November2013trucker

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IRISH & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

NOVEMBER 2013 Vol. 16 No. 9

EURO 2.95 stg.£2.50

BURKE BROS. FRANK HOGAN ARGENT EQUIPMENT McGEOWN INTERNATIONAL

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be published or reproduced in any way without the written permission of the author or Lynn Group Media © Copyright Lynn Group Media 2013.

The opinions expressed in Irish Trucker do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publishers, their agents or Irish Trucker. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication is correct, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors that may appear.

Contents 2

www.irishtrucker.com

Industry News A look at the most recent trucking & haulage industry news

22 M&A Couriers Ltd. Local nationwide & UK courier service 26 Denis Santry Livestock Transport Specialists in cattle & pig transportation 30

30 Swift Transport Services Celebrating 25 years in business 34 Tom Walsh Motors Ltd. Synonymous with the motor industry in Dublin

78 GSJ Maintenance Ltd. Motorway maintenance specialists

38 P. Ferguson & Sons Ltd. Exceptional oil & solid fuel distribution service

82 McGeown International Ltd. Family run transport and logistics company

42 Eamonn Monahan Livestock Transport Providing a high quality of service

87 Walker Recycling Services Ltd. At the forefront of its field of expertise

46 Burke Bros (Coaches) Ltd. One of the top bus companies in the country

90 Linders Renault Finglas & Chapelizod Dublin’s newest Renault dealers

50 Gallagher Car Sales Ltd. Family run business that offers the personal touch

93 Argent Equipment (Ireland) Ltd. One of the top vehicle testing network companies in the country

53 Triace Ltd. Design & manufacture high quality pressure washers

96 Frank Hogan Ltd (Frank Hogan Limerick) Offering the full Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles range

56 Link IT Logistics EU Ltd. Rapidly expanding specialist logistics company

102 Beechfield Products Animal collection & animal waste products haulage services

62 Campion Insurance One of Ireland’s largest insurance brokers

104 East West Express Top class courier and distribution service

66 Ward Waste Products Ltd. Guaranteed high level of service 70 MJM Training Ireland’s premier commercial vehicle training solutions provider 74 Coolmarket Commercials Leading supplier of refrigerated vans to the Irish food and pharmaceutical sectors

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106 Laghey Waste Ltd. Recycling and waste management 109 Classifieds Irish Trucker is published by k, Kells, Co. Meath DG Press, Kells Business Par Telephone: (046) 9241923 Fax: (046) 9241926 edia.com e mail: contact@lynngroupm

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Caffrey International choose Krone for European Operation Caffrey International, based near Dublin, have added a number of new Krone Cool Liners to their extensive temperature controlled fleet.

The company chose Krone because of the trailers’ versatility and their ability to securely carry multi temp goods including frozen and pharma’ products to every European country on a weekly basis.

This, coupled with the Cool Liner’s strength, which will come into its own during busy Ferry schedules, convinced Caffrey that Krone was the best suited supplier for their business.

With over 40 years operating experience in the European Transport industry, Caffrey provide a comprehensive multitemperature logistics service including transport, shipping, warehousing and distribution throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe for some of the world's leading brands.

Caffrey International also provides cross docking and consolidation, ambient facilities including storage of over 40,000 sq ft; chilled storage with over 15,000 sq ft; fixed case and pallet services plus co-packing and labelling.

One in five avoiding penalty points

As many as one in five drivers are evading fines because of weaknesses in the fixed-penalty system, an investigation has found. Offenders are getting away with breaking the law because their cars are registered to a company, because officials cannot track them down or because An Post delivers the summons to the wrong address. The findings were made by the Comptroller and Auditor General Seamus McCarthy, the state’s public spending watchdog. Mr McCarthy has called for the gardaí to urgently address “significant” shortcomings in the fixed-penalty system to make sure it is fair and maintains public confidence. Motorists are also able to escape fines, penalty points or court appearances by having illegible number plates or because of the wrong details on car ownership are on official systems, he found. Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan ordered a review into the fixed-charge penalty system earlier this year. The system came under the spotlight after it emerged senior gardaí were being probed for mass wiping of penalty points from driving licences. In its investigation into the fixed penalty system, the Comptroller and Auditor General examined a sample of 300 penalty notices which were later overturned. Mr McCarthy found there was no apparent reason for quashing the penalties in 4% of cases, while more than half of the cases were cleared for “discretionary” reasons. The issue of Garda discretion in wiping driving offences was at the centre of controversy over the fixed penalty system.

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Reform The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is responsible for the commercial vehicle testing system.

The RSA is now implementing important changes to improve the roadworthiness standard of commercial vehicles on our roads, which will make our roads a safer place. If you own or operate a commercial vehicle or fleet, here are some important changes: 1. An improved testing system with benefits for road transport operators including:

• • • •

Easy to use online system to book your test Test booking reminders and alerts via SMS You will now be required to display a Certificate of Roadworthiness (CRWs) disc on your windscreen, which will now be automatically posted to the registered owner Fewer documents will need to be produced at the Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness (CVR) testing centre. However, a valid driver’s licence or passport must be presented at test.

2. New Maintenance and Repair obligations

• • •

New obligation on Heavy Commercial Vehicles operators and owners to have maintenance systems Introduction of premises inspections by RSA Authorised Officers to review maintenance systems, records and procedures.

Initial visits expected to be educational and advisory in nature to support operators in knowing and complying with their obligations.

3. Enhanced enforcement

• •

Enhanced supervision, enforcement and compliance measures are being introduced.

Risk rating system so that roadside enforcement activity is targeted at higher risk operators ensuring that compliant operators are less likely to experience disruption to their daily business.

4. New fees

•

From early October there will be changes to the test fees for CVR vehicles. A single fee will be applied, covering these changes. All fees will be published on the RSA website at www.CVRT.ie. These changes will make our roads safer for you, your drivers and all road users.

For more information visit cvrt.ie or view the RSA’s two information short videos on the changes and what they mean for you. The videos can be viewed on the RSA’s youtube channel (www.youtube/rsaireland.com) and cvrt.ie If you are a commercial vehicle operator and wish to seek advice from the RSA on complying with the new requirements please contact 1890 40 60 80/ (091) 872600 or email cvtadmin@rsa.ie

RSA wishes to ensure the highest standards in quality and testing integrity. If you feel that the integrity of the test has been compromised in any way and would like to speak to someone in confidence; you can do so by phone Tel 1890 253 163 (Confidential Line) or email cvrintegrity@rsa.ie

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Ecopia II

Bridgestone adds new sizes to ECOPIA fuel-efficient truck tyre line-up Bridgestone is expanding its ECOPIA highway truck tyre line-up with the introduction of new sizes in 2013. Both ECOPIA H-STEER 001 and ECOPIA H-DRIVE 001 add sizes 295/80R22.5 and 315/80R22.5 to the currently available 315/70R22.5.

ECOPIA H-TRAILER 001, already available in size 385/55R22.5, will add size 385/65R22.5 in 2014.

Frank White, Commercial Sales Manager, Bridgestone Ireland, says, “Fuel is one of the largest operating expenses for fleets, accounting for around 25-30% of all fleet related costs. Fuel economy and efficiency has therefore become imperative, especially for advanced, fuel-conscious long-haul operators.”

Bridgestone’s response to the challenges of these customers is a full range of premium fuel efficient tyres for Steer, Drive and Trailer positions: ECOPIA H-STEER 001, ECOPIA H-DRIVE 001 and ECOPIA H-TRAILER 001. Together they can deliver a reduction of up to 5%* in fuel consumption compared to the previous range of ECOPIA tyres.

Lower rolling resistance...

Depending on the situation and driving conditions, between 20 and 50% of fuel consumption is a result of rolling resistance, which is the force required purely to roll the tyre. Bridgestone has achieved a drastic reduction in rolling resistance of the new ECOPIA range versus previous tyres. ...without compromising traction, wet grip and mileage To achieve these benefits, Bridgestone has employed its proprietary NanoPro-Tech™ compound which reduces internal friction between the different tyre compound elements, decreasing the energy loss in the top compound as the tyre rotates.

This reduced energy loss translates as lower rolling resistance – but without compromising other tyre performance areas such as drive traction, wet grip and mileage.

Rolling resistance is also reduced through the use of a new sidewall compound in ECOPIA H-STEER 001 and ECOPIA HTRAILER 001, while the Low Energy Pattern of ECOPIA H-DRIVE 001 allows for better control of the movement in the tread blocks, creating less deformation. Because there is less deformation, tread wear is reduced and the resulting reduction in absorbed energy also reduces the tyre’s rolling resistance.

The Bridgestone ECOPIA range represents a breakthrough in improvement of eco performance by helping to save fuel and reduce carbon emissions without compromising on safety or tyre life.

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Major Reform The Road Safety Authority is implementing a major commercial vehicle roadworthiness reform (‘CVR’) programme. Its’ purpose is to drive a step change in the roadworthiness standards of commercial vehicles and to help improve road safety, reduce congestion and improve the culture of safety within the transport industry.

The CVR reform programme had its inception in 2006, at a time when Ireland was coming under pressure from the UK and other EU member states about the condition of commercial vehicles and following a number of high profile incidents involving commercial vehicles including the Kentsown and Clara bus crashes which tragically resulted in the loss of young lives.

The Road Safety Authority together with the Gardai and the Department of Transport Tourism and Sport and the Vehicle Testing Network have worked hard over the last few years to deliver the reform to the commercial vehicle roadworthiness system. There are three strands to the reforms- roadside enforcement, operator compliance and the standard of testing which is intended to bring about a step change in commercial vehicle roadworthiness. The reforms are being rolled out in accordance with the Road Safety Authority (Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness) Act 2012.

If you own or operator a commercial vehicle or fleet, here are some important changes; To ensure consistency, the testing process has now been taken under the control of the RSA, who monitor testing centres and ensure that standards are maintained.

There are a number of administrative improvements to the testing system. Time and costs are now saved through improvements such as online test bookings, on www.cvrt.ie, no longer having to visit the Motor Tax Office to get the Certificate of Roadworthiness and not having to bring the Vehicle Registration Cert every time you present a vehicle for test.

From early October there will be changes to the test fees for CVR vehicles. Fees are published on the RSA website www.CVRT.ie Vehicle owners have always been obliged to test their vehicle annually. As part of the reforms, the CRW issuing system is now aligned with the last test date for vehicles which have been tested previously and the anniversary of first registration for vehicles undergoing their first test.

An important change for Heavy Commercial Vehicle operators is the obligation to have maintenance systems in place.

The RSA are conducting inspections at operator’s premises to review maintenance systems, records and procedures.

Initial visits will be educational and advisory in nature to support you in knowing and complying with the new requirements.

Finally, enhanced supervision, enforcement and compliance measures have also being introduced. A risk rating system will be introduced which will ensure that roadside enforcement activity is targeted at higher risk operators. This will allow the RSA and the Gardai to directly target enforcement at non-compliant operators who compete unfairly and undercut the costs of those operators who choose to operate legally.

Ms. Denise Barry, Director of Vehicle Standards and Enforcement, RSA said that “the RSA believes the reformed commercial vehicle roadworthiness system will deliver safer commercial vehicles on our roads and support compliant operators” For more information and to view the RSA’s information videos on the reforms visit www.CVRT.ie

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Bin charges on the rise Mercedes-Benz Truck plant in Worth celebrates 50th Poor recycling could be adding to the price of bin anniversary charges, a waste industry body has claimed.

Repak, a body which promotes recycling of packaging, claims €2.7m is being lost every year due to bad recycling. The money is being lost through extra landfill charges, due to people putting the wrong items in their recycling or failing to wash out food containers before putting them in the bin. Repak spokesperson Darrell Crowe said a survey carried out for them discovered that many people are putting inappropriate items in their recycling bins. "About a third of people openly admitted to … incorrect systems," he said.

"Food waste, garden waste, used batteries, old shoes - by accident or on purpose into their green or blue bin systems. And these are materials that should not be going into those."

Seasonal shut down of Larne-Troone route by P&O The P&O Larne-Troon route shut down on Monday 7th October as part of the normal seasonal adjustment. The route has been included as part of a £20 million investment by P&O Ferries. As part of the investment, P&O installed a new Club Lounge on the ferry. P&O originally established ferry services in the United Kingdom in the late 1960s in the North Sea and the English Channel. In the late 1970s P&O was affected by a reduction in traditional shipping activities which saw the sale of a number of its businesses and assets. This continued into 1985 with the sale of its cross channel ferry activities to European Ferries, which at the time consisted of services on the Dover-Boulogne and Southampton-Le Havre routes. The route will reopen in March 2014.

Service sector continues to expand The service sector has continued to expand for a 14th successive month, which is good news for the haulage industry. An increase in demand for Irish services in the U.K is believed to be the main reason for the expansion, according to Investec.

And that expansion is set to continue as Investec Ireland chief economist Philip O’Sullivan explained: “The economy is going to have a decent tail wind behind it since the start of the second half. What we have been seeing internationally is that a lot of Ireland's key trading partners are picking up "In terms of what the government can take away from it I think that they would see business related and income related taxes should be stronger over the next while."

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The Mercedes-Benz Mercedes Benz plant in Wörth, Truck Plant, Worth Germany is celebrating a halfcentury of truck production where over 3.6 million vehicles have been built to date since the first units rolled off the line in 1963.

At, 2.9km squared, it is the world’s largest truck assembly plant where daily, some 12,000 employees assemble up to 470 trucks from the Atego, Axor, Arocs, Actros, Econic, Unimog, and Zetros model series.

Having undergone a EUR1.3 billion investment over the past three years and become the first manufacturer to offer a complete range of Euro VI-compliant vehicles, the plant at Wörth is in the midst of the biggest product offensive in its history following the introduction of seven new products in two-and-a-half years.

FTAI urges hauliers to avail of toll holiday Hauliers should take advantage of the free tolls on certain motorways throughout November, according to the Freight Transport of Ireland. For the month of November, hauliers will be allowed free access to the motorway tolls on the M1, M3, M6 and the Limerick tunnel. FTA Ireland General Manager Tom Wilson has urged hauliers to take advantage of the free tolls, which he stressed, could make a huge savings on fuel costs. “FTA Ireland believes that freight operators should take full advantage of using the named tolled motorway roads for free,” said Wilson. “Freight operators could benefit hugely in saving fuel costs, journey times and vehicle wear and tear, and the opportunity of a month’s toll-holiday is one that they shouldn’t ignore.”

Truck drivers receive probation act

Three truck drivers have had the probation act applied in their cases after they pleaded guilty to dangerous driving. The three admitted to driving their articulated trucks, three abreast on the main Limerick to Tralee road on October, 2012. Krzysztof Sokolowski, 33, of Main Street, Castleisland, Lorcan Regan, 20, of Mein, Knocknagoshel, and Slawomir Kupiec, 36, of Clonough Drive, Limerick Road, Castleisland, Coy Kerry, are employees of McAuliffe Trucking of Castleisland. A video of the incident was posted on YouTube and Gardai received a complaint from a member of the public, which led to the arrests and the defendants spending two nights in a jail cell.

The men handed over €9,000 to the court as a charitable gesture and their vehicles are to be fitted with speed limiter devices, which will limit them to a maximum speed of 100km/ph.

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Spare tyre set to blow out The spare tyre is set to be a thing of the past as alternative solutions are introduced.

Replacing the spare tyre are space save wheels and fast acting puncture repair kits and Nissan Ireland’s Peter Dynan feels that the spare tyre will be soon a thing of the past. "Spare tyres are going to go. They are on the way out," he said. “It is all down to automakers trying to shave every ounce they can from their cars. Lighter cars consume less fuel. Less fuel means fewer emissions and that results in lower VRT and road tax.”

NI pledge infrastructure legacy Northern Ireland Transport Minister Danny Kennedy has stressed that they are determined to give people more travel choices by creating an infrastructure legacy. Speaking at an engineering conference, Kennedy stated that strides have already being made in transport infrastructure and that more would be made.

The Minister said: “In building the physical infrastructure of our society, I recognise that there is a need to influence travel behaviour which will shape our society for decades to come. We must therefore build an infrastructure legacy that gives people the choice to use and access high quality public and sustainable transport services as a real alternative to private car travel. “I believe that over the past number of years we have been making real progress on this. This has been achieved by providing better transport infrastructure through ongoing investment.”

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SIMI say UK jobs and Eu150 million UK VAT protected by Irish budget decision The Minister’s decision to ignore the Motor Industry’s Swappage proposal will result in the further export of Irish jobs and tax revenues to the UK. Alan Nolan, SIMI Director General said, “The Industry is extremely disappointed that a Swappage scheme wasn’t announced in the Budget, a scheme which would have given motorists a VRT discount off the price of a new car.”

“We have to see this as a huge opportunity missed by the Government.

We put forward a detailed, well-costed plan that would have provided more than 2,000 extra jobs, particularly focused on Alan Nolan, young people and it would have netted Director General SIMI the Government an extra €126 million.

This Industry was also committed to making a significant contribution to drive Swappage and to ensure the creation of these additional jobs, which won’t happen now.

Recovery in the Motor Industry has been put back by at least another year.”

Paul Linders, SIMI President said, “It is hugely disappointing that the State has ignored the difficulties of our Sector which is probably the largest tax generator in the State and it is likely that this will lead to further significant job losses in our Industry, instead of the employment growth that could have been delivered.

“50,000 used cars will be imported this year because many people can’t step up from their old car to a new one and this has resulted in Irish consumers contributing over €150 million in VAT to the UK Exchequer and that number of used car sales has supported over 4,000 jobs in the UK. In the current climate, I really cannot understand why the Government has not considered it important to retain those jobs and VAT payments in Ireland.”

Texting while driving ban to be introduced From next year on, drivers caught texting while driving – even on a hands-free mobile phone - will be hit with fines and penalty points. According to a recent report in the Irish Independent, Transport Minister Leo Varadkar is tightening up the law on the use of mobile phones, which currently only applies to hand-held devices and therefore leaves a loophole in the legislation. At present, the law states that motorists cannot hold a mobile phone while driving. The use of hands-free mobile phones is permitted but what nobody had planned for was that motorists would start to send texts on their hands-free devices – which at present is not against the law. In a move to introduce clarity, a specific law to ban texting while driving will be introduced, which will be the same offence as holding a phone while driving: with an on-the-spot fine of €60 and three penalty points applying.

Unpaid NI road fines reach £19m The Northern Ireland Audit Office has revealed that road fines totalling £19 million remain unpaid. The fines are for such offences as speeding and illegal parking. The offenders include motorists, hauliers and courier services. In Northern Ireland, it is up to the PSNI to follow up on unpaid fines. Some of the unpaid fines date back as far as 1981.

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Haldex modulators from €90.00

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Brake pads from €45.00

Worklight €14.00

Knorr Air Dryers €150.00

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Sean Loftus, Director Setanta Vehicle Importers Ltd, Nigel Butler, Commercial Director Renault Trucks UK, An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, Thierry Hours Heavy Duty VP Program Manager at Renault Trucks, Harry Nash, Director Setanta Vehicle Importers Ltd, Mick Shaw, Managing Director Shaw Commercials Castlebar

Setanta Vehicle Importers Limited representing Renault Trucks in Irelalnd Renault Trucks are delighted that An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny officially launched the new Renault Trucks commercial vehicle range in Ireland at the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co Laois.

Also in attendance were Mr Thierry Hours, Heavy Duty VP Program Manager at Renault Trucks, Mr Nigel Butler, Commercial Director Renault Trucks UK, Mr Sean Loftus and Mr Harry Nash, Directors of Renault Trucks’ Irish importers, Setanta Vehicle Importers Limited as well as members of the Irish dealer network.

The new Renault Trucks range is the culmination of seven years of development and 10 million kilometres of testing. Renault Trucks is extremely proud of its new range of commercial vehicles and is the first truck company in Europe to have a complete range of environmentally friendly Euro 6 engines available at the same time. These trucks are the most environmentally friendly range of trucks on the market and offer drivers and transport companies a minimum saving of 5% on fuel consumption compared to previous models.

The range consists of: Range D - Regional distribution vehicles with bodies ranging from 10T to 26T. Ranges C and K - Construction vehicles for both on and off road applications including, tippers, concrete mixers, etc.

Range T - Tractor units (trailer towing) for both regional and long distance work.

“With exports being one of the key drivers of our economic recovery, we see this launch as very important for the Irish Haulage Industry as there is now a complete range of cleaner, greener heavy duty vehicles with at least 5% extra fuel efficiency over previous models” commented Sean Loftus, Director of Setanta Vehicle Importers. Both Harry Nash and Sean Loftus are very excited about the new range or Trucks and are targeting 12% market share for 2014. “We have several orders already placed for our new range, and the interest shown at the National Ploughing Championships was well beyond our expectations. We look forward with great anticipation to 2014, which we believe will be the next chapter for Renault Trucks in Ireland” added Harry Nash.

Renault Trucks also offers attractive leasing and contract hire options through Renault Trucks Financial Services. Renault Trucks Financial Services in Ireland is headed up by ex. Ireland Rugby international, Neil Francis.

Tesco NI takes delivery of 28 Volvos Tesco’s distribution centres in Northern Ireland have taken delivery of 28 new Volvo FM11 410 4x2 tractor units. The tractor units will operate from Tesco’s Belfast and Antrim distribution centres and they were supplied by Dennison Commercials.

"Fuel efficiency was key to the product decision-making process, but whole life costs and value for the driver also played a strong part," states Cliff Smith, fleet engineering manager for Tesco GB.

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Irish Ferries unveils luxury premium suites on Ireland/France routes Irish Ferries has raised ferry travel to a new level of luxury with the introduction of three Premium Suites on board their Ireland – France cruise ferry Oscar Wilde, which sails from Rosslare to Cherbourg and Roscoff.

Situated high up on deck 8 overlooking the bow of the ship with unobstructed sea views, the twin-room suites offer passengers a level of comfort never before available on an Irish Ferries’ vessel.

With cabin service provided by a dedicated steward, each double-roomed suite consists of a sitting room Oscar Wilde with cosy sofa seating and an adult sofa bed and an Premium Suite adjoining bedroom with king size double bed and ensuite facilities.

Other little luxuries that passengers can look forward to include a stocked minibar and complimentary fruit basket; Nespresso coffee and tea making facilities; a 32'' satellite web-connected television with wireless keyboard; air conditioning; a trouser press and hairdryer and breakfast for two in the ship’s plush Berneval restaurant.

