries. Timber production has been dramatically increased to include the design and manufacturer of timber gates, entrance gates and field gates and Coolrain is now recognised as a true leader in its chosen field of excellence.

Coolrain has also introduced a great range of children’s outdoor play equipment, including timber swings, climbing frames, play towers and slides, carrying a range of accessories to complement this equipment.

Continuously striving to improve its product range, Coolrain began manufacturing processed bark, building a state-of-the-art bark mulching plant to facilitate this.

Coolrain Sawmills now produces Minichip bark, Fine bark, Medium chip bark and Play Bark. These grades of garden bark are sold loose or bagged in bulk and smaller 40lt or 75lt bags.

Owned by Declan Hutchinson, Coolrain Sawmills operates out of a well-appointed four hectare site at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains 11km north of Coolrain village and 6km west of Mountrath. From here, they produce a range of Garden Living products for sale in Ireland and the UK. As well as timber gates, entrance gates, side gates, decking and fencing products (post and rail, picket fencing, panels, gateposts, round stakes, strainers, timber cladding etc.), they also specialise in log cabins, garden sheds and furniture, stable doors, landscaping (sleepers, garden bark mulch and wood chips) and children’s swings and slides, play equipment and climbing frames. A full nationwide delivery service is offered as well as installation in the Greater Leinster area.

“Basically, what we are doing is taking a low-value product and trying to add as much value to it as possible by coming IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

up with as many timber products as we can,” says director Steven Norval. “We primarily saw fencing timber and serve the fencing timber manufacturing industries. At present, we export around 80% of our produce.

“We also have the trading yard / shop here where we supply decking and gates and panels, which are wholesaled to builders providers.

“We introduced the new bark mulching plant in 2007, for crushing and screening the raw bark, and that has proven to be a great addition because we can now produce decorative bark mulch at retail level for use in gardens or for soft-landing surfaces in parks or crèches.”

Needless to say, Coolrain Sawmills’ activities generate a great deal of work for the haulage sector: “We use a lot of contract hauliers,” Steven confirms.

“Logs and transport would be our two biggest costs. We have to have the logs picked up and brought in to the sawmill. We also have to have them transported out again after they are sawed. So there’s plenty of demand for both curtainsiders and flats, and we use a lot of national and international hauliers.”

Coolrain has decided to contract this work out to people who know what they are doing so that they can in turn concentrate on doing what they do best – operating a sawmill! “We will choose our haulage contractors depending on their rates, their expertise, the areas they cover and of course their availability.

“This is a tough business at the moment. Anyone working in a sawmill will tell you that with a monopoly supplier of logs we find it hard to get them at a reasonable price. The State won’t do contracts, so it’s like Russian Roulette at times. Coillte’s logs are sold by auction every fortnight and you will only get them if you are the highest bidder. With no fixed price, it’s very difficult to plan ahead and the buying price of logs in Ireland is far too high.”

The sawmill in Coolrain is a veritable hive of activity, with lorries being loaded, timber being sawn and forklifts buzzing around the place all day long.

There is a lot of energy being invested

Playhouses, gates and fence stakes are just some of the products available

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Continued success to the management and staff of Coolrain Sawmills and best wishes from Philip, Linda & all at Lalor Transport Ltd

Wishing Continued Success To Coolrain Sawmills From

FOR ALL YOUR PET, PP AND STEEL STRAPPING NEEDS PLEASE CONTACT

045 440622 Fax: 045 440623

Best Wishes To Coolrain Sawmills, From

Continued Best Wishes To

Coolrain Sawmills

Brian Murphy Precision Engineering Ltd MILLING | TURNING | WELDING HYDRAULIC RAMS MANUFACTURE & REPAIR Canal Road, Portarlington, Co. Laois.

T: 057 8643343 M: 086 6380654 F: 057 8643344 Email :parts@precision-engineering.ie

www.precision-engineering.ie Wishing Continued Success To Coolrain Sawmills From

Kelcro Transport (Cork) Ltd. LICENSED HAULAGE CONTRACTORS

Specialists In General Haulage Millstreet, Co. Cork Tel: 029 70296 Fax: 029 70211 32

GLENMORGAN, HOLLYFORD, CO. TIPPERARY

T: 062 77268 M: 087 2236882 E: ssogrady@eircom.net

Worrell Harvesting Ltd.

Woodchip Suppliers For Cattle /Equestrian Pads/Boilers Purchasers of Standing Timber From First Thinnings to Clearfell Harvesting, Haulage and Marketing of Timber Suppliers of Sawlog,Pallet & Stakes, Plup, Woodchip Material and Firewood Material Blocked Firewood Site Clearance/Christmas Trees General Haulage Nationwide Service

WORRELL HARVESTING LTD., Killenure, Ballybrittas, Portlaoise, Co. Laois.

T: +35345 529574 F: +35345 529575 E: info@worrellharvesting.ie Web: www.worrellharvesting.ie BEST WISHES TO COOLRAIN SAWMILLS

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

The vast yard at Coolrain Sawmills

Some of the timber products available at Coolrain Sawmills Coolrain Sawmills is at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains

but Steven says things aren’t quite as rosy as they appear: “The high price of the raw material and the cost of diesel are killing our industry. These are our two biggest overheads and they are out of control. We are constantly battling with them. We’ve had to cut our staff numbers from 80 to around 60 because you have to be extremely lean to survive. You have to try to produce more for less.

“The Government and Coillte have been approached about these two key components and talks are ongoing, though what stage they are at I don’t know…

“The sawmill industry could collapse if something isn’t done to tackle these costs. It’s not sustainable to have major expenses like that, which you can’t control, creeping up all the time. If something is done, then I can see light at the end of the tunnel. Until then we’ll keep on finding new products and working on efficiencies and hope that things turn in our favour.

CONTACT DETAILS Coolrain Sawmills, Portlaoise, County Laois.

Tel: 57 87 35152 Fax: 57 87 35093 www.gardendeckingfencing.ie www.gardenlivinguk.com

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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