Aimed at those who like to pamper themselves, the new Premium Suites add to the accommodation offering onboard the Oscar Wilde which includes a choice of 2, 3, 4 and 5-star cabins and onboard facilities that include a choice of restaurants and lounges, two cinemas, Wi-Fi internet access, mall style shopping, children’s play zones and a hair and beauty salon.

For reservations and information visit www.irishferries.com or call 0818 300 400.

Chevron stamp introduced by MWSD to denote quality steel wheels A new Chevron mark is to be stamped onto every steel wheel purchased from Motor Wheel Service Distribution (MWSD) to assist operators in choosing quality products while aiding traceability.

Taken from the company's logo, the imprint has been introduced to help truck, trailer, bus and coach fleets identify superior quality wheels that were sourced by the company. In turn this will help maximise loads and minimise failures, both key messages from the wheel safety campaign led by managing director, John Ellis.

The distinctive stamp will work in tandem with the recently launched Chevron Quality Steel Wheels Product Information booklet which explains the advantages of each wheel alongside informative charts showing the capabilities across a wide breadth of sizes.

There are three tiers to the Chevron Steel Wheels range: Gold is a premium brand of steel wheel for OEM manufacturers and operators seeking an exact replacement; Silver is a leading aftermarket mid-range proposition offering superb quality and performance; Bronze is a dependable budget wheel.

Notably, Gold and Silver ranges have been extensively fatigue tested using an LBF machine designed to accurately simulate real world operating conditions, underlining the strength of wheel design and safety capability. All wheels carry the TüV quality mark.

All Chevron Steel Wheel sales are supported by MWSD's technical support and fulfilment team, meaning the right wheel can be selected and distributed quickly and efficiently for each specific application, while comprehensive online and print catalogues are also available.

John Ellis, managing director of MWSD, said: "We have been operating in the market for over 80 years, and it is as confusing now to find the right wheel as it has ever been. By teaming up with all the major manufacturers to add the Chevron stamp, we begin the process of demystifying the decision process.

"Simply put the move is designed to make wheel buying decisions quick, simple and, more importantly, correct. The commercial vehicle sector continues to be extremely competitive, and ensuring that you are running the best wheels on your vehicles is essential if you are to maximise profits and keep vehicles as safe as possible."

More information about Chevron Steel Wheels can be obtained by calling 0161 908 1023 or by visiting www.mwswheels.co.uk.

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Minister Perry announces plans to launch National Late Payment Information Campaign Minister for Small Business, Mr. John Perry, T.D., today [Tuesday] announced plans to launch a national Late Payment Information Campaign later this year. The aim of the information campaign is to highlight the issue of late payments amongst public authorities, businesses and other interested parties. It will provide businesses with information on the recent EU Late Payment Directive (transposed in March this year) and measures taken at both national and EU level, to combat this issue.

Speaking on the announcement, Minister Perry said: “The Irish Government is acutely aware of the importance of the small business sector, its potential for generating employment and the many issues currently facing Irish companies, particularly SMEs, including the issue of prompt payments.

“Companies providing goods and services need cash flow certainty and are entitled to expect that their payments will be made in a timely manner. For SMEs, any disruption to cash flow can mean the difference between solvency and bankruptcy. Such insolvencies lead to job losses and can be a personal tragedy for the individuals involved.”

The EU Late Payment Directive is aimed at improving payment practices in commercial transactions between businesses, and businesses and public authorities. Its main provisions include the setting of a maximum period for the receipt of prompt payment for good and services, the simplification of procedures for pursuing late payments, and the establishment of penalties for late payments.

Minister Perry added: “It can be particularly difficult, and sometimes very costly, for SMEs to stand up for their right to be paid on time. That is why, in order to protect European businesses and in particular SMEs against late payment, the EU adopted a new Directive known as the Late Payment Directive on 16th February 2011. This Directive was transposed into Irish law and came into effect on 16th March this year.

“I believe this campaign is very important. Not only will the campaign highlight the harm being done to businesses as a result of late payment, it will also explain the measures taken, both nationally and at EU level, to combat this issue.”

The information campaign will also provide a forum for sharing best practice to help SMEs obtain prompt payment.

Mercedes-Benz helps Annalise on road to Rio Irish sailing sensation Annalise Murphy is off on the next stage of her journey to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro travelling in a Vito Mixto supplied to her under a sponsorship arrangement by the Mercedes-Benz organisation in Ireland.

Fresh from her recent success in taking gold in the 2013 Laser Radial European Championship held in the waters off Dun Laoghaire, the 23-year-old Olympian returned to her National Yacht Club to accept the keys of Annalise is pictured admiring her new her new Vito from Fergus Vito which is soon to be a familiar sight at Laser sailing events. With her is Conheady, sales manager for Fergus Conheady of Mercedes-Benz.

Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles.

Commenting, Annalise said ‘securing the support of Mercedes-Benz on top of my winning the Laser Radial European Title has ensured that my plans to secure gold at the next Olympic Games are off to a wonderful start.’

Decked out to transport her and her team, with room inside for most of her equipment, the Vito Mixto crew van, with its five passenger seats and spacious load-carrying interior, is wrapped in a colourful, eye-catching picture of Annalise doing what she does best.

Exports continue to rise Irish exports are continuing to rise as this sector plays a massive part in the country getting back on its feet. HSBC carried out a report and its findings is good news for the country as it predicts that merchandise exports will grow about 6% a year between 2016 and 2030. ''Ireland’s most dynamic trading partners between 2013 and 2015 in terms of growth rates are forecast to be Argentina and Mexico in Latin America and Indonesia and Vietnam in Asia," the report says. "The large share of goods exports destined for Europe means that Ireland's prospects still hinge to a large extent on an economic recovery in that region however.”

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Paul Kane

Vantruck & Bus Parts

For Further Information, Please Contact

Telephone

028 8774 7258

(ROI) 048 8774 7258

A close shave behind the wheel, literally!

UK road cops stationed in the cab of a Scania truck caught some daring road offenders. The undercover police, posing as lorry drivers whilst looking for drivers allowing themselves to be distracted, made full use of their aerial vantage point to see what motorists were up to on the M27, M3, A34, M40 and M4 carriageways in Hampshire and the Thames Valley between Sept 23rd and Sept 27th last. A total of 198 individuals were identified committing offences, including one driver who was caught brushing his teeth with one hand while holding a bottle of water and a razor in the other. A female van driver was detected reading Facebook on her phone, while a man went a step further and was actually using his laptop whilst behind the wheel. Of the 126 motorists caught using their mobile phones, 25 were lorry drivers. All the drivers who were stung by the operation will receive fines of £100 plus three penalty points.

Beef exports to Germany set to reach €100m Irish beef exports to Germany are set to reach the €100 million mark by the end of the year . Bord Bia has released figures stating that the price of Irish beef exports to Germany has more than doubled since 2010.

This will obviously have a positive affect for hauliers involved in refrigeration transportation, which there is many operating in Ireland. Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney TD, said: “This year, despite a challenging economic and trading environment, Irish beef exports to Germany are expected to exceed the €100m mark. “This is a strong endorsement for the industry as it continues to secure market share based on Ireland’s premium image and brand recognition in terms of quality, traceability and sustainable food production.”

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Latest Nooteboom Super Wing carriers for A.M. Kran Wind One of the youngest players in the wind turbine transport sector is the German company A.M. Kran Wind GmbH from Schwedt/Oder-Heinersdorf.

A.M. Kran Wind (in Poland operational since 1997) has been active in Germany for more than 2 years is owned by Maciej Gozdzik, who also owned the polish special transport company EUROKRAN-2 Sp. z.o.o. . To extend their activities in wind energy industry, A.M. Kran Wind is currently investing heavily in the most innovative transport solutions for transporting wind turbines. A.M. Kran Wind recently took into use 3 of the latest generation 3-axle Nooteboom Super Wing Carriers. With these quadruple-extendible wing carriers A.M. Kran Wind has no problem transporting rotor blades of up to 70 metres within Europe.

Comprehensive logistics service It is Kran Wind’s aim to offer a comprehensive logistics service for the wind turbine industry. That’s why later this year they will take delivery of a Nooteboom Mega Windmill Transporter to transport tower sections and turbines. And in addition to their Terex CC2800 crane, they also purchased recently a Terex SL3800 crawler crane for the installation of windmills.

More than 50 Super Wing Carriers Since the development and introduction of the Nooteboom Super Wing Carrier there are more than 50 of these revolutionary transport solutions being used in transport combinations by the main European windmill transport companies.

And this number will grow during the coming months. Nooteboom can supply the Super Wing Carriers in various versions, such as the 3-axleTriple Tele-PX with adjustable axle assembly and the latest 3-axle Quatro Tele-PX. This latest version is based on the tried and tested technologies of the successful MCO-PX semi low-loader and has a much lower (quadrupleextendible) load floor, which means that transport operators can plan their route without worrying about the transport height when passing under viaducts. More information about the Nooteboom Super Wing Carrier programme is available on the Nooteboom website www.nooteboom.com.

Reliable & safe Nooteboom are the inventors of the original Super Wing Carrier as well as a quadruple-extendible Teletrailer. Years of intensive collaboration with wind turbine producers and specialist transport operators and the practical experience gained in this way led to all the essential needs and requirements being incorporated in this wing transporter. The Nooteboom Super Wing Carrier is therefore the most reliable and safest means of transporting ultra-long rotor blades measuring up to 70 metres.

Increase in new vehicles licensed There has been an increase of 110.4% in the number of new vehicles in September compared to the same period last year.

In total, there was 16,659 vehicles licensed in Ireland last month. During the same period last year, there was 7,916; showing that the economy is recovering somewhat. The number of new goods vehicles during September was 972 and that is an increase of 33.3% from last year and is good news for the transport sector, which has taken a significant battering in recent years. Licensing is when a vehicle is taxed for the first time and following the introduction of new laws with regards motor tax is believed to have played a major part in the increase in licenses.

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Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van arrives with world-first safety features

Mercedes-Benz new Sprinter van

Mercedes-Benz has introduced their new Sprinter van on the Irish market. Equipped with a number of standard and optional safety features that Mercedes-Benz claims are appearing in this category of vehicle for the first time, it will be available in dealer showrooms from Saturday 21st of September.

Making its World premiere in any commercial vehicle and available as standard, is Crosswind Assist. This important new safety element kicks in automatically to help keep the van on course in strong gusting winds. Other standard features include a number of cabin enhancements and a new-generation radio system with state-of-the-art electronic entertainment features and Bluetooth.

Two other ‘world first’ safety elements making their debut in the new Sprinter and available as optional extras are Collision Prevention Assist which sounds an alert if the van comes too close to moving traffic ahead and Blind Spot Assist which alerts the driver to the presence of other vehicles when changing lane. Also new are Lane Keeping Assist which warns the driver if the vehicle drifts off course and High Beam Assist which provides optimal illumination of the road ahead.

Externally, the Sprinter has been given a new, even more powerful front end appearance set off by a new, more prominent radiator grille and angular headlights. Redesigned taillights give it an even cleaner rear end look.

Billed as the first van to meet future Euro VI emissions standards, the performance of its diesel engines remains unchanged with four and six-cylinder units delivering outputs from 95 - 190 bhp. Transmission is delivered by an ECO-gear 6-speed manual or G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission with lock-up clutch – another world first for vans.

Consumption figures of 6.3-litres per 100km and an extended maintenance interval of up to 60,000km complete the picture.

Varadkar lifts HGV tolls on 4 roads for November to encourage motorway use Motorway tolls for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) will be lifted for the month of November on four roads to see if it reduces the number of trucks diverting to regional roads and through villages to avoid tolls, Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar has confirmed.

“I am concerned that large numbers of HGVs continue to use regional and local roads in order to avoid tolls, and are driving through towns, villages and rural areas. This has safety implications for other road users, residents and pedestrians. In addition by using local and regional roads instead of custom-built motorways, HGVs are adding to the wear and tear of the legacy roads network.

“For this reason I asked the National Roads Authority (NRA) to look at the feasibility of lifting tolls for heavy goods vehicles for one month on one or more motorways across the country, as a trial.

“Based on the feedback I have received I have decided to go ahead with the toll free month on a number of routes: the M1, M3, M6 and Limerick Tunnel. By trying a toll free month on these routes I want to see if HGV operators can be persuaded to use the motorways more. I think it is worthwhile to give us an opportunity to study traffic levels in detail and assess the implications and for HGV operators to evaluate the time and efficiency benefits of using these motorways.

“I have selected the routes for inclusion in the trial with the issue of regular avoidance of parts of the motorway network by heavy goods vehicles very much in mind. The M1 outside Drogheda is a good example, where large numbers of HGVs avoid the toll but have to pass through Slane in order to do so, which is hugely inconvenient to both the truck drivers and local residents.

“The M3 motorway from Dublin to Kells, the M6 from Ballinasloe to Galway and the Limerick tunnel are also Honeywell Turbo Technologies have announced that they will good examples, with large numbers of trucks using the be laying off 74 of their staff from its plant in Waterford. The older roads nearby to avoid the tolls. company specialises in manufacturing engine boosting “I can't say at this point that this trial will lead to any systems for commercial vehicles and passenger cars. change in tolling policy. While toll rates vary in line with Redundancy packages are being discussed at the moment as consumer prices, the base rates are built into the PPP the jobs losses are part of a restructuring of the business. financing arrangements that enabled the high quality However, a further 300 staff will be kept on, but a reduced motorway network to be built. Any change to the working schedule is set to be put in place by the end of the financial arrangements would clearly have significant year. implications and costs and would have to be carefully evaluated.”

Turbo firm announces 74 job cuts

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Do You Know A ‘Leading Light’ In Road Safety?

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) announced the call for entries to their annual ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards. Now in its sixth year, the awards recognise and honour the contribution made by people nationwide to reducing deaths and serious injuries on our roads. Details of how to enter the ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards are available on www.rsa.ie Announcing the call for entries, Mr Gay Byrne, Chairman, Road Safety Authority said: “Over the past few years, the judging panel and I have had the pleasure of reviewing the entries sent in from all over the country to our annual ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards. And every year, we have the same problem – how to pick just one winner. Because the truth is, every entry deserves to be recognised for the efforts made to keep our roads safe.”

“These extraordinary people around the country do this, not for themselves, but for their communities, their students, their colleagues and their friends, so that we all can share the benefits of safer roads. So if you know someone that has made an extraordinary effort to promote road safety, or if you are one of those people, enter this year’s ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards so that we can honour the great work that you do.”

Awards will be presented to businesses, educational institutes, media, community groups, and public services who have demonstrated a commitment to keeping the roads free from tragedy.

Entries will be accepted in each of the following categories: Road Safety Officer of the Year Public Sector (Local Authorities etc) Emergency Services (new entry) (Fire Services, Gardaí, Paramedics) Local Media Award National Media Award Business Category Education Award Pre-primary Primary School Education Secondary School Education Special School Education (new entry) Third Level Education Community Education Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) of the Year (Car, Motorcycle, Bus and Truck) CPC Trainer of the Year CPC Training Organisation of the Year Supreme Award One of the category award winners will be chosen by the panel to receive the Supreme Award. This will be presented to an individual or group that has demonstrated the most innovative and creative initiative to promote safer road use. The winner of the Supreme Award will be announced at the awards ceremony in Farmleigh House, Phoenix Park on Wednesday 11 December 2013.

The judging panel for the ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards will be announced shortly. Entries to this year’s awards are currently being accepted and the closing date for entries is Friday 15 November at 5pm.

Further information on the criteria for submitting an award, the categories for this year’s awards and how to submit an entry for this year’s ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ are available at www.rsa.ie/leadinglights.

Price freeze on tolls The National Roads Authority have revealed that there will be no increase in toll prices throughout 2014.

The news will be greeted with joy by hauliers and motorists who regularly use the motorway tolls. Hauliers will be allowed to use certain tolls for free next month as part of an initiative introduced by the Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar.

Nonetheless, there could still be a hike in charges if the budget next week increases Vat rates, which would apply to toll as there is already a standard rate of 23% applied.

Ireland will meet Koyoto obligations, claims EPA Despite a rise in emissions, the Environmental Protection Agency has claimed that Ireland will meet their Koyoto Protocol obligations. After a six year decrease in emissions, there has been a 1% increase this year, but the EPA are not overly concerned by the turnaround. Surprisingly, energy and transport are not the biggest contributor to emissions and are only the second highest on the list with 21% compared to the Agricultural sector, which has 32%.

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Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness - Major Reform The Road Safety Authority is implementing a major commercial vehicle roadworthiness reform (‘CVR’) programme. Its’ purpose is to drive a step change in the roadworthiness standards of commercial vehicles and to help improve road safety, reduce congestion and improve the culture of safety within the transport industry.

The CVR reform programme had its inception in 2006, at a time when Ireland was coming under pressure from the UK and other EU member states about the condition of commercial vehicles and following a number of high profile incidents involving commercial vehicles including the Kentsown and Clara bus crashes which tragically resulted in the loss of young lives.

The Road Safety Authority together with the Gardai and the Department of Transport Tourism and Sport and the Vehicle Testing Network have worked hard over the last few years to deliver the reform to the commercial vehicle roadworthiness system. There are three strands to the reforms- roadside enforcement, operator compliance and the standard of testing which is intended to bring about a step change in commercial vehicle roadworthiness. The reforms are being rolled out in accordance with the Road Safety Authority (Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness) Act 2012.

If you own or operator a commercial vehicle or fleet, here are some important changes; To ensure consistency, the testing process has now been taken under the control of the RSA, who monitor testing centres and ensure that standards are maintained.

There are a number of administrative improvements to the testing system. Time and costs are now saved through improvements such as online test bookings, no longer having to visit the Motor Tax Office to get the Certificate of Roadworthiness and not having to bring the Vehicle Registration Cert every time you present a vehicle for test.

From early October there will be changes to the test fees for CVR vehicles. Fees will be published on the RSA website www.CVRT.ie An important change for Heavy Commercial Vehicle operators is the obligation to have maintenance systems in place. The RSA are conducting inspections at operator’s premises to review maintenance systems, records and procedures. Initial visits will be educational and advisory in nature to support you in knowing and complying with the new requirements.

Finally, enhanced supervision, enforcement and compliance measures have also being introduced. A risk rating system will be introduced which will ensure that roadside enforcement activity is targeted at higher risk operators. This will allow the RSA and the Gardai to directly target enforcement at non-compliant operators who compete unfairly and undercut the costs of those operators who choose to operate legally.

Ms. Denise Barry, Director of Vehicle Standards and Enforcement, RSA said that “the RSA believes the reformed commercial vehicle roadworthiness system will deliver safer commercial vehicles on our roads and support compliant operators” For more information and to view the RSA’s information videos on the reforms visit www.CVRT.ie

Turbo firm announces 74 job cuts

Honeywell Turbo Technologies have announced that they will be laying off 74 of their staff from its plant in Waterford. The company specialises in manufacturing engine boosting systems for commercial vehicles and passenger cars. Redundancy packages are being discussed at the moment as the jobs losses are part of a restructuring of the business. However, a further 300 staff will be kept on, but a reduced working schedule is set to be put in place by the end of the year.

Petroceltic sell Algerian stake

Irish exploration firm Petroceltic has completed a $180m deal to sell 18.3% of its Algerian gas field to the country’s state.

Petroceltic were informed that the state owned firm Sonatrach were implementing a pre-emption right to make the sale. A third party had been at an advanced stage to buy the stake from the Irish owned company, but the state have now moved in to complete the deal. Petroceltic chief executive Brian O'Cathain said: "Sonatrach's decision to pre-empt confirms that the timely development of the Ain Tsila field is strategically important to Algeria and we look forward to working together to achieve this shared objective.”

Port chairman welcomes last cruise liner

The port of Cork chairman Mr John Mullins has welcomed the MV Albatross, which is the final cruise liner of this year’s season to enter Cobh. This year has been the busiest cruise season in the history of the Port of Cork and Mr Mullins admitted that it had been a brilliant year for them. "This has been an excellent year for Cork and we have seen a huge jump in passenger numbers this year. This increase is down to the dedicated cruise berth and the number of calls of large cruise ships,” said Mullins “For example Princess Cruise's ship, MV Caribbean Princess called seven times this year, each time bringing over 4,000 passengers and crew to Cork. The fact that people can just walk on and off the ship to go shopping or touring increases the economic impact to the region. “The passengers are offered the option of taking a tour and then come back on the ship to change before going out again on their own to do some shopping, eating or drinking and avoiding the repeated hassle of tendering or shuttle buses."

Tesco goes greener

Tesco are set to equip 137 truck and trailers with environmentally friendly refrigeration units by the end of the year. The new units are Thermo King triple temperature SLXe Spectrum and dual temp T1000 Spectrum units. They are designed for low emissions and a reduction in the noise level also. This is part of Tesco’s ‘F Plan’ which was introduced in 2007 in a bid to reduce the distribution emissions for every load of goods that are delivered. A report has shown since the ‘F Plan’ was introduced, Tesco have saved 56 million litres of diesel.

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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The Longford-based company has been providing a superior courier service for 14 years

E

stablished 14 years ago by husband-andwife Michael and Anna McKeon, M&A Couriers’ growth and success has been spearheaded by their son Mikey, who has been involved in the business from the very beginning.

“I was 18 when we started and 32 now,” the affable managing director informs us.

“You could say I’ve grown up with the business. I’ve been around trucks all my life so it came naturally to me.

We’re nearly 15 years in business and that’s a good milestone to reach after the struggles of the past few years. It has been a very tough time for anyone involved in the transport industry with rising fuel costs, reduced rates and, of course,

the recession. But we’re still going and holding our own, thank God.” Operating from Brianstown, which is situated just off the Strokestown Road out of Longford town, M&A Couriers provides a local, nationwide and UK courier service.

Mikey and his 10-strong staff provide a same-day courier and overnight courier delivery service throughout Ireland catering for deliveries from an envelope to a pallet service.

“We offer a complete courier service – pallet, part loads, full loads,” he explains.

“We started out offering a daily courier service between the midlands and Dublin, but have since branched out to provide a nationwide and UK service. This has been made possible through our

membership of PalletXpress.

We also buy in new or second-hand pallets and sell them on to our customers. In a few years’ time, we hope to make our own pallets.”

Mikey operates a 6,000 sq. ft. warehouse and a fleet of eight Scania and DAF trucks, which are evenly divided between artics and rigids. He buys his Scania from Westward in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon, while servicing and repairs are carried out in-house where possible.

Mikey believes his company has gone from strength to strength since becoming a PalletXpress member in October 2011. From its Brianstown base, M&A Couriers serves Longford and the surrounding counties of

Westmeath, Leitrim and Roscommon.

“It has been hugely beneficial for us,” he says of M&A’s PalletXpress membership.

“It has given us a nationwide and UK service which we didn’t have before we joined. We send a lorry up to Naas (where PalletXpress’ central hub is located) every night and our customers can be assured of a next-day delivery service anywhere in Ireland. We just link up with our partners and they do the rest. Every pallet is fully traceable.”

PalletXpress is Ireland’s only independent palletised freight network specialising in next-day distribution of express freight throughout the 32 counties and 48-hour

Longford leader As part of the PalletXpress Network, M&A Couriers Ltd in Longford offers its customers a 32-county nextday service and a 48-hour service to and from the UK. Managing director Mikey McKeon explains more.

CONTACT DETAILS 22

For more information about M&A Couriers Ltd, telephone 043 3359852 or why not call into Mikey or any member of the M&A team at Brianstown, Longford, Co. Longford

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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service to and from the UK. The network, whose managing director is Dublin GAA great Tommy Carr, guarantees a fast and efficient solution to your needs for moving your pallet from ‘pick up’ to ‘delivery’ in a transparent and traceable manner. Its service is backboned by unrivalled IT systems and a dedicated staff who will personally handle all

your queries.

PalletXpress was founded in 2004 with a view to streamlining and professionalising the freight distribution industry, which had previously existed in an inefficient and unprofessional manner. It was a new concept in Irish road freight distribution, focusing on the movement of small consignments of

M&A provides a local, nationwide and UK courier service

palletised freight in a much more environmentally friendly manner, and also gaining huge efficiencies for hauliers and customers alike.

PalletXpress spent some time studying the UK models which had been in existence

for the previous 10 years.

This enabled the network to begin without having to make all the mistakes of a normal start-up business.

PalletXpress adopted the 'best practices' of the network industry and have since

M&A Couriers is part of the PalletXpress Network

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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GEM OILS LTD. Lubrication Solutions For Every Market Sector

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Best Wishes & Continued Success To M&A Couriers

Continued Best Wishes To M&A Couriers, From

John McKeon & Sons Ltd Park Road, Longford

McKeons Railway Bar

Tel: 049 4335333/ 086 8044627 (Declan) Email: corriganfuels@gmail.com Best Wishes & Continued Success To M&A Couriers Best Wishes To M&A Couriers, From

Francis Ely Transport Ltd

Earl St., Longford

Wishing Continued Success To M&A Couriers, From

Athnid, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Telephone: (0504) 45404 Fax: (0504) 45403 Email: franciselytransport@eircom.net

www.franciselytransport.com Best Wishes To M&A Couriers, From

Unit 13 Osberstown Business Park, Naas, Co. Kildare

Tel: +353 (0) 45 901125 Fax: +353 (0) 45 901765

www.palletxpress.com

Wishing Continued Success To M&A Couriers From

McKeon Tyres Ltd. Puncture Repairs, New Tyres, Alloy Wheels 24 Hour Breakdown Service Unit 3A, Templemichael Business Park, Ballinalee Rd., Longford

Longford Business and Technology Park, Ballinalee Road, Longford.

T: +353 (0)4333 46133 F: + 353 (0)4333 46066 E: sales@toolandplastic.ie www.toolandplastic.ie

TO BOOK ADVERTISING SPACE please contact

BARRY on 00 353 (0) 46 9241923

Tel: 043 3336674 Fax: 043 3336675 Mob: 086 8745915 Email: mckeontyres@hotmail.com 24

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Two of the impressive M&A Couriers fleet

made many changes to cater for the varied demands of the Irish transport industry and general economy.

Even though PalletXpress is a network encompassing 16 individual transport companies throughout Ireland, its service is seamless and integrated so customers are guaranteed the same product throughout the country.

All members are fully licensed and insured to carry all PalletXpress freight and all are bound by a code of operational conduct.

PalletXpress members are stringently vetted and are

among the most respected and reliable hauliers in the country. Since its inception, PalletXpress has had an extremely low turnover of members, allowing it establish a very tight-knit group with a huge emphasis on team work and communication focused on a common goal 'to provide customers with a gold standard service at fair prices'.

Reliable, cost-effective and customer-driven, M&A Couriers is a one-stop shop for all your courier needs.

Similar to other transport companies, M&A hasn’t been

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

immune from the recession, but it is fighting back.

“At our peak, we had 12 trucks on the road but we’ve had to reduce that figure to eight in the last couple of years. Before the recession, people had lots of money, but you have to scrap for every penny now. Falling rates and rising diesel costs are a huge issue for everyone in this business. But the decision by the Government to introduce a diesel rebate for licensed hauliers at the end of last year should be a big help to the industry,” Mikey says.

In conclusion, Mikey expresses gratitude to his

customers and also pays tribute to his staff.

“We are fortunate to have a lot of good customers who have stuck with us through thick and thin. I’d like to thank them for their continued support and assure them that we will be doing everything we can to keep providing them with the best possible service.

“I’d also like to thank our staff for their dedication and the role they’ve played in getting us to this stage. Our drivers are highly-reliable and experienced, and are among the best in the business.”

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A familiar sight in West Cork

The livestock transport specialists For 35 years, Denis Santry Livestock Transport has been operating from Clonakilty, Co. Cork. Denis recently took the time to tell us more about the family-run business which specialises in cattle and pig transportation.

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T

he Santry name has been synonymous with livestock haulage since the 1950s when Denis’ father John – who passed away in 2001 – bought his first truck. Denis took over the reins in the late 1970s and has worked hard in the intervening years to

establish his business as the foremost livestock transport operator in West Cork.

“I’ve been in this business all of my life. I learned my trade from working with my father as a youngster. I can remember the different trucks he had; everything from BMCs to Bedfords to Fords

CONTACT DETAILS

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

and Ivecos. Nowadays, I run the business with the help of my wife Margaret and son John. We have kept things small which suits us and our customers because it means we are able to offer them a more personal service,” he explains.

Denis is proud to be able to

offer a service that won’t be beaten when it comes to reliability, value-for-money and excellence. He has two trucks and two trailers on the road that transport cattle and pigs to various destinations, including abattoirs, sales, marts and relocating stock.

These abattoirs include Dawn

Denis Santry Livestock Transport Tulligee, Clonakilty, Co. Cork Tel: 023 8848177

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The Santry name has been synonymous with livestock haulage since the 1950s

Meats in Charleville, Co.

Bandon

Cork, Rathdowney, Co. Laois

Watergrasshill, Co Cork.

and

Kepak,

products to retailers and customers throughout Ireland and beyond.

Co.

Dawn Meats are a leading

Waterford, Staunton Foods in

producer of Irish beef, pork

“We collect cattle and pigs

Timoleague,

and

Grannagh,

and lamb products, while

from farms in our region and

in

both Staunton Foods and

transport them to the meat

Roscrea, Ashbourne Meats,

Rosderra Irish Meats supply

factory. Small or part loads

Roscrea, Co Tipperary, ABP

a full range of pork and bacon

are not a problem. Our

Rosderra

Irish

Co.

Cork,

Meats

vehicles are fully approved and we hold a certificate of competence,” Denis continues.

“Animal welfare is something we take very seriously. We follow all the guidelines and regulations in this regard. Our state-of-theart trailers have drinking systems and are fully ventilated. They are cleaned after every trip. We go out of our way to ensure the journey is as stress-free as possible for our livestock.”

With the country’s new road infrastructure, the journey times are much shorter than they used to be years ago.

Around the roads of West Cork and beyond, Denis’ immaculately turned-out trucks are a familiar sight.

Denis Santry Livestock Transport also offers a transport service for pedigree cattle breeders. This is a very specialised and highlyregulated service which is provided by only a handful of companies in Cork.

Denis Santry Livestock Transport has been in business for 35 years

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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“When transporting pedigree stock one is conscious of the extra responsibility associated with these animals. A great deal of time and money in invested in these stock and extra care and attention is necessary with transportation. Some of the pedigree cattle we move are worth thousands of euro. We are delighted to provide and deliver the five-star standard of transport which the breeders expect.

“Because West Cork is a dairy area, the breed of pedigree cattle we mostly transport is Friesian,” he explains.

In late 2011, Denis took delivery of a new Scania R500 DB 6x2*4 rigid livestock truck from A.O’C Commercials in Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork. The truck came complete with the New R Series CR19 high line Cab, V8 engine with 500HP, Euro five, Scania Retarder, V8 styling pack which includes leather seats, V8 door badges and Grille surrounds in chrome. The cab is factorypainted in Chilli Red and custom-made Italian I.R.M.A. livestock body.

Denis has been a longstanding customer of A.O’Commercials, as he has

been of Hegarty’s Vehicles Works in Killarney, who have built a number of truck bodies for him down the years. The other truck operated by Denis is a Scania 124 360 which he also bought new in 1999.

“We stayed with Scania over the years,” he says.

“We have always found them to be a reliable truck.

You need a reliable truck when you’re going in and out of farms and travelling long distances. The customer wouldn’t settle for anything less.”

Like all haulage companies, rising fuel costs and the ongoing recession have taken its toll on Denis Santry Livestock Transport.

“The price of diesel is having a big impact on the transport industry. It has pushed up the running costs significantly. But we’re still here and ticking over, which is the main thing,” he says.

In summary, Denis is able to offer an unrivalled service because of his knowledge, experience and expertise in the livestock transportation industry. And farmers can always be assured that their animals are transported with great care, guaranteeing a safe and comfortable journey to their destination.

Best Wishes To Denis Santry Livestock Transport From

HEGARTY’S VEHICLE WORKS KILLARNEY T: (064) 66 31064 F: (064) 66 34856 E: hvw@eircom.net Continued success to Denis Santry Livestock Transport from

Cronin Commercial & Repair Co. Ltd. Derrynacaheragh, Dunmanway, Co. Cork Tel 023-8845498 - Fax: 023-8855266

www.croninrepair.com

Service & Repair of all types of Vehicle

Full Range of: Tyres, Batteries, Oils, Filters, Starters, Alternators, Tachographs & Spare Parts for all makes of Cars, Trucks, Buses & Machinery. Hydraulic Hoses made up while you wait. Engine Repairs & a huge range of spare parts. Call into our stores to see our full range.

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Best Wishes To Denis Santry Livestock Transport, From

Conor O’Sullivan Ltd

TRUCK | TRAILER & COMMERCIAL REPAIRS & SERVICING Ballymacowen, Clonakilty, Co.Cork

Tel: 023 8834443

Email: conorosullivanltd@eircom.net

Wishing Continued Success To Denis & John Santry From

PJ & Kevin O’Brien Livestock Haulier Gortnadihy, Leap, Co. Cork

Contact

CONTINUED BEST WISHES TO DENIS SANTRY LIVESTOCK TRANSPORT

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

PJ 086 2597304 Kevin 086 7716921 29

swift designed_Layout 1 15/10/2013 12:48 Page 1

There are nine trucks in total in the Swift Transport Services fleet

R

eflecting on the genesis of his company two-and-ahalf decades ago, the first thing that comes to Nigel Macauley’s mind is how quickly the time has flown by since: “I started the business in 1988 and we have grown it from there. We’re 25 years in business already – if the next 25 years go as quick, I’m in trouble,” the affable transport company director quips.

Interestingly, Nigel didn’t come from a haulage background but spotted a niche for a quality service provider and opted to step into the breach himself: “My sister was a customs clearance operative at Belfast International Airport and she told me how taxis and small vans were being used to provide a courier service in and out of the airport. I was working as a fitter myself but I felt there was an opportunity

All the units are maintained in immaculate condition

there, so I bought a small van and asked a friend of mine to drive it for me. I told him I’d guarantee him twelve months work on what he was already earning - and he was still with me ten years later!

“I was always interested in trucks, so expanding the business from there was a natural progression for me.

We started out as an airfreight courier and then bought a 7.5 tonner to do bigger, palletised work into the airport.”

Today, Nigel oversees a fleet of nine trucks: four rigids and five artics pulling tautliners and skeletal trailers.

The fleet comprises four Scania Topliners and one

Volvo Globetrotter as well as Scania, Iveco, MAN and Mercedes rigids – all curtainsider bodies, three of them with tail-lifts.

Although airfreight is still one of the areas he focuses on, he has diversified the company to provide a general distribution solution, including full and part loads throughout

Ready to rock ...

A Swift Solution Celebrating 25 years in business this year, Swift Transport Services in County Antrim provides a comprehensive range of general and specialised transport solutions to a growing army of satisfied customers throughout Ireland, the UK and across the continent. Irish Trucker dropped into the company HQ at Crumlin to get an insight into the past, present and future of this long-running family business from founding director Nigel Macauley.

CONTACT DETAILS 30

Swift Transport Services 92 Main Street, Crumlin, County Antrim BT29 4UU. Tel: 0044 777 846 8547 Email: sts1988ltd@gmail.com

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

swift designed_Layout 1 15/10/2013 12:48 Page 2

Nigel McAuley established Swift Transport Services 25 years ago

Ireland and the UK as well as deliveries into the continent (mainly Holland, Belgium and Germany). He is also become more and more involved in containerised sea freight.

Gainful employment is provided to a team of nine. All drivers are Level D securitytrained for the carriage of “secure cargo,” while all vehicles are maintained to the highest standards compatible with secure cargo carriage.

Swift Transport Services also carries out some wideload work, using speciallyadapted trailers (with self-supporting roofs etc.), which they have had customised themselves.

Some aircraft parts, for example that we transport could measure up to 14 ft wide.

Despite the economic downturn island-wide, Nigel is pleased to report that the business is performing well under difficult circumstances: “Things aren’t going too badly, considering the current economic climate,” he reveals. “We have managed to keep all of our drivers in work, even though it has been a difficult time for everyone in the transport sector.”

While the financial experts (wasn’t it them who got us into this mess in the first place?) are saying that we are on our way out of recession, Nigel sees no

evidence to support this theory: “I have to say, I see no real sign of improvement.

Ireland is economically two or three years behind the UK mainland and I don’t see any real evidence of an upturn in either economy yet. Times are very difficult and soaring fuel prices are crippling everyone in the industry. Fuel prices have rocketed over the last five or six years and they are putting everyone under pressure.”

Is it possible to pass these increases on by upping rates? “You will get a bit of leeway on rates but you have to absorb a great deal of it yourself. The bottom line is that you have to reduce costs elsewhere and this means trying to get each vehicle working as efficiently as possible. This will involve measures like eliminating vehicle idling and training your drivers to be as fuel efficient as they can be. So you are depending on your drivers cooperating and appreciating the situation and I’ve been very fortunate in this regard in that all our drivers are prepared to do their bit to maximise fuel economy and at the same time safeguard their jobs.”

From Day One, Swift Transport Services’ strategic location has been one of its greatest strengths. “We’re only six miles from Belfast International Airport and that was certainly a major advantage when we started

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

out, as we were focused more or less exclusively on airfreight for the first five or six years.

“We’re also close to Belfast and Larne Ports, and that has also proven to be extremely useful.”

The company’s hardworking fleet of trucks and trailers in maintained in tiptop condition at all times.

Regarding the ongoing upkeep of the vehicles, Nigel adds: “We do all the minor, routine

checks in-house but we are also have a contract with Brian Grant Commercials for all our major service and vehicle maintenance needs. I used to do all the maintenance and servicing work myself however as the business expanded this became less viable; it got to the stage where I recognised the need to sub-contract the majority of our maintenance work and see it as an indicator of progression.

Very much a hands-on

Best Wishes To Swift Transport Services, From

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proprietor, Nigel still gets behind the wheel himself most days and continues to get stuck-in to whatever job arises and whatever role presents itself. “In a small business, you have to be prepared to be diverse and flexible” he notes.

Swift Transport Services is a family business, with Nigel’s wife Bronagh joining him as a co-director. “We have two sons coming along too, who have both expressed an interest in coming on board when they are old enough to get involved,” he notes. “I’m looking forward to having them working alongside me in the business.”

Containerised sea freight has been identified as the way forward for STS

Nigel McAuley established Swift Transport Services 25 years ago

Best Wishes To Swift Transport Services, From

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Looking to the future, Nigel predicts a subtle change of direction: “We have only recently become involved in containerised sea freight and we’re hoping to develop further into that,” he concludes.

“We’d also hope to bring as much of our business as possible back into the 32 counties as the continental work isn’t as profitable as it was. For small operators, the cost of shipping has become a major inhibitor, so we’ll be cutting back on the continental work.

“In the short to medium term, we are going to be focussing more on the 32 counties and sea freight.”

Best Wishes To Swift Transport Services, From

Spring & Airbrake have been importing and distributing Commercial Vehicle and Trailer Spares and Garage Equipment to the UK and Ireland since 1975 and have a proven track record in excellent customer service and quality of parts.

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

swift designed_Layout 1 15/10/2013 12:48 Page 4

BEST WISHES TO SWIFT TRANSPORT SERVICES, FROM

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DUFFERIN SHIPPING LTD

10 Graham Gardens, Lisburn, Co. Antrim BT28 1XE

17A, Dufferin Rd., Belfast BT3 9AA T:00442890744800 E: dufferinshipping@gmail.com

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Email: briangranthaulage@btconnect.com 33

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Tom Walsh Motors is synonymous with the motor industry

Choose Tom Walsh Motors for your new Citroen Looking for a new or used car or commercial? Then why not drop into main Citroen dealers Tom Walsh Motors Ltd in Baldoyle, Dublin 13.

CONTACT DETAILS 34

Tom Walsh Motors Ltd. Grange Road, Baldoyle, Dublin 13 Tel: 01-8323516 Fax: 01-8390740

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

tom walsh designed_Layout 1 15/10/2013 12:27 Page 2

S

ynonymous with the motor industry in Dublin, the family-run business has over 45 years’ experience in helping motorists choose their next vehicle or look after their current one. Specialising in new and used car and van sales, car and van hire, servicing, parts, crash repairs and finance, Tom Walsh Motors is a one-stop shop for all your motoring needs.

Main Citroen dealers since 2005, Tom Walsh Motors are also an approved parts and service dealer for Honda, Kia, Saab and Daihatsu. The dealership can source and supply all makes and models of new cars and commercial vehicles. It won’t be beaten on price, service or advice and takes a particular interest in supplying the right vehicle to its customers.

Stock is updated daily at Tom Walsh Motors, which operates from a striking and spacious premises in

Baldoyle, just off the M50, and is therefore easily accessible to customers from all over Ireland. All makes, models and prices are available to view on the garage’s excellent website, www.tomwalshmotors.ie Tom Walsh Motors has established a tradition of value-for-money and total dedication to customer service over the past half century. If you are looking for a particular type of car or commercial, you’ll be able to sit in it at the company’s state-of-the-art showrooms. If you are not sure what you are looking for, there are a comprehensive range of models available to help you choose the right vehicle for your needs.

Founded by Tom Walsh, the company is now run by his daughter Sandra Walsh, while his son Alan is also involved as a sales director.

In total, 18 people are employed. Tom Walsh Motors

is open from 8.30am to 6pm Mondays and Fridays, 8.30pm to 7pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and from 10pm to 3pm on Saturdays.

“We are proud to be main dealers for Citroen passenger cars and commercials,” sales executive Tim Nevin says.

“In addition, we are parts and service dealers for Honda, Saab, Kia and Daihatsu. If professional service matters to you, why not come down and test-drive one of our new or used vehicles and let us do the rest. We always have between 35 and 40 vehicles in stock, so there is something to suit everyone.”

Tom Walsh Motors stocks the full range of Citroen commercials, including the Nemo, Berlingo, Dispatch and Relay. Each model combines space with a dynamic styling and affordable price tag. They also come with a three-year

warranty.

“The Berlingo is Citroen’s flagship van and is our best seller. The Berlingo LX model has a side-loading door and also seats three people in the front, which means it doubles up as a passenger and work vehicle,” Tim explains.

“It’s no secret that new sales have fallen and, as a result, we are placing a big emphasis on used car sales.

We stock an extensive range of quality used cars which are sold with a full service history.”

The recession has also resulted in more and more motorists opting to rent rather than buy. Tom Walsh Motors offers an unrivalled rent a van/car service which now accounts for a large part of its business. Its dedicated and professional staff is able to respond at speed, supplying the vehicle of your choice for as little as €12.99 per day .

The key elements to this service are flexibility, speed,

Tom Walsh Motors have been main Citroen dealers since 2005

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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First Auto Finance Ireland Limited is a new and alternative dealer-focussed motor finance provider.

We offer competitive options to consumers and business users who wish to avail of credit facilities to purchase new or used cars or new light commercial vehicles.

First Auto Finance Ireland Limited 12 Ely Place, Dublin 2 Tel: +353 1 647 0240 Fax: +353 1 661 8006 Email: info@firstautofinance.ie www.firstautofinance.ie CONTINUED BEST WISHES TO TOM WALSH MOTORS Best Wishes & Continued Success To Tom Walsh Motors, From

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Best Wishes To Tom Walsh Motors Suppliers of : Oils Batteries Wiper Blades Bulbs Quality Tools Garage Equipment Catering to the Professional Mechanic and Car Enthusiast in Artane for 28 years Ph: 01 8316455

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Best Wishes To Tom Walsh Motors

36

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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The state-of-the-art premises in Baldoyle

efficiency, convenience and value-for-money. Whether you are a long-term multiple business user or need a vehicle for a day, Tom Walsh Motors has an extensive selection readily available to meet your ever need.

“Van rental is consistently busy,” reports Tim. “I would put this down to people not buying anymore and our location close to the M50 and across the road from Baldoyle Industrial Estate. We get a lot of business from companies in the Estate. It also suits a lot of people to rent.”

The parts department ensures you and your car receives the highest level of care and attention. A full range of genuine manufactured parts are stocked at all times. This ensures superb quality and

A shot of the impressive showrooms

dependability, guaranteeing a level of dynamic performance and comfort for you and your

Tara Stewart with Alan Walsh of Tom Walsh Motors

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

vehicle.

Specialising in Honda, Citroen, Kia, Saab and Daihatsu, Tom Walsh Motors’ parts department are also main agents for the Somora brand of motor parts. The service department is fully equipped with the latest diagnostic equipment and a highly-trained team of technicians.

Tom Walsh Motors can also offer you a range of finance options to assist in the purchase of your car/van at very competitive and flexible

rates. Its crash repair service, meanwhile, can communicate directly with your insurance company to provide you with the most hassle-free service. The garage has most auto parts in stock and will have you back on the road looking and driving better in no time.

If you have any queries, don’t hesitate to contact Tim or any of the Tom Walsh Motors team by telephone or email and they will be only too happy to help.

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From generation to generation P Ferguson & Sons Ltd. is a fifth-generation family business that has been providing an exceptional oil and solid fuel distribution service to customers both sides of the Derry / Donegal border for decades. Irish Trucker dropped into the head depot at Coshquin and got an insight into the proud history, present wellbeing and future plans of the company from director Edward Ferguson.

CONTACT DETAILS 38

P. Ferguson & Sons Ltd. Coshquin, BT48 0NH Tel: 028-7126 1316

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

ferguson designed_Layout 1 15/10/2013 13:22 Page 2

The firm runs seven lorries for domestic oil deliveries

grandfather – who was William Ferguson – would have started the haulage end of it.”

Today, Edward and his brothers Patrick, Seamus and John run the business. “We also have two nieces and one nephew involved, which makes it fifth-generation,” he explains.

In essence, P Ferguson & Sons Ltd. is a family business specialising in the sale and distribution of solid fuel as well as domestic and commercial oil. They also do general haulage of bulk coal and oil etc.

The company base is at Coshquin, on the outskirts of Derry but P Ferguson & Sons effectively straddles the Donegal / Derry border as they also operate an oil depot and filling station at Bridgend, County Donegal. “Between the two depots, we have a fairly large catchment area on both the Donegal and Derry sides of the border,” Edward confirms.

Fleetwise, the Fergusons oversee 14 units in total. This comprises seven lorries for domestic oil deliveries; five artics; and two coal lorries.

In terms of manufacturer, Edward points out that the fleet is made up exclusively of Mercedes-Benz. Why the

T

he genesis of P Ferguson & Sons Ltd. goes back into the early years of the 20th century. This long-running family business has been helping keep the good folk of Derry, Londonderry and Donegal warm and cosy for generations and it still provides an excellent, unrivalled service today.

“My father, Patrick, took over the business in 1968 – and he was third generation,” Edward Ferguson notes. “His

An impressi with the com ve tanker pany livery

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

39

ferguson designed_Layout 1 15/10/2013 13:22 Page 3

preference for the German marque? “It’s a legacy from my father. He found them very reliable and always found that he had less downtime. Our workshop is also equipped to work with Mercedes, so it makes sense to stick with them.”

Gainful employment is provided to two full-time mechanics and all servicing, maintenance and repairs solutions are provided inhouse.

In total, between the workshop, office, two fuel depots, drivers, and staff at Grove Service Station in Bridgend, P Ferguson & Sons employs between 35 and 40

employees.

All the company’s drivers are trained to the highest possible standards in terms of Health & Safety, compliance, courtesy and professionalism. Each driver holds an ADR certificate for the transportation of hazardous goods as well as the relevant certificates for each terminal they enter. P Ferguson & Sons is fully compliant with all legislation and drivers are refreshed and updated on a regular basis.

Their safety record is second to none and this keen emphasis on safety has been an integral part of the family business since day one.

Of course, as readers of this magazine will appreciate only too well, any company involved in the transportation sector will only be as strong as the team of drivers that represents it. To this end, the directors are pleased to report that P Ferguson & Sons have an excellent crew of drivers at their disposal, all of whom are competent, vigilant and experienced.

Indeed, many of the drivers have given decades of service to P Ferguson & Sons. This results in a consistency and continuity that allows the directors to focus on providing the best possible products and service

at all times.

“We have an excellent crew of drivers and all of them have excellent records,” Edward confirms.

“The longest-serving driver would be with us for thirty-plus years. We have a very low turnover of staff and that speaks for itself, really. We are happy with them and they are obviously happy with us as well.”

Going forward, Edward is confident that P Ferguson & Sons can consolidate its position in the marketplace and perhaps even experience some growth: “Our father was at the helm until he passed away last

The fleet is exclusively made up of Mercedes-Benz

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SEARCH WORKSHOP SUPPLIES 40

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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year and I suppose when we took over from him it was a new ball game for us. But each of us had been in the family business for years and had our own remit, so we have a good understanding of what it’s all about and we’re confident that we can keep the show on the road.”

Looking to the future the directors realise only too well that the economy as a whole remains far from buoyant, so it’s a case of rolling up the sleeves and continuing to provide the same excellent service that P Ferguson & Sons has forged its reputation upon for many decades.

When you are providing a vital service to a large customer base and also providing employment for up to 40 people, a great deal of responsibility comes with the territory and Edward is determined not to let anybody down: “To be honest, I would be happy enough to maintain the status quo and to keep these people in work. That’s an achievement in itself. We value our staff and you want to make sure they have a job to get up for in the morning.

“I think we’re in a strong position. We have an extensive 4-acre site here at Coshquin, which serves our purpose perfectly, and we feel that everything is in place to hopefully one day hand a

The head depot is Coshquin

healthy business over to the fifth generation. But we’re not going to drop our guard or become complacent. We’ll keep working hard on maintaining standards across every facet of the operation.”

P Ferguson & Sons Ltd. has provided a top-class service for more years than this writer can claim to remember. And the signs are encouraging that they will continue to do so for years, nay decades, to come.

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Best Wishes To P.Ferguson & Sons Ltd

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

J.N.K. Components Ltd. THE CAR, COMMERCIAL & TRACTOR PARTS PEOPLE Main Agents for:

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Best Wishes To P Ferguson & Sons Ltd

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Tel: 028 7130 8213 • Fax: 028 7130 9213 41

monahan designed_Layout 1 15/10/2013 12:33 Page 1

Eamonn and Tomas (right) Monahan

The more things change ... …the more they stay the same! There have been a lot of changes in the transportation sector over the past 43 years, but some things can be depended upon to remain exactly as they are. For example, the high quality of service provided by Eamonn Monahan Livestock Transport has never wavered. Irish Trucker dropped into Eamonn’s Headford, County Galway base and got an insight into the history and future plans of this exceptional long-running family business.

CONTACT DETAILS 42

Eamonn Monahan Livestock Transport Shrule Road, Headford, Co. Galway Tel: 093 35443

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

monahan designed_Layout 1 15/10/2013 12:33 Page 2

T

he genesis of Eamonn Monahan Livestock Transport occurred in August, 1970 when the eponymous founder spotted an opening in the Galway region for the safe transportation of livestock.

Forty-three years later, Eamonn is still providing the very same excellent service, now running the business in conjunction with his son, Tomas.

Hailing from an agricultural background, Eamonn has been working with cattle and sheep since he left school, having hauled cattle using a tractor and trailer for a few

years prior to setting up the company.

When he decided to fork out IR£550 on his first truck / trailer combination, it was a choice that would alter the course of his life forever: “I bought a cut-down TK Bedford lorry, which was like an artic with a drawbar trailer.

I paid £300 for the truck second-hand and the trailer cost me £250. Things were a lot easier back in those days: you only had to pay 50 shillings tax (£2.50) and you were allowed to use red diesel. I worked mostly at local marts and the business went very well from the

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

beginning.”

Gradually, he expanded the operation…

In 1972, Eamonn purchased a second-hand Ford D Series for £800 and he had a brand-new trailer made for £800. He started doing runs to Dublin (for Paddy Nolan in Ballymun, close to the airport; IMP, Grand Canal Street; and IMP, Leixlip). “I was doing that three days a week, paying the same tax and using the same diesel, but the change came in that you had to use the white diesel as of 1975,” he reflects.

That same year, the Galway

man invested in his first rigid – a brand-new D Series Ford, which set him back some £6,100, which was a huge amount of money at the time.

Eamonn purchased his first double lorry in 1977 – a Hino – and he continued to operate Hino up until 2000.

Then, at the start of the new millennium, he bought his first Volvo – a second-hand model which set him back €36,000.

Eamonn has stuck with Volvo ever since. Today he operates two trucks. In 2007, he acquired a new Volvo FH 13 480-horsepower unit to which he has attached a Pezzaioli trailer (doubledecker for cattle / tripledecker for sheep). In 2008, he invested in a second-hand ’04 Volvo, which his son Tomas has been driving ever since. This unit draws a Houghton Parkhouse trailer (double-decker for sheep and single-decker for cattle).

Between them, the fatherand-son team have been providing a stellar livestock haulage service for the past five years. What is their main line of work? “Most of our work would be for South Mayo Producers in Ballinrobe, transporting sheep to Kepac, Athleague.

We also transport sheep from Mayo Black Face to Kildare Chilling,” Eamonn notes. “We also do deliveries for Hurbert Maxwell & Sons in Bellinagare, Roscommon to Belview Port in Waterford for shipping to Libya as well as for Quinn International Livestock, who also ship to Libya.”

Eamonn has some customer for over 43-years such is the level of service that he provides: “I got a lot of work in the early days from Sean O’Connor in Headford and I am still dealing with his sons Tony, Brian and John.”

Over the years, Eamonn has witnessed the introduction of a mindboggling amount of

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Athenry - 091 844087 :

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Best Wishes To Eamonn Monahan Livestock Transport From

Best Wishes & Continued Success To Eamonn Monahan Livestock Transport

Continued Best Wishes To Eamonn Monahan Livestock Transport From All At

Tuam Mart Serving The Farming Community For Over 50 Years

Church View, Tuam, Co. Galway Tel: 093 24220 | Fax: 093 24601 Email: tuammart@eircom.net Best Wishes to Eamonn Monahan Livestock Transport From

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Creeve, Mount Temple, Moate, Co. Westmeath

Tel: 090 6485821 | Fax: 090 6485819 Mobile: 086 2509355 Email: quinnlivestock@eircom.net

44

Tyre Sales Computerized Wheel Balancing 3D 4 Wheel Alignment Breakdown Service Galway Road, Headford, Co. Galway

Tel: 093 36027 www.actyres.ie JOHN DEERE DEALER Best Wishes & Continued Success To Eamonn Monahan Livestock Transport Murphy’s Garage Murphy’s Garage (Headford) Ltd (Headford) Ltd BALLINA DEPOT HEADFORD DEPOT Tel: 096 79785 Tel: 093 35644 Email: sales@murphysgarage.ie www.murphysgarage.ie

Wishing Continued Success To Eamonn Monahan Livestock Transport, From

Hubert Maxwell & Sons Livestock Exporter Ballinagar, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon Tel: 094 98 70029 | Fax: 094 98 70986 Mobile: 086 2534148 Email: hubertmaxwell@eircom.net IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

monahan designed_Layout 1 15/10/2013 12:33 Page 4

legislation and red tape in the livestock haulage sector. He would have no problem with these changes – as first and foremost they protect the welfare of the animals being transported .

“I would safely say that anyone who has managed to stay in the business this long will survive, but it’s not easy.

We have decades of experience and we have also taken all the relevant courses

on livestock transport. We know how to handle animals and how to treat them, how many to put on a trailer and how to load them on and off the trailer in a safe and comfortable manner. All these things are important.”

Clearly, livestock transport is a unique sector and the animals cannot be treated in the same manner as a box or pallet. To this end, Eamonn points out that a love of

animals is a prerequisite: “You can’t come into this business simply to make money because it just won’t work. You have to be fond of animals and understand them. Any man who drives a livestock lorry would have a smack for it and will stick with it.”

Eamonn says he has no regrets about his chosen path in life but quite rightly observes that “if I worked as hard in another country, I’d be better rewarded”.

As the secret of his success over the course of five decades, he cites quality service, the use of good equipment and looking after the stock at all times.

Eamonn Monahan buys his vehicles from Murphy

Commercials, Claregalway, main Volvo dealer, who also looks after all the maintenance and servicing needs. “The lorries work hard so you have to look after them. They are all MOT’d and kept in good condition. Noone wants to be stuck on the side of the road with a lorry; it’s bad business.”

Eamonn is without doubt one of the hardest-working men I’ve had the pleasure of talking to. He still has the family farm to take care of and would regularly be up between the hours of 4am and 6am to head off with a load … while it’s still pitch dark and the rest of the country sleeps.

Of course, Eamonn is quick to mention those who have helped him over the years: “When I started there were no mobile phones and my late mother Sibina used to take the calls at home. My wife Kathleen helps out with the books and plays a big part in the business.”

Looking to the future, his plan is to keep working hard for as long as possible: “I’ll keep it going until I’m 65 or 70 and then will hopefully let Tomas take over. I started at this when I was 18 and I’ve been at it all my life, so I obviously love it. I wouldn’t say there’s a day of my life that’s gone by that I haven’t seen a bullock or a sheep.”

One can only have the height of respect for Eamonn Monahan and his business.

Wishing Continued Success To Eamonn Monahan Livestock Transport From

Liam Heaney Livestock LIVESTOCK TRANSPORT

Muff, Castlecoote, Co. Roscommon

090 6663834 or 086 2564778 IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

45

burke bus designed_Layout 1 16/10/2013 15:23 Page 1

O

perating in the West of Ireland, this family run business has been supplying a reliable and efficient service to a large customer base in north Galway and South Mayo since 1964.

This means next year, the Tuam based business will be celebrating 50 years in business. There have been many changes in road transport during that time and Damien Burke, the third generation in this family business talks us through the history of the company in this month’s edition of Irish Trucker.

Damien’s grandparents Tony and Eileen first set up the business all those years ago. At the time, there were not many buses on the road and the inception of a bus run in the Tuam area was a novel idea. They started school runs before free school transport came in.

Situated in Claretuam, just outside Tuam, Co Galway, and just 18 miles from Galway city, Burke Bus is ideally located to service the needs of the local community.

My father Pat and Uncle Maurice took over from them and they bought their first bus together in 1973. The business continued through the years, to service the needs of the travelling public from school transport, local and express services to private hire and tours, constantly adapting to the dynamic changes which occurred within the business.

For the past 30 years we have been providing commuter services from

North Galway and South Mayo to and from Galway City. We have in recent years concentrated on our commuter business and geared ourselves for the future requirements of this section of the industry.

Recently, new departures were added to the timetable

as Burke’s now run services to and from Galway city from as early as 6.10am and the last run from the city at 9.10pm, a total of 32 services per day.“The management team, includes brother Stephen and cousin Alan, is backed up by experienced drivers, office staff and

mechanics to provide passengers with the best possible service. We are ideally suited to commuters, students, the general public and tourists looking for a high quality, reliable, punctual and efficient service to and from Galway City.”

Burkes also provide a

An efficient service The success of any business can be gauged by its longevity and on that front Burke Bros (Coaches) Ltd can be regarded as one of the top bus companies in the country.

CONTACT DETAILS

46

Burke Bros (Coaches) Ltd. Claretuam, Tuam, Co. Galway Tel: 093 55416 Fax: 093 55356 Email: info@burkesbus.com Web: www.burkebus.com Office Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am to 5.30pm

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

burke bus designed_Layout 1 16/10/2013 15:23 Page 2

All the fleet is kept in pristine condition

contract hire, private hire and tours. The fleet is obviously an important part of the business and Damien revealed that maintenance is an essential aspect of the day to day running of the

company.

“All our buses would be maintained to highest standards and if there is any little problem at all, they come straight off the road and are repaired. Before, they go

A vehicle is sent through a test

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

back out on the road, they are put through the necessary tests in the VTN centre and this is to ensure that they are 100%.

“The safety and welfare of our passengers is paramount

and nothing is left to chance.

You cannot take short cuts with peoples life when it comes to maintaining the buses.

“Aside from the safety aspect, we also keep the

Burke’s VTN Centre is situated in Tuam

47

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Best Wishes To Burke Bros (Coaches) Ltd

Specialists in all aspects and areas of motor vehicle bodywork repairs and refurbishment for commercial and private vehicles

PANEL BEATING | SPRAY PAINTING | CRASH REPAIRS | VEHICLE GRAPHICS Biggera, Belclare, Tuam, Co. Galway M: 086 2504630 | T: 093 55666 | F: 093 55668 E: info@cunninghamsgarage.com www.cunninghamsgarage.com

Congratulations On 50 Years In Business From All At

T R ANSP O RT Straffan Road, Maynooth, Co. Kildare.T: 01 628 6338 E: info@bartons.ie | www.bartons.ie

Best Wishes To Burke Bros (Coaches) Ltd from

MANNION MOTOR PARTS

Unit 7 Oranmore Business Park, Oranmore, Co.Galway

Tel: 091 795120 | Fax: 091 795546 Email: truckparts@eircom.net

Continued Success To Burke Bros (Coaches) Ltd From

TECHNICAL COMMUNICATIONS

AUTOMOTIVES, CCTV & COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALISTS Claregalway, Co. Galway T: 1890 25 30 50 | F: 091 799570 M: 087 2665555 | E: info@techcomm.ie www.techcomm.ie 48

Best Wishes To Burke Bros (Coaches) Ltd, From

Mooney & Kirrane TARMACADAM CONTRACTORS Knockadoon, Irishtown, Claremorris, Co. Mayo

Tel: 094 9364210 | Mobile: 087 2656573 Tel: 094 9364215 | Mobile: 087 2733546 Best Wishes To Burke Bros (Coaches) Ltd, From

FOR ALL YOUR

AUTO, AGRI & COMMERCIAL PARTS Vicar St., Tuam, Co. Galway

Tel: 093 28731

Fax: 093 27874 E: a1_autoparts@hotmail.com

Continued Best Wishes To Burke Bros (Coaches) Ltd, from

unleavy ENGINEERING

Gurrane, Barnaderg,Tuam, Co. Galway.

Tel: 093 49980 | Fax: 093 49981 Mobile: 086-8119510 Email: dunleavyengineering@eircom.net IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

burke bus designed_Layout 1 16/10/2013 15:23 Page 4

buses looking in pristine condition and they are cleaned on a daily basis. All our buses have free Wi-Fi. They also have two-way radios and G.P.S systems in them so that we can track all the buses and keep in contact with the drivers.”

Recently, we have been selling advertising space on their buses and Damien admitted that this is something that has proven to be a success with both National and local companies advertising on both the back and side of our coaches.

Like all transport companies, the fuel bill is a major issue and Damien stated that they have been implanting ways of reducing their diesel usage.

“We have trained our drivers how to drive to save fuel.

Things like cutting down and idle time and hitting the right revs all make a difference. So any new drivers that start with us are brought out and trained how we want them to drive. We then monitor the fuel consumption on every bus to see how much diesel they are using.”

For the past 25 years, Burke Bros (Transport) Ltd, another in the group has been operating a Vehicle Test Centre. Firstly, the centre was based in Claretuam, but in 1995 it moved to a new 10,000 sqf facility in Tuam, formally The Erin Foods Factory.

Damien’s brother Stephen runs the centre, which tests heavy and light goods’

vehicles. This SIMI registered premises has been recently upgraded to meet R.S.A standards, while it is also NSAI approved.

“There are two bays in the VTN centre, one for heavy goods’ vehicles and one for light. The heavy goods’ lane is one of the longest in the country and is a drive through.

“All the latest equipment is on hand to carry out the tests by our highly trained team of mechanics and there has been major investment made in the business over the years.

“On average, there would be around 6,000 vehicles tested every year and it would be one of the busiest in Galway.

“Our website is very detailed and shows all our timetables. We have on average 450 views on that every day, so that shows the interest in the services that we provide.”

Burke Bus advertise the Galway Arts Festival

Best Wishes & Continued Success To Burke Bros (Coaches) Ltd From Campion Insurance

Best Wishes To Burke Bros (Coaches) Ltd From

100 Main Street, Cashel, Co. Tipperary

062 61991

Best Wishes To Burke Bros (Coaches) Ltd From

Stephen Rice Commercials

AUTHORISED STONERIDGE Tachograph Centre - Speed Limiter Centre Vehicle Plating • Diagnostics - 24 Hour Roadside Assistance

Service Agent For Kraker Trailers

Ballymote, Tuam, Co. Galway Phone: 093 42890/087 9335211 Fax: 093 42891 Email: s.ricecommercials@gmail.com www.ricecommmercials.com IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Damien is pleased by the direction that the business is heading and they are always looking at ways of improving their service in order to meet their customers’ high demands.

Congratulations To Burke Bros (Coaches) Ltd On Your 50 Years In Business, From All At

LOUGHREA TYRE CENTRE We stock all branded tyres and budget brands Laser Alignment | Tracking & Balancing Batteries | Alloy Wheel Sales | Alloys Straightened DUBLIN ROAD, LOUGHREA, CO. GALWAY E: loughreatyres@gmail.com Fax: 091 870599

Contact Us On 091 841260

49

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Gallagher Car Sales offers a 24hr recovery service

Gallagher Car Sales: A Family affair There is something more friendly and trust worthy about doing business with a family run company as they offer a more personal touch than some multi-national firms.

CONTACT DETAILS

50

Gallagher Cars Ltd. Donegal Road, Ballybofey, Co. Donegal Tel: 074-9131331 Paul: 087-3009930 Seamus: 087-2589728 Fax: 074 9131300 Email: sales@gallaghercars.ie www.gallaghers.ie

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

gallagher designed_Layout 1 16/10/2013 12:47 Page 2

This year sees Gallagher Car Sales & Services reach a landmark in that they celebrate their 25th anniversary, which in the current economic climate is a remarkable achievement.

“My father had worked in a local garage before he decided to set up his own business.

With the experience he had and through hard work, he built up the business to what it is today,” said Paul.

“We are an independent dealer that specialises in quality and prestige new and used cars and commercial vehicles. The majority of our stock is sourced through the U.K and all vehicles are diesel.

“If a customer is looking for a vehicle that we not have on the premises than we have the resources and contacts to locate that vehicle for them.

“Our prices are very competitive and that has helped us during these recessionary times. There is a huge demand for second hand vehicles, but they are not the easiest sourced at the moment.”

Paul revealed that they have a loyal customer base that has stuck with them down through the years and they

are grateful for that.

“We would have a lot of repeat custom. It’s all about the service provided and asides from having competitive prices, we would also ensure that the customer is happy with the vehicle that they have bought. Also, we would work hard on our after sales and make sure there were no problems.”

Located on a four acre site in Ballybofey means that Gallagher Car Sales & Service have a large selection of stock on show at all times.

“There would be anywhere between 50 and 60 vehicles here all the time. They would be all second hand vehicles as we order in new vehicles when asked.”

Of course, these days finance plays a huge part in a customer’s decision on what vehicle to buy, but Paul is pleased to say that finance is more obtainable now than it has been over the course of the last few years.

“The banks have certainly begun releasing more money and that has made a huge difference to people. We can offer a wide range of finance options to customers, while our rates are flexible and competitive.”

Another string to the

T

his is certainly the case when it comes to the motor trade as changing a vehicle is a huge decision in anyone’s life. It may sound that buying a car or light commercial is something that requires little thought, but that is certainly not the case as purchasing a vehicle can be a stressful event.

Some dealers can’t wait to sell you a vehicle and get as much as they can from the deal and once you drive off that forecourt, they have little interest in hearing from you again.

However, that is certainly not the case with family run Gallagher Car Sales & Service in Ballybofey, Co Donegal, who pride themselves on offering the personal touch.

The business was

New vehicles are sourced in the Uk

established 25 years ago when Seamus Gallagher, who had worked for many years previously in the motor trade, decided to set up his own company.

These days with the help of his son Paul and daughter Fiona, they offer a wide range of services to an ever increasing customer base.

For this month’s edition of Irish Trucker, Paul speaks to us about the success of the business and the services that they provide.

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Continued Best Wishes To Gallaghers Car Sales, From

NORTH WEST CARS & PARTS

51

gallagher designed_Layout 1 16/10/2013 12:47 Page 3

The company has an impressive fleet

company’s bow is that they offer service and repair work to their customers. “With our on-site workshop, we can provide a complete service.

We provide a full workshop service including servicing, NCT preparation, mechanical repairs and bodywork repairs.

We work on all vehicle types and are ideally located for motorists in Ballybofey and all over County Donegal. We have invested in the latest equipment and all work is

guaranteed and meets the highest industry standards.”

This family run business also offers a 24/7 recovery service.

Their recovery vehicles can lift anything up to seven and a half tonne meaning that any car or light commercial can be recovered and is brought back to their premises for secure storing unless otherwise directed.

A breakdown service is also available. Breakdowns are the scourge of any motorist,

but Gallagher’s can take the strain and hassle away.

“We operate a breakdown assistance service and most of the time we can get the car back up and running without having to bring it back to our service centre.”

With a highly trained staff of six, Gallagher’s continue to provide an efficient and top quality service to their large customer base and Paul admitted that they are always looking at ways to improve

their service.

“The business has been doing well. It has picked up again after a few quiet years and we are focused on continuing to provide the level of service that our customers expect. We are always looking at ways of improving and trying to expand the business, but our main aim is always to keep the customer happy and if we continue to do that then that is our aim complete.”

Best Wishes To Gallaghers Car Sales, From

DONEGAL CAR BREAKERS

THE LEADING VEHICLE SALVAGE AGENTS & PARTS RECYCLERS IN DONEGAL Glenfin Road, Ballybofey, Co. Donegal

Contact Kelvin 074 917 5576 www.donegalcarbreakers.com

Best Wishes To Gallaghers Car Sales, From

Partners Jim Corbett James Canny

(Author of Road Transport & Haulage)

Donegal Town, Co. Donegal T: 074 97 25355 | E: info@cannycorbett.com www.cannycorbett.com

Continued Best Wishes To Gallaghers Car Sales Wishing Gallaghers Car Sales Continued Success

FAST FIT SCREENS Motor Factors Car and Light Commercial Spares Hydraulic Hose Repair Navenny, Ballybofey, Co. Donegal

T: 074 9132423 • M: 087 6120368 F: 074 9132403 • E:stephenlawne@hotmail.com

52

MOBILE WINDSCREEN SERVICE Largest Stockist Of Commercial Windscreens In The North West

074 9147105 | M: 086 2106224 CONVOY, CO. DONEGAL IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

triace designed_Layout 1 16/10/2013 12:36 Page 1

Triace continues to deliver In the world of pressure cleaning systems manufacture, Triace Ltd has few peers. From its headquarters in Fermoy in Co Cork, the company has designed and manufactured high quality pressure washers since its inception in 1981.

T

riace Ltd has specialised in the manufacture of pressure cleaning systems for the Irish and export markets for more than 30 years.

The company's mission statement is to manufacture and supply reliable and effective pressure washing solutions at competitive prices.

In the past 32 years, Triace owner and founder Peter Merrigan has seen the Irish market develop and mature to a point where customer demands are becoming increasingly specific. This trend is borne out by the fact that the majority of the company's output is now built to individual customer specifications.

The company manufactures and supplies a host of machines for a myriad of industry sectors including road haulage. "We can manufacture everything from a small electric washer to a 250 HP unit using a range of power supplies," said Peter.

"There are other Irish manufacturers, but we are probably the longest established power washer manufacturer in the country and we produce possibly the

CONTACT DETAILS

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

The junior static hot wash

The static wall mount cold

broadest range of machines on the market.”

In this respect customers have become much more discerning.

"They are becoming much more specific in their requirements.

The days when the likes of a haulage company bought an off the shelf solution are a thing of the past. Nowadays the machines have to be user friendly, maintenance free and built to specific requirements," he commented.

Accordingly Triace builds application specific equipment where the needs of the end user are of paramount importance. "You can buy a machine off the shelf in any of the big DIY outlets. That machine would satisfy 50 per cent of the market, but we are building specific machines for the other 50 per cent," Peter noted.

He continued: "The pressure washer market in Ireland is quite mature. When a customer buys from us, it won't be the first machine they have ever bought. By and large they will have bought an off the shelf unit and realised its limitations.

Now they are coming to us

Triace General Sales and Enquiries Phone: 025 32577 or 021 4876622 Head Office: Address: Cork Road, Fermoy, Co. Cork Fax: +353 2531184 Email: peter@triace.ie

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triace designed_Layout 1 16/10/2013 12:36 Page 2

and telling us their very specific requirements.

"When a haulier buys a tractor unit he places very specific requirements on the dealer. He doesn't buy any truck; he buys the truck that best suits his requirements.

Equally, when he buys a pressure washer, he buys a unit that will meet his requirements or at least he should if he wishes the machine to do the work he wishes it to do."

In the past the company has built pressure washing solutions for well-known companies such as David Nestor Freight Services, John Phillips Transport, DAF Trucks, AOC Commercials, Surehaul and Bulmers to mention just a few.

Peter believes his company has a competitive edge over the competition in a number of critical areas.

"We have a proven track record stretching back 32 years, which means we have a wealth of experience and expertise in the business."

He continued: "We go out of the way to

The K1152 TS pressure washer

54

The Texaco Bubble car wash

match the machine to the requirements of the customer. Because of our buying power we can produce the washers at most competitive prices."

To that end the bulk of components used are sourced in Italy. "The intrinsic components such as the pumps and boilers are Italian manufactured.

Probably 85 per cent of all pressure washer components worldwide are manufactured in Italy. Over the years we have built up the contacts and the buying power in Italy. It is a measure of our success that our Italian suppliers visit us in Fermoy regularly and take on board any specific requirements that we feel fit the |Irish market."

After-care and service are also important in the buying decision, according to Peter. It is not just a case of buying a pressure washer that can do the job, but buying into a situation where the vendor has the wherewithal to back up the sale with high levels of customer service. “We offer a 12-month warranty on all our products that is standard procedure for us. We feel that speaks volumes for

A triace compressor

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

triace designed_Layout 1 16/10/2013 12:36 Page 3

the reliability of the product that we produce.

Peter revealed: "We have a fleet of vans on the road, 3 of which are dedicated service vehicles. The remainder are used by our sales team."

In the vast majority of cases maintenance and repair is carried out on site. We also have a range of service contract options that can be tailored to suit the budget of the customer," he added.

Operating in what is ultimately a finite market Triace Ltd puts great store in customer retention. Peter and his staff fully realise it is important to retain the company's customer base, while continually making inroads into new markets. To that end, the company offers

an all-encompassing package.

"Pressure washers like any other product wear out and eventually have to be replaced. Some of our customers are now on their fifth or sixth machine. They come back to us time after time, because they know exactly what they are going to get from us.

He concluded: "There will always be a market for pressure washers because they eventually have to be replaced in the same way trucks have to be replaced."

The speedclean is a popular washer

The Triace Ace 1500 is a powerful little machine

Wishing Continued Success To Triace Ltd From

FOR ALL YOUR CAR PARTS NEEDS Fermoy, Co. Cork

025 32357

www.avondhumotorfactors.com IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Congratulations to Peter and the team at Triace for their 30 years in business. We would like to thank them for their business as we look forward to supporting them for the years to come.

www.gspen.co.uk 55

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Link IT Logistics keeps its fleet in pristine condition

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

link it designed_Layout 1 17/10/2013 16:27 Page 2

The ‘white glove’ effect The logistics industry is a complex affair closely associated to the haulage sector.

Logistics is the management of the flow of resources between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet some requirements, for example, of customers or corporations. The resources managed in logistics can include physical items, such as food, materials, equipment, liquids, and staff.

CONTACT DETAILS IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Link IT Logistics 19 Derrygarve Road, Castledawson, Magherafelt, BT45 8HA www.linkitlogistics.com

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Great care is taken in the loading and delivering of products

L

ink IT Logistics EU Ltd is a Northern Ireland based company that specialises in the movement of hi-tech computer goods throughout Europe.

Established in 2008 by managing director Colm Diamond, Link IT Logistics has been expanding ever since. For this month’s edition of Irish Trucker we speak to European Logistics Manager Bridin McErlean about the success of the business.

Situated in Magherafelt, Co Derry, Link IT Logistics is a rapidly expanding specialist logistics company providing innovative, professional and

efficient transportation of h i g h - v a l u e telecommunications and high tech products throughout Europe.

“We are dedicated to understanding customer requirements in order to provide a comprehensive, dedicated, tailored transport solution,” revealed Bridin.

“We offer what Colm likes to call a complete ‘White Glove’ service to our customers and this means that we deliver the goods right to the customers’ premises and remove and dispose of all packaging.”

Some of the products transported by Link IT

Logistics include video conferencing equipment, servers, printers etc. The company covers every area of transporting such goods and this includes distributing throughout the European Union, plus Switzerland and Norway.

Security of the products is paramount, while the quality performance provided is second to none.

“All deliveries would be tracked from our ‘control tower’ and we have G.P.S on all the vehicles so we can tell the customer where their delivery is at any time. Using advanced GPS systems we

have the ability to track all the vehicles in real-time giving customers realistic timescales and enable us to be flexible to our client’s project timelines.”

A team of fully trained, highly motivated drivers remain with the customers’ shipment at all stages of the journey, from collection to delivery. All vehicles have rigid walls and none indicates what type of product is being carried.

“Since the business was established five years ago, we have an unblemished delivery record. Having made over 5000 "white glove" deliveries throughout Europe over that time, we have delivered, on time, every time, the quality that its customers demand.

Bridin’s role as European Logistics Manager involve planning out all the routes for deliveries from start to finish.

A job that comprises of a lot of organising and overseeing.

“I have to organise all the drivers’ paperwork, book them on ferries and ensure that their runs go smoothly. It is an interesting job, but I would love to visit some of the countries that I would be dealing with,” she joked.

Safety is an important component of the business

The company was established in 2008

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Best Wishes To Link IT Logistics, From

Best Wishes To Link IT Logistics, From

42 Littlebridge Rd., Drummullan BT45 7XX T: 028 867 36704 E: the-sign-shop@btconnect.com www.thesignshoplittlebridge.com

Suppliers of new, used and second hand cars, vans and lorries

23A Largy Rd., Portglenone, Ballymena, BT44 8BX Tel: 02825 820067 | Mobile: 07803 191868 Email: info@converycommercials.com www.converycommercials.com

Continued Best Wishes To Link IT Logistics, From

COMMERCIAL BODYBUILDING CONVERSIONS | REPAIRS & PAINTING 110 Kilgad Rd., Kells, Ballymena BT42 3EE Tel: 028 2589 8042 Best Wishes To Link IT Logistics, From

Technology for business From our Office in Magherafelt, we provide IT (hardware and software) services and support to contracted and non contracted clients.

IRISH & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Unit 2, 20 Castle Street, Bellaghy BT45 8LA T: 028 79 387493 E: info@fintecltd.com www.fintecltd.com 60

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Link IT Logistics operate throughout Europe

and to this end, no avenue is left unchecked. “To ensure safety, we use vehicles specifically designed for the movement of high-value, delicate items.

Our experienced staff are on hand for assembly or disassembly of equipment as required whether delivering to, or collecting from the customers’ specified location.

“All unpacked equipment is

secure packed for transport by our experienced staff who will also remove and dispose of all packaging material in an efficient and environmentally safe way.”

Between trucks and vans, Link IT Logistics have a fleet of 20 vehicles that are modern and kept in pristine condition. The majority of the maintenance work on the

fleet is carried out by their own team of highly trained mechanics.

“It is essential to keep the fleet in excellent condition.

That is why, we would keep the trucks and vans fairly new as this helps avoid any necessary downtime.

“The customers want their deliveries on time every time and it is up to us to ensure

Advanced GPS systems are used on all vehicles

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

that they are guaranteed that.”

The company operates a fleet of 20 trucks and vans, most of which wear threepointed stars and were supplied by Newtownabbey dealer Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI).

“We operate to tight schedules and our vehicles are never in any one country for more than a couple of days. It’s a demanding job for our drivers, all but one of whom are from Northern Ireland, so a couple of years ago we conducted a survey and invited them to tell us which trucks they preferred.

The result was an overwhelming vote in favour of Mercedes-Benz.

“Our vehicles cover high mileages, mostly on the Continent, so having a trusted manufacturer’s backup is vital. The service we get from Mercedes-Benz is second-to-none. We ensure that the vehicles are in Northern Ireland when they require routine maintenance, and Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI) Service Manager Colin Taylor and his team provide a fantastic support.”

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Campion has Ireland covered

Campion’s Bus/Coach and Fleet Insurance, please contact Brian Cosgrove, Bus Coach Fleet Specialist Phone: 062 70745 Email: bcosgrove@campionins.com

CONTACT DETAILS

Over the past three decades, Campion Insurance has grown into one of Ireland’s largest insurance brokers with 11 offices now dotted throughout the country.

C

overing everything from home, car, health, business and farm insurance to life and pensions, Campion prides itself on being able to remain close to its customers at a local level while harnessing its national size to get the best deals from the insurance companies for its customers.

With offices in Cashel, Dublin (Naas Road), Kilkenny, Midleton, Mullingar, Naas, Portlaoise, Roscommon, Thurles, Ennis and Urlingford, and employing 150 staff, Campion really has got Ireland covered!

Campion’s standing as one of the country’s foremost companies is reflected in it being awarded the prestigious Deloitte Best Managed Companies Award for three consecutive years (20112013). The brokerage has clearly come a long way since Jim and Margaret Campion first opened for business nearly 30 years ago in Urlingford, Co. Kilkenny.

Operating with the ethos of ensuring that they had a personal touch helped the company develop a large customer base in a short space of time. Continuing with the same work ethic and placing a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction, it wasn’t long before Campion Insurance was operating on a nationwide scale.

The client is made feel at ease by the professional way in which their policy is dealt with by Campion’s experienced and dedicated customer service staff. The professional working relationship which Campion has built up with its insurer partners over many years has enabled it to provide its clients with more innovative and costeffective solutions, ultimately

allowing the company to flourish in an increasingly competitive market.

Campion provides insurance solutions to commercial and private customers as well as offering a wide range of financial services. For truck and bus owners alike, finding the cheapest and most suitable insurance is no easy task these days. There are so many insurance companies to choose from and they all have different rates and packages.

Campion Insurance will search the market for clients helping them to find not only the most competitive, but the best policy. This gives our customers the peace of mind that their truck or bus is fully covered.

“Bus, coach and fleet insurance is very close to Jim Campion’s heart. It’s something he takes a particular interest in.

We have been insuring buses and trucks since the beginning,” explains C a m p i o n ’ s

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Bus/Coach/Fleet specialist Brian Cosgrove.

“It’s a hugely important part of what we do and it gets as much priority as any other sector of the business. Over the years, we have provided insurance cover for thousands of bus, coach and fleet owners. And we are delighted to be able to say that the vast majority of them have stayed loyal to us and are happy with the service we provide.

Campion offers the

following for bus/coach owners – cover for any driver with the appropriate licence; employers and public liability personal accident cover; €6.5 million third party property damage limit; €2,000 windscreen limit For fleet owners, the following is offered: windscreen cover; annual declaration (changes notified at policy end); open drive age 23-70; blanket certificates and discs; cover a mix of vehicles – cars, vans, HGVs – under

Sean Pender Sharon Flan and agan

63

Best Wishes To Campion Insurance Best Wishes & Continued Success From

CAMPION INSURANCE

FOR ALL YOUR TRUCKING NEWS www.irishtrucker.com 64

Best Wishes to Campion Insurance from

Best Wishes to Jim & all the team at the Campion Group from

UNDERWRITING SERVICES ( IRELAND) LTD Providers of Motor Trade, Commercial & Property Underwriting Services.

Cavan Office Teach Chinn Aird, Ashe Street, Cavan, Co. Cavan Tel: 049 4371830 Fax: 049 4371509 Prestige Underwriting Services (Ireland) Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Prestige Underwriting Services Limited. Registered in Ireland No. 119908.

Prestige Underwriting Services (Ireland) Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Rob Tyrell with members of the CTTC at the 2012 Coach & Bus Show

one policy.

“We are unique in that we are the only insurance provider that extends our open drive policy outside the 25-70 age bracket. As long as the driver is medically fit, and has appropriate licence, we will insure them,” Brian points out.

“Our windscreen cover also applies to all glass – windscreen, side and rear glass.

Many insurance companies will only offer you windscreen protection.”

Being able to offer customers a professional and flexible service, combined with a personal touch, has been a key factor in Campion Insurance’s growth and success, according to Brian.

“With nearly 30 years’ experience in the insurance business, we are well qualified to look after our customers’ needs. We know exactly what they are looking for. We’re a local broker with a nationwide feel. We are experts in our

field and this is reflected in the loyalty of our clients. We’ve lost very little of them down the years.

“Much of our business is secured through word of mouth. We get a lot of referrals. We’re on first-name terms with most of our clients. Unlike other insurance brokers, we are a 24/7 operation and all our employees are flexible making themselves available to suit the client.”

He concludes by saying: “Another advantage we have over many of our competitors is that we have a presence all around the country. We now have 11 offices nationwide, with the latest to be opened in Ennis.”

C a m p i o n Insurance’s support for the bus/coach

Jim Campion is CEO

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

The team of directors at Campion Insurance

industry is manifested in its sponsorship of the CTTC Coach & Bus Show. Organised by the Coach Tourism & Transport Council (CTTC), the Coach & Bus Show has been the largest and most successful trade show for the coach and bus sectors since 2000. It takes place every two years in the RDS Events Centre in Ballsbridge, Dublin.

Call the Campion team on 1890 300 301 to get a quote on any of your insurance needs. We compare the market for you with all the leading insurers, including Allianz, Aviva, AXA, FBD,

Brian Cosgro

ve

AON, ARB, RSA, Liberty, Travelers and Zurich.

Campion Insurances Ltd t/a Campion Insurance is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Regional Director Kyle Jones

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wards designed_Layout 1 17/10/2013 16:39 Page 1

Ward’s have 18 trucks on the road

Cleaning up T

The removal of waste can be a complex affair given the amount of legislation involved, but when a Company with the vast experience of Ward Waste Products Ltd is providing a service, a high level of service is guaranteed.

he company was founded in 1962 by Peter Ward Snr which means this year they are celebrating 51 years in business, a remarkable achievement for any business.

The company operates from Tournafulla, which is situated in West Limerick with a staff of 30 people including Peter Jnr, Delia, Paula, Miranda and Johnnie Ward.

The company specialises in the collection of fallen animals, general haulage and skip hire.

About 80% of our haulage work is related to animal waste products.

We transport material from factories to rendering plants including Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, Dunlavin Co Wicklow and Waterford and are highly regulated by the Department of Agriculture.

The company’s fleet consists of DAF, Scania and Volvo are the preferred trucks of the company. We have 18 trucks and it is very important

CONTACT DETAILS 66

Scania makes up part of the fleet

Various trailers are used by the company

Ward Waste Products Ltd. Knocknadiha, Tournafulla, Co. Limerick Tel: 069 81086

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

wards designed_Layout 1 17/10/2013 16:39 Page 2

The company specialise in the animal waste product sector

that we have a reliable, dependable fleet to keep operations flowing.

The skip hire end of the business has developed greatly in recent years. Ward Waste Products offer industrial skip hire, skip hire for builders and skip hire for general household purposes.

It’s something we have been doing for many years and there is a good demand for this service as people’s attitude have changed as they are more conscious of the disposal of waste.

Wards are committed to

The fleet is well maintained

providing the highest standards of customer service. We get a lot of repeat business and we value our customers business and do all we can to look after their needs.

We recently had a visit from Mr Tom Hayes, Agriculture Minister of State who thanked us for our help in the recent fodder crisis. At the time we could see from the front line the effect this was having on farmers and we organised the importation of hay from Wales to help local farmers.

All our drivers volunteered

McCarthy Commercials Ltd Dealer for Volvo Trucks

STOCKISTS OF VOLVO TRUCK/ BUS PARTS & TRAILER COMPONENTS HGV VEHICLE TEST CENTRE 24 HOUR CALL OUT SERVICE

VOLVO TRUCKS

www.mccarthycomms.ie

Watergrasshill, Co. Cork | Tel: 021 4889700 Danville Business Park, Ring Rd., Kilkenny| Tel: 056 7734200 Gillogue, Clonlara, Co. Clare | Tel: 061 356360

BEST WISHES TO WARD WASTE PRODUCTS

DAF trucks are commonplace at Ward’s

Continued Best Wishes To Ward Waste Products, from

BARRETT ENGINEERING Aluminium Welding & Fabrication

Barna, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick | Tel: 069 62400 IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Wishing Continued Success To Ward Waste Products from

Delighted To Be Associated With Ward Waste Products From

John J.McCarthy & Co. Ltd. COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING

HIDE & LAMB SKIN MARKET

We Collect Renderer Hides | Calf Skins TOP PRICES PAID | SWIFT PAYMENT 120 Years In Business Contact Derek 086 2700644 Galway Office : 091 840626

Kilchreest, Loughrea, Co. Galway

Limerick Office : 061 322960

Desmond Business Park Newcastle West, Co. Limerick

1st Floor Office, Gleneask, Castletroy, Limerick Email: galwayhideandskin@eircom.net Email: derekmccarthyph@gmail.com

Telephone: 086 8126800 Fax: 069 77665 Best Wishes To Ward Waste Products, From

Best Wishes To Ward Waste Products From

ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH & SAFETY SOLUTIONS Specialising In Waste Collection / Facility Permit Applications Old Barna, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick T: 069 62755 F: 069 77220 E: info@barnatransport.ie

COFFEY ACCOUNTS Continued Best Wishes To Ward Waste Products

Contact : Karen Fahy Dromard, Rathkeale, Co. Limerick Tel: 069 63930 | Mobile: 086 608 6117 Email: info@fahyenvironmental.ie www.fahyenvironmental.ie

T. Nolan & Sons Ltd. Delighted To Be Associated With WARD WASTE PRODUCTS

COFFEY ACCOUNTS

LIMERICK & WATERFORD

086 0740880 coffeyaccounts@hotmail.com 68

Droumtrasna, Castleisland, Co. Kerry.

Tel: (066) 7141140 • Fax: (066) 7141777.

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

wards designed_Layout 1 17/10/2013 16:39 Page 4

The company is celebrating 51 years in business

The company is based in Tournafulla, Co. Limerick

their time to go to Wales for the fodder and we provided the transport required along with Springfield Plastics who provided the trailers.

We hope the company will continue to grow and prosper in the coming years, but at the same time are very conscious of the continuing uncertainty in the economy.

Ward’s logo can be seen all over Munster

A load of round bales is set for delivery

Tipper work is a speciality

We are delighted to be associated with Ward Waste Products

BUSINESS INSURANCE | PERSONAL INSURANCE Building 6500, Avenue 6000 Cork Airport Business Park, Cork T: 021 4299002 | F: 021 4299012 | E: enquiries@insightrm.ie | www.insightrm.ie IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Full details on MJM Training Courses can be found on www.mjmtraining.com

Moving with the times Fourteen years on from its inception, Ireland’s premier commercial vehicle training solutions provider, MJM Training, continues to move with the times, demonstrating the sort of innovation, foresight and energy that will keep it at the forefront of its chosen field of expertise for years, nay decades, to come. Irish Trucker dropped into the company’s Ballygawley, County Tyrone headquarters and got an update from Laura Mullin on the impressive progressiveness of this stellar family business.

CONTACT DETAILS

70

MJM Training 2 Bockets Road, Ballygawley, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland, BT70 2HL Telephone/Fax: 048 85567183 Email: info@mjmtraining.com www.mjmtraining.com

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

mjm training designed_Layout 1 17/10/2013 16:45 Page 2

much to the forefront of the business in both the north and south of the country,” Laura Mullin – daughter of company founder Mickey – notes. “In the North, we provide this training seven days a week, either over seven one-hour blocks or, alternatively, over two evening sessions.

“The training covers literally everything from tachographs to ABS brakes to First Aid and manual handling. Some of our biggest clients would include all five of the education bodies and Libraries Northern Ireland.

“In the South, we provide the training seven days a week from bases in Monaghan, Sligo, Dundalk and Donegal.”

Another important recent development is that many drivers must now sit four modules as opposed to two.

“It used to be two modules for the lorry industry but a lot of new lorry drivers now have to complete four modules if their car licence was secured after January 1st, 1997,” Laura continues. “If they want to go on and get their rigid licence, there is more work that needs to be done with Modules 2 and 4. Module 2 is an extra theory exam and Module 4 is an extra practical exam, ‘show-me, tell-me’.”

Reductions in the minimum age of commercial vehicle

S

ince 1999, MJM Training has been providing an unrivalled range of professional training to vehicle operators from the haulage, construction and quarrying sectors on both sides of the border. While the excellent range of services provided is constantly evolving and improving, the family-run business’ commitment to meeting the very highest standards is a never-changing constant.

“Driver CPC [Certificate of Professional Competence] training has moved very IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Some of the te at MJM Traini am ng

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Best Wishes To MJM Training, From

Best Wishes To MJM Training, From

Phillips Logistics Ltd www.phillipslogistics.co.uk We cover all of ireland and the uk collecting and delivering anything from small parcels, single pallets, part loads and full loads.

No job is too small.

36 Tamnamore Road, Dungannon, Co-Tyrone BT71 6RJ office tel: 028 87726414 fax: 028 87727979 neil mob: 0776 6527827 mervyn mob:0771 4897201

Wax ‘n’ Vax Mobile Valeting

Wax ‘n’ Vax - The market leading professional car cleaning company.Operating from a smartly liveried purpose designed vehicles using top quality exclusive products.

Best Wishes To MJM Training, From

International Transport

ROAD HAULAGE

Irwin Place, Donaghcloney, Craigavon, Co. Armagh BT66 7LN

Contact Richard 07931193718 www.waxnvaxonline.com Best Wishes To MJM Training Wishing Continued Succes To MJM Training, From

George Weir & Son Ltd QUALITY USED TRACTOR, EXCAVATOR & TELEHANDLER SALES

54 Mullybrannon Rd., Dungannon, Co. Tyrone BT71 7ER Telephone: 028 8772 3205 |Email: weirtract@aol.com

www.georgeweirandsonltd.com

T: 028 67721033 F: 028 67722164

M: 07785763234 | 07879494558

Castlebalfour, Lisnaskea, Co. Fermanagh BT92 0GN

Haulage Services Local & National Professional Service

Wishing Mickey, Laura & All At MJM Training Continued Success In The Future From

S.M.C. Shotblasting SMC Commercial & Plant Resprays

92 Gortrenaghan Rd., Cabragh, Dungannon BT70 3AS

Tel: (028) 8776 1751 • Mob: 07833 946225 Also Specialising In VINTAGE & AGRICULTURAL TRACTORS & MACHINERY

Best Wishes To MJM Training, From

IRISH 168 Doogary Rd., Omagh Co. Tyrone BT79 0HF Telephone: 028 807 58298 Fax: 028 807 58282

& LIGHT COMMERCIALS

CONSTRUCTION DIY AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY

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MJM Training is in business since 1999

drivers have also had a positive effect on MJM Training. “As the age for driving a bus is 24, we’ve experienced an increase in business,” Laura confirms.

“The minimum age for a lorry driver has come down from 21 to 18 and that has also opened up a whole new area for us. A lot of bus and lorry operators can avail for grants for training, which can go a long way towards covering the cost.”

Laura’s own brief within the family business covers a wide range of areas including office work and training personnel in a number of courses, while she is also a qualified instructor in RTITB lift trucks, IPAF and SYPOL as well as a qualified Health & Safety consultant with NEBOSH. MJM Training was established in 1999 by Mickey Mullin, his wife Noilin and their son Marc; the goal from day one was to offer high-quality training solutions right across the haulage, construction and quarrying sectors. Mickey began with just one lorry and has expanded his fleet gradually over the years to now provide training using two rigids, one artic, one bus and the company’s own fleet of heavy plant.

Heavy plant training

courses – which are recognised and approved by FAS - are offered on 360/Track Digger excavators, track diggers, 180/ rubber wheeled excavators, telescopic handlers, articulated dumpers, front load dumpers, mini diggers up to five tonne, loading shovels, MEWPs, and all types of forklifts.

All vehicles in the fleet are maintained in pristine condition at all times and training is provided by friendly and highly-qualified instructors.

With Health & Safety an increasingly-important consideration in the transport sector – for both operators and their customers alike – MJM Training serves as a Health & Safety NEBOSH consultant for many businesses and can also provide Health & Safety

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

policies and risk assessments along with advice in work systems, personal protective equipment, fire safety, working at heights etc.

Another area MJM Training is currently busy in is providing training for drivers who require restricted licences. “Under the law, anyone who owns a vehicle over 3.5 tonne for hire or reward must have a minimum of a restricted licence,” says Laura. “We run courses or information days outlining in one day what is expected of them under those rules that they have signed up to. It is vital for drivers to realise what they have signed up to and to keep themselves informed at all times.

“We also run refresher courses for those who sat their haulage licence years ago and feel that they need to

be updated for one reason or another. Perhaps they’ve forgotten some points from their initial training or they want clarification on the legislation that has changed.”

Due to the continuing demand for its services, MJM Training has built an external training facility adjacent to their original facility at Bockets Road, Ballygawley.

One training room has been developed thus far and the hope is to add an additional two inside the next twelve months.

Every month, MJM also offers courses in the haulage of hazardous goods. Drivers can choose between a full course, a tanker course and packages course.

MJM is also approved as a VU centre to provide a 45minute touchscreen test providing Health & Safety cards and renewal of CPCS plant cards.

Courses are also available in manual handling, overhead crane/slinging or First Aid – either in MJM’s purpose-build training centre or on-site.

All in all, Laura Mullin is confident that MJM Training is moving in the right direction: “We have developed a lot of fantastic contacts over the years and things have been thriving, with a great deal of recent developments,” she concludes. “We have a loyal team around us – seven fulltime staff and a number of subcontractors on top of that.

We’re looking forward to many more years of growth.”

The MJM Training Centre in Ballygawley

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Coolmarket is the leading supplier of quality used and affordable refrigerated vans

E

mploying five staff and with eight subcontractors providing support services, Coolmarket was set up to provide a single source of refrigerated vans for the growing food/pharmaceutical industry in Ireland. The company has defied the difficult economic conditions to double its turnover annually.

Coolmarket’s growth and success is

reflected in the fact that it is about to double the size of its 6,000 sq. ft. premises just two years after moving into it.

Prior to setting up Coolmarket, Jonathan has worked in the food industry in the UK for 10 years, while Deirdre – who has a PhD in food science from DCU – had worked in food research in Teagasc. Together, they ran a successful refrigerated food transport and distribution

business for seven years which they sold in 2007.

The idea to form Coolmarket came from their experience of buying used refrigerated vans, which always brought them back to the UK because no-one in Ireland was providing such a service.

“When we ran our refrigerated food distribution business, we started out with one van and ended up with

nine. We had to go to the UK to get the fridge vans we needed,” Jonathan remembers.

“I saw a gap in the market after struggling to find quality used refrigerated vehicles for our fleet in the specification that I wanted, at a price I could afford. That’s how Coolmarket was born.

“Some would say it was a big gamble setting up a new company at a time when the

Coolmarket has the fridge van for you Established in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork in 2007 by husband and wife Jonathan and Deirdre O’Grady, Coolmarket Commercials has become the leading supplier of quality used and affordable refrigerated vans to the Irish food and pharmaceutical sectors.

CONTACT DETAILS

74

Coolmarket Commercials Unit A9, Mitchelstown Business Park, Dublin Road, Mitchelstown,Co Cork Tel: 025 86686 Mobile: 086 2337783 Email: info@coolmarket.ie Websites: www.coolmarket.ie www.munstervancentre.ie www.mpv.ie

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Jonathan and Deirdre O’Grady have built up a successful business

recession was just starting, but Deirdre and I knew from our experience in refrigerated food distribution that there was a market for the kind of service we wanted to provide.

“Our business has gone from strength to strength based on good advice, supplying the right vehicles and standing over every sale.

I think the day of the hard sale is gone and it’s now about service and choice at a cost-effective price.

“As long as food is being consumed, there will always be a need for food companies to update their vans. As lending was and continues to be very limited, we are able to give them the option of being

The choice of many within the Irish Food and Pharmaceutical sectors

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

able to buy a quality fridge van at a fraction of the cost of buying new and offer contract hire. Typically, we can supply fridge vans for as little as onethird of the cost of a new one.”

Coolmarket won’t be beaten on price, service or advice and takes a particular interest in supplying the right vehicle

to help Irish people survive and succeed in business, especially in the current economic climate. All vans are sold with a full service history, are well presented with full inspection, DOE test for 12 months and a warranty on the van and fridge.

“We don’t make excuses when it comes to warranty issues and work to very high standards, and I think customers respond well to that attitude,” Jonathan says.

“Large companies that would never have considered buying secondhand are now giving us a chance to supply them as they can see the benefits of dealing with us and not having to pay new prices, especially when the cost of converting a fridge van can be prohibitive!”

Coolmarket is a nationwide business that can deliver stock anywhere in Ireland.

There is a network of garages around the country that have access to Coolmarket’s stock for their customers. Coolmarket have an excellent system in place

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Good Luck Jonathan On Your New Business Venture From All At Express Spares

Continued Best Wishes To Coolmarket Commercials, From

O’DONNELL’S VTN CENTRE Fermoy Road, Mitchelstown, Cork | Tel: 025 85119 Email: odonnellsgarage@gmail.com

Heavy & Light Goods Tachograph - Speed Limiters - Vehicle Plating ADR Inspections | Safe Loading Pass

Best Wishes & Continued Success To Coolmarket Commercials, From

Whelan Accountancy

OPENING HOURS Monday to Friday 8am-6pm | Saturday 8am - 3pm

Best Wishes To Coolmarket Commercials, From

MYERS MAXOL

CATERING FOR ALL OUR CUSTOMERS WITH OUR AWARD WINNING

DELI, SHOP & FORECOURT Dublin Rd., Mitchelstown, Cork Telephone: 025 84355

IRISH

SCRAP METAL PROCESSORS Best Wishes To Coolmarket Commercials

www.strtruckspares.ie We dismantle a wide range of makes ie: Volvo, Scania, Daf, Mercedes, Man, Renault & Hino For The Home & Export Trade. Our premises is a licenced END OF LIFE WASTE FACILITY, fully compliant with EU regulations.

Cloughleafin Mitchelstown Co Cork.

Tel: 00353 2584162 Fax: 00353 2584471 Mobile: 087 7442223 E:eddie.strtrucks@gmail.com E:neil.strtrucks@gmail.com

www.irishtrucker.com

& LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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The Mitchelstown-based firm stands over every sale

to facilitate dealer margins and so on, and are always on the lookout for like-minded garages to do business with.

The family-run business, which Jonathan describes as a “fridge van supermarket”, offers the following: Largest range of refrigerated vans in Ireland all under one roof (over 40 vans are stocked at any one time with five vans coming into stock every week) Late night indoor viewing, including weekends, to suit customers that cannot devote time during normal working hours All makes, models, sizes of fridge vans that can cater for all temperature ranges – chill, frozen, multitemperature Full workshop facilities and 24-hour mobile services due to the critical nature of food transport Short or long-term rental/contract hire of all sizes/types of fridge vans

with a 24-hour mobile backup and replacement vehicle service at rates that will not be beaten “We supply everyone from the sole trader up to the largest company. We are in a

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

great location, just off the M8 Dublin-Cork motorway which makes us easily accessible to customers from all over Ireland. We’ve sold a van in every county this year, so we’re well known at this

stage,” the affable managing director enthuses.

“All of the vehicles we sell are well maintained and cost-effective which are sourced from reliable dealers in the UK. We take the risk out of buying second-hand vehicles for our customers.”

Recently, Jonathan and Deirdre launched www.munstervancentre.ie to cater for van sales in the non-refrigerated sector with the same ethos of quality stock, big choice, low margins and the best aftersales service. This business also helps with providing a source of late, low mileage panel vans ready for conversion to refrigerated vans to suit customer requirements.

And the O’Grady’s have added another string to their bow with the launch of www.mpv.ie which specialises in the sale of quality van type cars (MPVs) and mini buses imported from the UK.

All makes, models and sizes of fridge vans are stocked

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GSJ Maintenance takes delivery of its fleet from Irish Commecials

G

SJ Maintenance Ltd is a joint venture between three major names in the Infrastructure development and management market, the Spanish companies Globalvia and Sacyr, as well as Jons Civil Engineering Ltd. GSJ is responsible for Network A, which involves maintaining motorways and

dual carriageways in the greater Dublin area, including parts of the N/M1, N/M2, N/M3, N/M7, M9 and N/M11.

Colas Roadbridge and Egis Lagan are responsible for the other two regions.

“We tendered for the contract last December and were delighted to be awarded it in April. The contract runs for five years and we hope to

be in a position to retender for the second phase when the time comes,” Globalvia Ireland General Manager Kevin McGrath explains.

“Basically, we are responsible for maintaining all the radials coming out of the M50. After more than a decade of road building in this country, the focus has now shifted towards the

maintenance and upkeep of these new roads; everything from grass-cutting, winter service, incident response to resurfacing works. That’s what we will be doing in our part of the network.”

As part of the new national maintenance service programme for all three networks, which will create over 200 jobs from service

The motorway maintenance specialists Following on from the development of a brand new motorway network in Ireland, the National Roads Authority (NRA) recently announced national motorway maintenance services for 744km of motorway and dual carriageway (including junctions and slip roads), 160km of which will be managed by a new company called GSJ Maintenance Ltd. 78

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Best Wishes To GSJ Maintenance, From

Continued Success To GSJ Maintenance Ltd., from

SALES | HIRE | SERVICE

The services that our group of companies can provide are

Head Office

Unit 4 Crossbeg Ind Est., Upper Ballymount Road, Dublin 24

Tel: 01 4507219 | Fax: 01 4600296 Email: sales@swanplant.ie | www.swanplant.ie Northside Office Collinstown Business Park, Cloghran, Co. Dublin

Tel: 01 8427985 | Fax: 01 8428077

Best Wishes To GSJ Maintenance, From All At

• WINTER MAINTENANCE SERVICES • MOTORWAY MAINTENANCE SERVICES • ROAD SWEEPING • LANDSCAPING • TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SERVICES • ACCIDENT EMERGENCY RESPONSE

www.romaquip.com Wishing continued success to Kevin & Team at GSJ Maintenance from Celtrak Ltd

OUR PARTNERS OPERATION

Ireland’s Original Provider of GPS Vehicle Tracking • Reduce Costs • Improve Efficiencies • Real Time Data to your Phone • Specialist Solutions for Winter Maintenance

Email: demo@celtrak.com to view our demo T: 091 765312 E: sales@celtrak.com www.celtrak.com Follow Us

Wishing GSJ Maintenance Ltd Continued Success In The Future PROVIDING AFFORDABLE SOLUTIONS FOR MANAGING SAFETY Dunroman House, Enagh, Lisduff, Co. Cavan T: 046 9245834 | E: info@eolasbeo.ie | www.eolasbeo.ie

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Winter Maintenance Road Sweeping Salt Storage & Loading

TRAINING

CPC Winter Maintenance Manual Handling Eco Driving

JF Industrial Complex, Rathmullen Road, Drogheda, Co. Louth 041-9802811 | 087-2668112 email: enviroteamireland@gmail.com www.enviroteam.ie 79

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The extensive fleet required by GSJ Maintenance

providers and suppliers, barn for our southern routes.” purpose-built maintenance Kevin continues: “Already, depots have been developed GSJ Maintenance has by the NRA at different created 38 new jobs. locations around the country.

Additional seasonal GSJ Maintenance will employment will be operate from the Balbriggan generated during the summer depot which will also contain months for the more labour storage facilities for 20,000 intensive operations such as tonnes of salt that can be grass cutting, hedge cutting efficiently dispersed around and so on. the country to augment the “We have also invested supplies held by individual heavily in new plant and local authorities in equipment. For example, we emergency situations. have ordered and received “The Balbriggan depot is recently a fleet of 12 new expected to be in operation gritting trucks from Romaquip

by October, just before the in Birr, Co. Offaly ahead of cold weather kicks in. As well the winter period.” as managing our own salt The maintenance services barn, we will be managing a provided by GSJ second one for the National Maintenance include: Roads Authority. We have undertaking routine also established similar inspections and maintenance depots on the M7 and M11 BEST WISHES TO GSJ MAINTENANCE FROM All AT r o u t e s .

Eventually, the Balbriggan salt barn will cover our northern routes, while we are looking into the possibility of establishing a s e c o n d permanent salt

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of the asset, including pavement, drainage, structures, bridges, signage and safety barriers; responding to incidents on the network, including emergencies and repairs to damage sections of network; provide severe weather response and winter maintenance service; collect and manage asset date within the inventory management system; undertake improvement, rehabilitation and renewal works.

GSJ Maintenance is an amalgam of two of the biggest names in the infrastructure development and management market.

Spanish companies Globalvia and Sacyr were

partners on the M50 and M6 motorways schemes, while Jons Civil Engineering Ltd is responsible for the construction of much of Ireland’s new road infrastructure.

In January 2007, the corporation known as Globalvia was established as a 50-50 joint venture between FCC and Bankia, groups which had been active in the infrastructure assets sector since 1991 and 1997, respectively.

Globalvia is a company whose stated corporate purpose is infrastructure development and operation.

It has a strong presence in both Europe and Latin America. Globalvia’s strategic goal is to create shareholder value by wisely managing its portfolio of assets, with the ultimate aim of becoming the leader in the infrastructure management market.

Globalvia’s portfolio includes a significant number of assets in various industries such as Hospitals ( over 820 beds), Toll Roads (1,500km managed), Metropolitan Railways

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

gsj designed_Layout 1 21/10/2013 15:25 Page 4

(78km managed), Marinas ( 1,500 sq. km) and Airports (over 7million passengers).

Sacyr is one of the world’s leading diversified construction companies which specialises in the investment, design, construction and operations of roads, rail, bridges, airports, ports, dams, irrigation systems and urbanization projects.

Founded in 1986 as Sociedad Anónima Caminos y Regadíos in Madrid in Spain, it was renamed Sacyr in 1991 following a series of mergers. It is publicly traded and is part of the Spanish IBEX 35 market valueweighted stock market index.

Sacyr Concessions is the trading wing that manages all of the 34 concessions which are distributed in 6 countries, highlighting the diversity of assets by location. Of these 34 assets, 22 are motorways, there are 6 hospitals, 1 airport, 2 metro lines, 2

transport hubs and 1 service area concession. Sacyr is currently tendering on a number projects around the world including Ireland.

Jons Civil Engineering Company Ltd has nearly 30 years’ experience in the successful delivery of infrastructural projects in Ireland, specializing in the innovative execution of complex civil engineering projects. Headquartered in Duleek, Co. Meath, Jons Civil Engineering carries out the majority of works by direct labour managed by experience civil engineers.

The company has built up a large fleet of modern plant and has the capability of performing activities such as road schemes, bridge works, major earth works, drainage, piling, traffic management, railway lines and stations, marine works, rock-drilling and cranage operations.

Continued Best Wishes To GSJ Maintenance Ltd. From

MOTORWAY PLANTING & MAINTENANCE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS PRIVATE GARDEN DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION PRIVATE GARDEN MAINTENANCE COMMERCIAL MAINTENANCE Plants & Planters Ltd Unit 2 West Point Business Park, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15.

Tel: 01 8200177 | Fax: 01 8200184 Email: landscape@plantsandplanters.com

www.plantsandplanters.com

GSJ Maintenance will be responsible for Network R

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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McGeown International has been going strong for over 40 years

McGeown International has Europe covered Established for over 40 years, McGeown International Ltd is a leading family-run transport and logistics company specialising in refrigerated transport of chilled, frozen and dry products. Transport manager Gary McGeown explains more.

CONTACT DETAILS 82

McGeown International Ltd 67A Rathfriland Road, Newry, Co. Down BT34 1LD Tel: 028 3025 1616 Fax: 028 3025 1617 Email: info@mcgeowninternational.com www.mcgeowninternational.com IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

mcgeown designed_Layout 1 22/10/2013 12:14 Page 2

L

ocated in Newry, Co. Down and employing 20 full-time staff, the company provides international and national haulage services as well as groupage, freight forwarding and tipper hire services. Of its 14 drivers, 12 operate between Ireland and the Continent with the other two permanently based in Ireland.

McGeown International works primarily with food manufacturers, growers and importers of furniture, tiles and forklift parts to name but a few.

The company caters for all food products, including chilled, frozen and ambient as well as pharmaceutical and hazardous products. It prides itself on being able to offer customers a fast, reliable, cost-effective and friendly service. This, coupled with regular investment in a modern fleet and facilities, has enabled McGeown International to grow, even in the face of one of the worst

recessions in generations.

“Our fleet has doubled in size from seven to 14 in the past five years,” Gary proudly states.

“There is plenty of work out there if you are willing to give your customers the type of service they need. We cover the whole of Europe, running refrigerated and Euroliner trailers. While most of our work is carried out for the same six or seven clients, we have other customers who also avail of our services on a regular basis.

“We offer a 365-day, 24-7 service with guaranteed collection and delivery times throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe to meet our customers’ requirements.”

McGeown International has come a long way since its managing director Francis McGeown started out with just a single truck. With the help of his son Gary, daughter Donna and a highly skilled and component staff, he has expanded the

The company provides refrigerated international and national haulage services

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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The McGeown family run their own business from Newry, Co Down

The company offers a wide range of services, including freight forwarding and tipper hire

business into one of foremost international haulage firms operating out of Ireland.

Newry’s location along the main transport route between Belfast and Dublin means it’s within easy reach of the ports in those cities as well as that in nearby Warrenpoint. The McGeown International premises include spacious warehousing facilities and a large yard offering secure internal and external facilities for dry products.

Nine of the company’s fleet of articulated trucks are Scania, with Volvo and DAF

McGeown’s offer a 24-7 service

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Best Wishes & Continued Success To McGeown International, From

K Mackin Transport Ltd

Keep on trucking with

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Wishing McGeown International Continued Success From

7C Springhill Road, Carnbane Ind Est, Newry Co. Down BT35 6EF Tel: (028) 3025 2574 Fax: (028) 3025 2313 Email: info@transcoldni.com Continued Best Wishes To McGeown International Continued success to all at McGeown International from

INSURANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT

55-59 Donegall Street, Belfast BT1 2FH Tel: 028 9032 9042 Email: info@willisinsurance.co.uk Web: www.willisinsurance.co.uk

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Best Wishes To McGeown International, From Mary & Sean

M&S Express

Providing a highly professional, yet personal brokerage and insurance consultancy service

75 Derrynoose Rd., Keady, Co. Armagh BT60 3EZ

T: +44 (0) 28 37538756 M: +44 (0) 7885 959238

Continued Best Wishes To McGeown International, From

19 Ryan Rd., Mayobridge, Newry, Co. Down BT34 2HZ Tel: 028 3085 1152 | Fax: 028 3085 1522 Email: mournehydraulics@btconnect.com IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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making up the rest. In addition, McGeown’s operate 24 refrigerated and Euroliner trailers. The majority of the refrigerated trailers are Schmidt, while the Euroliners are mainly SDC. All of the refrigerated trailers contain a self-powered front mount cooling and heating multi-temperature host unit and can cater for all types of cargo. Temperature control is provided by DAS data logger, which records temperatures and ensures cargo is maintained at the required temperatures. If there is a problem, the data can be downloaded to determine the temperature history of the refrigerated container. These offer a valuable service for customers and insurance purposes.

Each trailer has a 33-Euro pallet capacity catering for chilled, frozen and dry products. The trailers can take the form of single/dual compartment floor loader trailers in which the customer can combine chilled/frozen consignments or dry goods.

McGeown International can also cater for hanging meat products, ensuring they are transported safely and

The fleet has doubled from seven to 14

securely.

The family-run concern holds accounts with all the major ferry companies, thus enabling it to provide a fast, reliable and flexible service offering daily services to and from the UK and mainland Europe, as well as within Ireland. All goods transported are fully insured by the freight operator’s insurance.

Best Wishes To McGeown International

86

A familiar sight on the roads of Ireland and beyond, the McGeown International fleet is always immaculate in appearance, while an inhouse maintenance team is employed to carry out regular servicing and maintenance of all vehicles. The company has access to worldwide depots for breakdown and recovery services, which

enables it to keep its promise of being able to offer a 24hour service with guaranteed delivery and collection times where required.

In summary, McGeown International is a proven expert in Continental refrigerated transport. The company has four decades of experience, provides an unrivalled service, looks after customers first and foremost, offers security and peace of mind, and deals directly with clients on a one-on-one basis.

“You have to be cut out for international transport and, after 40 years, I think it’s fair to say that we are. We have an excellent reputation all over Europe, whether it’s in Italy, Holland, Germany, France or Ireland. It’s a tough business that involves long working hours, but I have to say our drivers have been brilliant over the years. They have played a major part in making us the company we are today,” Gary concludes.

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

walker designed_Layout 1 22/10/2013 12:09 Page 1

Turning plastic into money Walker Recycling Services, shredded is at the forefront of its field of expertise as its dedication to their customers and excellent services have left their rivals in their wake.

T

he company’s success can be gauged by many aspects, and one of these is by the extent of the customer base that they have obtained in recent years.

This Portlaoise company was established in 2007 by Robert Walker and specialises in the recycling of farm waste plastics. They are also members of the Irish Farm Film Producers Group.

The IFFPG is Ireland's only government licensed recycling compliance scheme, responsible for providing an efficient and cost effective farm plastics recycling service to farmers nationwide. IFFPG collects both at the farmyard and at bring-centres. The Scheme is "not for profit" and funded through a levy that is charged on all silage plastic that members place on the market, as well as a weight based collection fee charged to farmers.

Originally, the levy of €127 per tonne was set to meet a recycling target of 50%. It was never envisaged that the levy would cover the recycling costs of all plastic placed on the market.

In 2005, this target was exceeded by 40% and IFFPG was obliged to suspend collections in some area.

Clearly, this situation was unsatisfactory and resulted in

IFFPG, in consultation with Department of Environment, local authorities and farming organisations working together to revise the Scheme.

The main points of the Revised Scheme were once off backlog free collections provided by local authorities nationwide; levy remains the same, but recycling targets increased; weight based collection fees introduced for farmers to ensure that service available to all farmers; traceability system introduced, i.e. Labeling Tracking System.

Since 1997, IFFPG has sent over 100,000 tonne of plastics to licensed recycling facilities to be converted into a range of products. Products manufactured from IFFPG silage plastic range from refuse sacks to garden furniture.

Walker Recycling Services implements rigorous environmental policies and ensures that both their and its clients meet their obligations under both EU and Irish regulations.

“Basically, we specialise in collecting waste farm plastics from farmyards around the country. All plastics are brought back to our yard in Portlaoise where they are sorted, shredded, tromelled and baled before being shipped abroad for recycling.

CONTACT DETAILS

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Robert Walker is the company managing director

Employees at Walker Recycling from l/r: Paul McCartney, Przemyslaw Laszcewski, Eamonn Murphy, Jerzy Karcz, Shane Murphy, Loan-Claudiu Kostinar, Simon Walton

"We have a strong presence in Tipperary, Limerick, Kerry, Clare, Laois, Kildare and Offaly and pride ourselves on being the only company that can offer a one-stop solution to all your farm waste management needs,” said Robert.

“We first started up in 2007, but it was only really in 2010 when we went into full scale recycling. Thankfully, we

have been busy enough since then.”

Walker’s is a fully integrated waste management and recycling company with a proven track record in delivering efficient, legal and economical waste management, recovery and recycling solution for its customers.

Since its inception, the company has continuously

Walker Recycling Services Ltd. Clonkeen, Portlaoise, Co. Laois Tel: 057-8622204 Fax: 057-8622247 Email: walker@walkerrecycling.ie www.walkerrecycling.ie

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Best Wishes To Walker Recycling Services

Wishing Continued Success To Walker Recycling Services From

Wishing Continued Success To Walker Recycling Services From Management & Staff At

TULLAMORE TEST & REPAIR CENTRE

Cloncollig Ind Est., Tullamore, Co.Offaly.

Tel: 05793 52057 | Fax: 05793 52499 www.tullamoretest.ie Best Wishes To Walker Recycling Services , From

Best wishes and continued success to Walker Recycling Services from all at Lalor Steel Products Ltd

88

ROSCREA DIESEL INJECTION Specialising In All Types of Fuel Pumps & Injectors

057 86 33333

“No Job Too Big Or Too Small”

Old Bacon Factory, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary Tel: 0505 22476 | Mobile: 087 79974142 Email: roscreadieselinjection@hotmail.com IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

walker designed_Layout 1 22/10/2013 12:09 Page 3

invested in technology, processes, infrastructure and staff.

Walker Recycling Services has an environmentally committed track record which means you can be assured that all activities are carried out in compliance with the requirements of the Waste Management Acts, all Patricia Brothwood is the Alex Walker, Ladislav Sindler and office & accounts manager Robert Walker pose for the camera relevant Health and Safety legislation and codes of practice. The company “Yes we would have eight particularly a machine that washes the provides resources, training and controls trucks on the road collecting either the plastic. No one in Ireland is doing that at to ensure that all company activities farm plastics or the cardboard. The fleet the moment. The plastic is washed and adhere to all applications of legislation. consists of Iveco and Renault trucks, cleaned and sold on then. We are “There is a lot of legislation to be which we keep well maintained. We always looking at ways of improving the adhered too in this industry, but it is all have two office staff and seven people business and that is something we will there for a reason and once you stay on working in the yard and seven drivers, all continue to do.” top of the paperwork, it is easier to of who are good workers, which manage. There are plenty of rogue makes the day to day running of the operators out there and they are harming company that bit easier.”

Best Wishes & Continued Success to Robert & Alex the industry, so something has to be Robert revealed that he has a good done about that.” working relationship with the Laois Another area of recycling that Walkers and Offaly County Councils now concentrate on is cardboard and (NWCPO) also, which helps to this sees them recycle up to 1,000 tonne alleviate the stress of legislation. per month. With a fleet of eight trucks on “The county councils are very helpful the road, there is always plenty of work and any problems that may occur, to be done at their premises. they are there to advise and help if necessary.” We would also have a good working relationship with the TFS office in Dublin which regulates the shipments abroad.

Robert is pleased with how business is going, but that is not to say they are considering expanding in certain areas to ensure that their customers continue to receive a high level of service.

“We are looking at bringing in more equipment and Office administrator Lesley Walker

McAteer Recycling Ireland Plastic & Cardboard Processors Best Wishes & Continued Success To Walker Recycling Services The Walker Recycling staff are all highly trained

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

McAteer Recycling Ireland Tel: 048 30850113 | 0044 7831762634 Email: info@mcateerrecycling.com

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It has been a truly historic year for Paul Linders

A truly historic year for motor industry president Twenty-thirteen has certainly been a landmark year in Paul Linders’ illustrious career in the motor industry.

As well as celebrating the 75th anniversary of his family business and 40 years as a Toyota dealer, the affable Dubliner also opened a new Renault / Dacia dealership in Finglas and became president of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI). Irish Trucker & Light Commercials popped into Linders of Chapelizod for a chat with one of Ireland’s hardest-working motor dealers.

CONTACT DETAILS

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Linders Renault Finglas: North Road, Finglas, Dublin 11 Tel: 01 8648212 Linders Renault Chapelizod: Chapelizod Road, Chapelizod, Dublin 20 Tel: 01 6299600 www.lindersrenault.ie

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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“It was a nice time for me personally when the guys asked me to do it as we were celebrating 75 years since my grandfather, Sonny Linders, had started out in Smithfield Market in 1938. Considering the year that was in it, it was nice to be asked to do it this year. We were also in the process of opening the new garage in Finglas and creating some new jobs, which is an achievement in itself after surviving five or six very lean years, so it’s been a year to remember for sure.”

So says Paul Linders on being invited by his peers to become new president of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry. The new garage Paul refers to is Linders Renault Finglas, a fledgling Renault and Dacia dealership for North Dublin, which opened for business on July 1st and has thus far generated employment for close to 20 people.

Upon succeeding Alan Lyons at the helm at SIMI’s 60th AGM in Croke Park, Paul immediately conceded that the motor industry in

Ireland was in “deep crisis” but pointed out that those in the trade were “resilient”, adding that “the motor industry directly collects over one-eighth of the total tax take of this country” as well as “the indirect contribution through PAYE, PRSI from the 40,000 employees working in the industry in 377 towns and villages across Ireland”.

Clearly, this is a voice that deserves to be heard. As president, Paul is determined to get the industry’s message across.

How long has Paul been a member of SIMI? “We were incorporated in 1962 and we would have been a member of the Association in one form or another for as long as I’ve been alive.”

As president, Paul is certainly not a mere figurehead. Much work and many challenges lie ahead…

“We have to oversee the direction that the organisation as a whole is taking, especially in these unprecedented times that have seen the motor industry in Ireland change radically.

Some of the longest-serving businesses in the country are going out of business and there are very uncertain times right across the industry. My objective is to continue the good work of my predecessor, who has set in train a full review of the industry, to prepare for the new environment that prevails, and to adapt to change.

“We need to look at where we are going to focus our energies; what we are going to change; and what we can provide our members with.

This includes lobbying the Government. As an industry, we make a massive contribution to the direct tax take of the State, so it’s of grave concern to see so many businesses struggle and go out of business.

“We have achieved scrappage for two years running and also a VAT rebate for our members, but there is a lot more to do. We serve a very wide membership – retailers, distributors, motor factors, etc. – and we need to look at

what services we are providing our members.

“The Society of the Irish Motor Industry needs to adapt to best reflect the needs of its members going forward. At the end of the day, we survive at the mercy of our members and we spend their money – the very least we can do is represent them in the manner in which they want to be represented.

“I would like to see the Government stimulate our industry because the system is broken and the industry is on the ropes. The average age of a car being driven in Ireland is now nine years old, which provides obvious difficulties in the equity of trading up to a new car compared to a three- or fiveyear-old car. It’s a huge leap up to purchase a new car now and there is also a frightening lack of domestic credit.”

Intervention is urgently required and Paul is at pains to stress that it is not in the Government’s interests to allow this essential industry to freewheel into stagnation:

Paul Linders (right) opened Linders Renault Finglas on July 1st

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Linders is the new home of Renault in north Dublin

“For any new car sold in Ireland, €8,000 goes straight to the Government coffers,” he points out. “When our industry isn’t working, the State suffers big time.”

Regarding the family business, Paul reveals: “Sonny got the show on the road in 1938 and my father Joe would have joined Linders of Smithfield in the late 1950s. My uncle Patrick joined in the early 1980s and it remains very much a family

business today.

“Eleven years ago, we moved out of the city centre to Chapelizod and became Linders of Chapelizod.

“We became a Fiat main dealer in the ‘60s and then, 40 years ago, we were appointed the first-ever Toyota main dealer in this country.

“To coincide with the new 132 registration, we opened Linders Renault Finglas on July 1st, creating almost 20

new jobs. We’ll also be bringing the Renault and Dacia dealerships to Chapelizod from October onwards. While we will continue to provide Toyota services on demand, we will henceforth be the main Renault / Dacia dealership for north Dublin, Dublin city and Dublin county, which I am very proud of.”

Between the two garages, Linders provide gainful employment to a team of 37 and they are currently in the process of recruiting junior sales people. Interested parties should give Paul a shout! His aim is to have a staff of over 40 before Christmas.

While describing the genesis of the 132 registration as “a huge boast”, Paul also cautions that the state of the industry in general remains “dreadful”: “SIMI had lobbied for the second registration plate for six or seven years and it was a huge boost for us to

achieve that. The arrival of the second registration in July has started a rebalancing of what had been a very squeezed and lopsided business, where roughly 80% of all business would have been conducted in the first three or four months of the year.

“The second plates have been a massive success and are here to stay. They will allow us to balance things out better – but the market is still dreadful. July this year will account for about 15% of annual volume, whereas in the past that figure would have been closer to 3-4%.

“It’s a step in the right direction but there remains an awful lot more to do, beginning with some acknowledgement from the Government of the importance of the motor industry to the Irish economy.”

Best Wishes To linders of Chapelizod, From

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OPENING HOURS Mon - Fri 8am-8pm | Sat 9am-6pm | Sun10am-4pm Email: sales@smf.ie | www.smf.ie Telephone: (01) 4500887 92

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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A

rgent Equipment Ireland is a fully approved HGV and LGV Vehicle Test Centre and are part of the VTN Network. Their full range of services includes, Tachograph Calibration, Speed Limiter Calibration and Weight Plating.

Based in the Parkmore Industrial Estate on the Long Mile Road in Dublin 12, the company is fronted by Jim McGrath, whose many years’ experience in the haulage industry has been one of the reasons for their success.

Having specialised in the supply of garage equipment for many years, a decision was made to diversify into vehicle testing about six years ago and the company hasn’t looked back since as the customer base has grown on an annual basis.

Providing a high quality fully authorised service to a catchment area that covers Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Wicklow and further afield, Argent Equipment has continued to set high standards that they consistently meet as the test light and heavy goods’ vehicles.

Over the past few years, hauliers have focused

The company is based on the Long Mile Road in Dublin 12

Argent Equipment is a fully approved HGV and LGV Vehicle Test Centre

Argent continue to impress Since its inception in 2007 Argent Equipment (Ireland) Ltd has gone from strength to strength and is now considered one of the top vehicle testing network companies in the country.

CONTACT DETAILS

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Argent Equipment Ireland Ltd. 21 Parkmore Industrial Estate, Long Mile Road, Dublin 12 Email: info@trucktesting.ie Website: www.trucktesting.ie Tel: 01 450 8414 Fax: 01 450 8412

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Continued Best Wishes To Argent Equipment Ireland Ltd From

Brittas Commercials Commercial Vehicle Repairs | Heavy Plant & Machinery Repairs DOE & NCT Preparation | Sales & Service | On Site Repairs

Ivor Bryan Tel: 01 458 3050 | Mobile: 087 229 1265

Email: ivor@brittascommercials.ie | Brittas, Co. Dublin (1km from Blue Gardenia) Best Wishes To Argent Equipment Ireland Ltd

P FARRELLY

Best Wishes to Argent Equipment Ireland Ltd from

HAULAGE CONTRACTOR

Gravelmount, Castletown Navan, Co. Meath.

Brian Daly

Tel: 046 9054160 Fax: 046 9054539

TRANSPORT Ratoath, Co. Meath.

Mobile: 087 7882472 E: paddyfarrelly1@gmail.com

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Best Wishes To Argent Equipment Ireland Ltd

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Mortons Coaches Ltd Taylor’s Lane, Ballyboden, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 Tel: 00353 1 4944927 | Fax: 00353 1 4944694 Email: info@mortonscoaches.ie www.mortonscoaches.ie

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more on maintaining their current fleet rather than spend thousands on new vehicles. At Argent, the customer gets much more than just a test as they also supply, fit and calibrate tachographs, while they also specialise in road limiters.

Three years ago, Argent Equipment Ireland installed a new Stoneridge Tachograph Rolling Road. The first to be installed in Dublin, the rolling road is used for Tachograph Calibrations and Speed Limiter Setting.

Jim revealed it was a worthwhile investment which he says reduces the calibration time taken by more than 50%. “This saving gives us our investment back in under a year,” he said.

“The equipment will also be used by the Renault Trucks workshop to carry out live test drives at up to 60Km per hour, resulting in much time saved on road tests.”

With five testing bays at their disposal, Argent’s state of the art facility ensures that customers will not be left hanging around waiting for their vehicle as we all know that downtime is the bane of the haulage industry.

“There has been major investment put in to the business over the years to ensure that all the latest technology is at the technicians’ disposal. All 12 staff are highly trained in their field of expertise, which all helps running the business so successfully.”

Such is the high esteem that Argent are thought of that they even offer on-site tachograph training for anyone wishing to be involved in the industry.

They have also added a new service that has been up and running for a number of months now and that is the Road Safety Authority (RSA) approved six-weekly vehicle check. This is where Argent keeps a complete record of all trucks tested through a unique software package.

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

The vehicles are brought in for the checks and any small defects can be repaired.

Jim revealed that this programme has been running for the past six months and was proving very cost effective for the customers.

“This is certainly a cost savings measure for the customers as they are dealing with problems before they become too troublesome or costly. All the customers involved in this have been delighted with the savings they can make.”

Argent Equipment Ireland imports and distributes garage equipment and vehicles testing equipment for HGVs, supplying all relevant tools, gear and devices into the trade. VTN Test rate highly on the list of clients.

“Argent can supply any equipment that a garage might need. As well as importing the equipment, they can also install and calibrate it as well as provide training to the operatives on how the equipment works and how to get the maximum benefits from each piece of equipment.”

Argent Equipment Ireland continues to be a market leader in the importation of garage equipment and vehicle testing and Jim stated that he and his team were pleased with the direction that the company was heading.

“We’ve been doing very well, but complacency will not be a factor as they are always looking at ways of improving the service. The testing side of the business should continue to go strong.

Truckers are holding on to their vehicles that bit longer now and these all need to be maintained and tested, while hauliers have to keep their tachographs in order. The VTN centre is here to provide a service to the public and the aim is to continue providing commercial vehicles users with a service that they can depend on.”

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The premises are located on the Dublin Road, Limerick

Celebrating 40 years in business Synonymous with the motor industry in the Mid-West, Frank Hogan Ltd (also trading as Frank Hogan Limerick) is celebrating 40 years as a main Volkswagen dealer. Head of commercial sales Noel Daly explains more.

CONTACT DETAILS 96

Frank Hogan Limerick Dublin Road, Limerick Tel: 061 416000 Email: sales@frankhogan.ie www.frankhogan.ie

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Commercial Sales Manager Noel Daly

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles under the canapy at Frank Hogan

I

n addition to Volkswagen, Frank Hogan is also a main dealer for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Mercedes Benz, Skoda and SEAT, as well as an Audi Aftersales dealer.

The family-run business was appointed a main Mercedes Benz dealer in 1975, and took on the Skoda and SEAT franchises for Limerick and Munster in recent years.

Operating from state-of-theart premises on the Dublin Road in Limerick and just off the M7, Frank Hogan has established itself as one of the leading motor retail companies in the country.

At Frank Hogan, you will find the latest and most competitive offers on new cars and commercial vehicles, a wide choice of approved used vehicles, and a highly-trained, friendly and courteous staff with the expertise to handle all of your servicing and maintenance requirements. The garage also offers dedicated fleet support authorised accident repairs and a trade parts specialist operation.

Founder and Managing Director Frank Hogan had cut his teeth with Hayes’ Garage on Limerick’s Mulgrave Street, which had

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

Managing Di rect Frank Hogan or

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IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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The Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles line up, l/r: Amorak, Transporter, Crafter and Caddy

been a Volkswagen dealer before it ceased trading. He has a wealth of experience in the trade, as does Noel Daly who joined the Frank Hogan sales team last February after being partner in a Toyota franchise, O’Mara Motors in Limerick.

Frank is joined in the business by his sons Paul and Ron, Dealer Principals for Mercedes-Benz and Skoda respectively.

The garage employs 40 staff – many of who have spent most of their working lives with the company – and attracts customers from all over Ireland.

Frank Hogan is one of 24 Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles dealerships in the country, covering Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary.

Frank Hogan Ltd stocks the full range of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles as well an extensive range of quality used commercials. The commercial range includes the market-leading Caddy, Transporter, Crafter and Amarok. High quality, clever use of space and groundbreaking efficiency, the Caddy is a vehicle that sets standards and masters every task.

The larger Transporter and Crafter vans offer professionalism and can cater to all needs. The Amarok is an efficient and powerful 4x4 that can easily master every day-to-day challenge on the road or any terrain for that matter.

“We sell a brand that’s one

of the top sellers in Ireland.

The Caddy is a great van which has the lion’s share of the market in its category.

The Transporter, Crafter and Amorak are also top-quality vehicles,” Noel enthuses.

Apart from being highly appointed with exceptional specification across the range, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles now offer 0% APR on all orders for Caddy, Crafter and Transporter vehicles made before the 20 December for registration in January 2014.

It is a fantastic offer that will attract huge interest and means a new Volkswagen commercial is well within your reach. Hire purchase, leasing and contract hire are among the other services provided.

Frank Hogan has established a tradition of value-for-money and total dedication to customer service over many years. If you are looking for a particular model of van, you’ll be able to sit in it at the garage’s spacious showrooms. If you are not sure what you are looking for, there are a comprehensive range of models available to help you choose the right vehicle for your needs.

Noel explains how the needs of the commercial vehicle customers are completely different to those of car buyers.

“Commercial sales are more specialised. Things like dimensions, specifications, weights and sizes mightn’t mean much to the car buyer,

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

but they mean a lot to the customer that’s looking to buy a commercial,” explains Noel.

All of Frank Hogan’s used cars are fully checked, valeted and serviced before leaving the showrooms. They can service your car or commercial regardless of make or model. Their fullytrained and highly-skilled technicians will take care of your vehicle at a very reasonable price. Repairs and services must be booked in advance.

Frank Hogan’s sales department is open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and from 10am to 3pm on Saturdays.

The parts department is open from 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, and from 10am to 1pm on Saturdays. The services department opens from 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, but is closed on Saturdays.

After a difficult past five years, Noel believes the motor industry is turning the corner and is looking to the

future with optimism.

“2013 has been encouraging. The secondhand market is particularly vibrant at the moment,” he explains.

“Limerick has been especially hard hit. When Dell closed, it was a huge blow to the local economy and car sales in general suffered as a result.

“But we’ve been in recession for long enough and I would be very confident of an upturn. You have to be an optimist in this business.

“The new car registration system was a step in the right direction this year. New car sales for July were well up on the same period for last year which was well appreciated.”

For your next Volkswagen commercial/car, Mercedes Benz, Skoda or SEAT, why not give Frank Hogan Ltd a call. They will be delighted to hear from you!

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Beechfield Products has been in business for over 50 years

F

John Hastings with his grandson Eoin

ounded by the late John Hastings, the company was subsequently run by his son Tom & William (also deceased), who then passed on the baton to his sons John and David, who are the current directors. Their sons, Stephen and Peter, have followed them into the business, meaning that four generations of the Hastings family have been involved in the long-established business.

Beechfield Products operates from an 8,000 sq. ft. premises (some of which is leased out to another company) at Beech Walk, which is situated on the Limerick side of Roscrea. The company was granted an international haulage

license in 1988, but nearly all of its work is concentrated in Ireland where it is well known for its animal collection and animal waste products haulage services.

“Between the animal collection and animal by-products haulage service that we provide, we are kept very busy. We also do some general haulage, storage and skip hire, but the business still revolves around what we have been doing for the past 50 years,” John Hastings explains.

The family-run concern employs 15 staff which is divided between drivers, administration and personnel who are involved in processing casualty animals.

A key part of the business entails the

Beechfield Products still going strong after 50 years Beechfield Products has been in business in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary for over half a century, initially specialising in the collection of dead and worn out farm animals before expanding to provide professional licensed haulage and skip hire services.

CONTACT DETAILS

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Beechfield Products Beech Walk, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary Tel: 0505-21991 Fax: 0505-24652 Mobile: 086-2546403/2074254 Email: jhastings@eircom.net

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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These trucks are a familiar sight on the roads around Roscrea

transportation of animal byproducts, such as bone and offal, from meat factories to rendering plants which in turn produce animal tallow and bone meal. These plants include Dublin Products in Dunlavin, Co. Wicklow, Western Proteins in Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo and Foyle Proteins in Derry. Due to strict Department of Agriculture regulations, separate trailers must be used for the transportation of animal hide.

“It’s the busiest end of the business,” John says.

“We have five articulated trucks at it full-time. We collect the animal by-products from the meat factories and transport them to the rendering facilities. We work for the rendering plants as opposed to the meat factories.”

Beechfield Products is an approved collector of fallen,

sick or dead animals, providing a professional service to farmers with a daily collection guaranteed.

While acknowledging that business was good during last spring’s fodder crisis, John insists he took no satisfaction from the extra work and the hardship farmers endured.

“It was heart-breaking to see what some farmers were going through,” he remembers.

“They endured genuine pain and suffering. I really felt for them and wouldn’t wish it upon anyone what they went through. We didn’t put any pressure on them for payment because some of them genuinely hadn’t got the money. Thankfully, most of them have come through it with the good summer being a godsend for them. Hopefully, there will have enough fodder to carry them through next

winter and spring.”

The company’s fleet consists of modern, well maintained trucks and trailers, while low loaders and tippers are also available to handle almost any load. Most of the trucks are DAF which is no surprise given that main DAF dealer Guilfoyle Trucks are located just a short distance away.

“We’ve generally invested in DAF down the years because they are a reliable truck and Guilfoyle Trucks are on our doorstep. But we bought a second-hand Volvo recently which has been a welcome addition to the fleet in that it is able to get in and out of tighter spaces than the DAFs because it isn’t as bulky. We have plans to upgrade the rest of our fleet in the near future.

Recently we have approached Guilfoyles about a new Daf tractor unit, which we want to

buy before Euro 6 models come on line at end of year.

Due to an unhappy experience when buying first of Euro 4 in 2007 we have vowed never to buy early models that haven’t been well tried. Better to get end of well tried line than first of new model. Unfortunately a new Euro 5 Daf was no longer available so we have purchased a new Volvo from McCarty Commercials in Kilkenny instead. This new Volvo has entered service on 01/10/2013 and so far appears to be doing well. It will be watched carefully regarding MPG etc in comparison to our Dafs. The biggest attraction was Volvos service & maintenance package which is fixed totally so we will only be responsible for fuel & tyres,” he continues.

“As I already mentioned, we have five artics dedicated to

Beechfield’s impresesive fleet of trucks

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

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Beechfield is well known for its animal collection and animal waste products haulage services

haulage. We also have three vehicles dedicated to animal collection as well as three skip lorries and 25 trailers.” The skip hire end of the business has developed greatly in recent years. Beechfield Products offer industrial skip hire, skip hire for builders and skip hire for general household purposes.

Beechfield Products is committed to providing the highest standards of customer service possible. The company aims to achieve complete

customer satisfaction, so it’s hardly surprising that the same customers keep coming again and again.

“We get a lot of repeat business which must be a sign that we are doing things right.

We value our customers’ business and do all we can to look after their needs.”

For the past number of years, the Hastings family has been involved in the Roscrea-based Chernobyl children’s charity, Chernobyl Lifeline Ltd, which John set up in conjunction with

Andrew Walsh of Andrew Walsh Coach Hire and Henry Deane of North Tipperary County Council. The charity works in partnership with community-based Belarusian organisations to carry out programmes that include bringing children to Ireland for recuperation holidays.

“We have run numerous events to raise funds to bring the kids over here to stay with families in and around Roscrea, while we also bought medicine and equipment to send out to them. It’s great to

see the smiles on the children’s faces.”

Since 2007, Chernobyl Lifeline has been holding an annual vintage rally in Roscrea. Sadly, this year’s event didn’t take place due to bad weather, having been twice postponed in May and September.

“We originally organised it for May 12, but had to postpone it due to the rain. We rescheduled the rally for September 15, only for it to fall victim to the weather again. It was very frustrating when you consider all the sunny days we had this summer. But the rally will return in 2014 – you can be sure of that. It always gets great support from the people of Roscrea,” John concludes.

Anyone who is interested in making a donation to the Chernobyl children’s charity can contact John Hastings on 086 2546403, Andrew Walsh on 087 6781575 or Henry Deane on 087 2659022 for further information. They will be delighted to hear from you.

Best Wishes To Beechfield Products, From

DUBLIN PRODUCTS LTD. Dunlavin, Co. Wicklow A brand new Volvo alongside one of the company’s DAF

Continued Best Wishes To Beechfield Products, From

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Telephone: 0505 21395 | Fax: 0505 22068 Email: johnbutleradare@gmail.com www.adaretransport.com 102

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Best Wishes To Beechfield Products From

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beechfield designed_Layout 1 22/10/2013 13:19 Page 4

Wishing Continued Success To Beechfield Products, From

Youngs Opel (Roscrea) Ltd. We offer top quality and value in New & Used Cars, Light Commercials and Servicing & Repairs We provide a VTN Test Centre, Testing All Commercial Vehicles, Jeeps, Buses & Trailers Contact Colin on 0505 21266 | Fax: 0505 21203 Email: sales@youngsroscrea.ie | www.youngsroscrea.ie Limerick Road, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary Best Wishes From

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Continued Best Wishes To Beechfield Products, From

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Best Wishes To Beechfield Products, From

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Continued Best Wishes To Beechfield Products, From

Delaney’s

Agricultural Machinery (Ballaghmore Ltd) We specialise in AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY, SALES & SERVICE, SPARES Also Trailer Centre, Hire Shop & Chainsaw, Lawnmower Showroom Borris -In-Ossory, Co.Laois T:0505 21023/22700 | www.delaneyagri.ie IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

FOR ALL YOUR TRUCKING NEWS

www.irishtrucker.com 103

east west designed_Layout 1 22/10/2013 13:32 Page 1

From Connacht to the world For nearly 30 years, East West Express has been providing its customers with a top-class courier and distribution service. The family-run business has gone from strength to strength since becoming a member of The Pallet Network (TPN) in 2006 as Katherine Marren explains.

H

aving initially operated a small fleet of vans between Mayo and Dublin, the Charlestown, Co. Mayo-based company now offers a complete Irish, UK and European pallet transport service. The partnership with TPN means it can provide an overnight delivery service to or from anywhere in Ireland and a 48-hour service to or from anywhere in the UK. Established by husbandand-wife James and Marian Marren in 1985, East West Express had built a sound reputation for itself in the industry in the West of Ireland before the union with TPN catapulted it into the premier league of haulage operators in Ireland.

“We went from a one-man operation to employing 14 staff and running for 10 trucks within a matter of months,” remembers Katherine, who is joined in the family business by her brothers Andrew, Fergus and Cathal, as well as her aforementioned parents.

“All of our work had been concentrated on the Mayo/Dublin route before that.

On joining The Pallet Network, we made a significant investment in our fleet and premises. Six years ago, we moved into a new 10,000 square feet warehouse facility at Low Park, Charlestown.

CONTACT DETAILS

104

Winners of the Pallet Networks Depot of the Year award a few years ago James, Marian and Katherine Marren are pictured in front with Andrew Marren fourth from left at the back

Membership of The Pallet Network has opened us up to a much wider client-base and has enabled us to grow significantly, even through the recession.

“We pride ourselves on being able to provide the same great service to local, national and international customers.

And being a family business, we are able to offer them a personal touch and go the extra mile for them if needs

be.”

East West Express is committed to providing its customers with a high quality, reliable, fast and flexible service that is individually tailored to meet the needs of its customers. Its mission is to offer an unrivalled distribution service, from collection right through to the end user.”

The company is strategically located to serve the needs of customers from all over

Connacht.

“Charlestown is located in the centre of the province,” Katherine points out.

“We are located on the N5 Westport-Dublin route, the N17 Galway-Sligo route and are also just a stone’s throw away from Knock Airport.

Being local to our customers enables us to respond more efficiently to their transportation needs. We provide them with the benefit

East West Express Low Park, Charlestown, Co. Mayo Tel: 094 9254502 Mobile: 087 2556446 Email: eastwestexpress@eircom.net

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

east west designed_Layout 1 22/10/2013 13:32 Page 2

of local knowledge, local contact and a very personal service.

“We offer collections and deliveries service within Ireland, the UK and Europe.

The types of goods we distribute include parcels, cartons, palletised goods and containers. We will transport everything from a needle to an anchor.”

East West Express’ modern fleet of Mercedes, MAN and Scania trucks provide an express collection and national delivery of goods servicing a variety of industries. Total consignment visibility from collection through to delivery is assured thanks to the company’s sophisticated track and trace system.

The most comprehensive range of overnight freight services to the UK and 18 different European countries is also guaranteed, as is timely and complete proof of delivery.

East West Express has been a member of TPN since 2006

East West Express’ reputation as one of Ireland’s foremost distribution companies has been recognised by the prestigious awards it has won. It has received The Pallet Network’s Customer Service Depot of the Year Award on no fewer than four occasions. Each

year, TPN members from around the country vote in the awards, judging their peers on their performances in categories such as customer service and contribution to the national network.

In addition, East West consistently tops TPN’s Key

Performance Indicators (KPI) which measures everything from on time deliveries to pod completeness on a daily basis.

Similar to TPN’s other 23 members, East West Express is ISO:9001 accredited, having been awarded the accreditation in 2007.

Continued Success To East West Express From

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Laghey Waste are based in Tullywee

T

here are many chancers in the waste industry who are getting away with cutting corners and flogging the law.

However, since he took over the reins of Laghey Waste, Padraig Rooney has always done things by the book: adhering to all legislation; acquiring the relevant permits and licences; paying his dues; operating 100% above board.

“All our dumping is done legitimately and we pride ourselves on everything being above board,” he confirms.

“We have an exemplary record and we’ll keep doing things correctly.

“It’s a lot easier to be competitive when you aren’t doing things right, but we’ll strive to be as competitive as we possibly can be, within the law. Having said that, we’ll

The company co all of Donegavers l

only take on work that we can make a small profit out of; there’s no point doing work if it’s going to cost you.”

Laghey Waste has been providing a top-class waste management service for 32 years now, with recycling becoming an increasinglyimportant consideration in the day-to-day running of the company. The trend-setting waste management company’s origins go back as far as 1984, when founder PJ Rooney - Padraig’s father purchased his first skip hire lorry (the first of its kind in County Donegal).

He gradually built the business up from there.

Laghey Waste specialises in commercial waste disposal and skip hire within Donegal.

All waste is collected and disposed of in a

conscientious, eco-friendly and sustainable manner and this is one of the numerous reasons why so many customers have remained loyal to the company since those fledgling years.

As Donegal’s longestserving commercial skip-hire company, Laghey Waste provides an unrivalled service

t o businesses and companies throughout the county.

The fleet of vehicles used to provide this service comprises two skip lorries (one regular; one mini-skip), two bin lorries, hook loaders and a small collection truck for cardboard. The fleet is maintained in top condition at

Weathering the storm Times are even tougher than the mainstream media would have you believe, but Laghey Waste in Donegal is hanging in there by providing an excellent recycling and waste management service to commercial and domestic customers alike. Irish Trucker dropped into the company’s well-appointed facility at Tullywee in the village of Laghey and got an update on this resilient family business from proprietor Padraig Rooney – a man who derives great personal pride from the above-board nature of the service provided.

CONTACT DETAILS 106

Laghey Waste Ltd. Tullywee, Laghey, Co. Donegal Tel: 074 9721847/9721874/9722686

IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

laghey designed_Layout 1 22/10/2013 13:45 Page 2

all times.

All waste brought into the facility is painstakingly separated, sorted and processed, with the stated aim of diverting as much as possible from landfill.

Padraig – who runs the family business alongside brother Sean and sister Elaine – admits that the economic downturn has hit business hard: “Things are slower and it’s more of a struggle, but we’re still pushing on with it,” he notes. “Of course, there have been cuts but I think everyone is in the same boat. The last couple of years have been a struggle so it’s a matter of trying to

hold out and keep things ticking over.”

Some of the changes enforced on the business have seen a cutback in glass collection as well as a decision to concentrate on a more local catchment area.

“Due to the price of diesel, closer to home is better,” Padraig notes. “Most of our work is concentrated in the South Donegal area now.”

A major blow came on August 1st, 2012 when Donegal’s last landfill site at Ballinacarrick,, close to Ballintra, closed for the last time as it had reached full capacity. “We now have to take all our waste to Scotch Corner in Monaghan, which is

operated by Monaghan County Council,” Padraig reveals. “This is a massive inconvenience and has placed a lot of extra expense on us. When we started, we were just ten miles from a landfill site but it’s a full day’s work – including an extra lorry, extra diesel and one man – each time we go to Monaghan.

“It comes at a bad time, too, with another Government levy added to the landfill tax as well. This levy is really putting the boot into the likes of us.

Over 60% of the cost of a landfill dump charge – about €85 – goes straight to the Government. And it’s similar with diesel. They are bleeding

The fleet is maintained in top condition at all times

E&J Oil Services Ltd Wishing Laghey Waste Continued Success In The Future Ballintra, Co. Donegal Tel: (074) 97 34129 • Mobile: (086) 6007701 Email - bernie@ejoils.com

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Best Wishes & Continued Success To Laghey Waste From

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The Mall, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal

Tel: 071 9852422 | Fax: 071 9852849 Email: info@hutchinsonsolrs.com

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people dry. Costs seem to be going up all the time and rates are coming down …. but sure what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

The complete range of waste and recycling management services provided by Laghey Waste includes a weekly domestic wheelie bin service; commercial and industrial waste collection; recycling of glass, cardboard and plastics; skip hire; Roll on Roll offs; prepaid refuse and recycling tags. The Donegal company actively promotes reduction, reuse and recycling by ensuring that businesses benefit from the most innovative, cost effective and sustainable waste.

A wide range of skips is available, ranging from 2 cubic yard mini-skips to 40 cubic yard Roll on Roll offs, as well as commercial wheelie bins – 660 litre or 1,100 litre.

Looking to the future, Padraig Rooney is determined to keep the show on the road: “We’ll keep it going as best as we can for as long as we can,” he vows.

“As long as we can get a wage out of it – and keep four or five other families in a wage – then we’ll keep tipping along.

“I suppose when anyone starts up a business the dream is to build a little kingdom for yourself but this

Laghey Waste is in operation for 32 years

isn’t realistic and at the end of the day you’re happy just to keep the business going.

“Hopefully we can come out the other side of this recession. Everybody has struggled for the last five or six years and, no matter what anyone says, it’s getting worse rather than better. It’s getting harder every year and every Budget hits you with more expense. It’s far from easy, but you can only play the cards you’re dealt.”

Best Wishes To Laghey Waste

Clar Road, Donegal Town Tel: 07497 21482 / 07497 21081 Fax: 07497 22185

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Best Wishes To Laghey Waste

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0836 Network Fuel 2 6 6Card 52

6506 7264 T r a n s Vehicle R 7MCard0Holde8r: 3 6 2 6 6 51 321 eg6D : 555 0 6 7 2 6 4 7 7 Compa

ny: o p CardTNumber:

6 6 3

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M a r t i n Company: T o p T r a n s Card Holder:

M r

To talk to a member of our Fuel Card Team: Call 1850 222 262 Or email fuelcard@top.ie www.top.ie

M a r t i n

Vehicle Reg:

1 3 1 D 5 5 6 6 3

Expires:

0 6 Expires: / 1 4 0 6 / 1 4

Fu

Card Num

70

Company:

T o p

Card Hold

M r

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