Spotlight on: Pat O’Donnell & Co

Afamiliar industry name, Pat O’Donnell & Co has been in existence for over fifty years! Here, we find out a little more about the organisation…

Pat O’Donnell & Co. was founded in 1970 on a small site at Richmond Avenue, Fairview, Dublin with an initial staff of three and the acquisition of the sole agency for the Swedish-built Volvo range of wheel loaders and articulated dumptrucks.

ABOVE: 2006 launch of Volvo EC700 at Head Office Demonstration Area

Number one

Pat O’Donnell & Co. brought the Volvo wheel loader from a 5% market penetration to an undisputed No. 1 position in Ireland within ten years.

In 2005 the company moved to a purpose-built Head Office at California Heights, Chapelizod.

The company employs almost 100 people in purpose-built branches in the four provinces, located at Dublin, Cork, Galway and Portadown.

Commitment

Pat O’Donnell’s approach to his business demands total commitment to customer care and the logistics of carrying this philosophy through to a daily reality means substantial and ongoing investment programmes.

Three out of every four members of staff are involved full-time in aftersales aspects of the operation: spare parts, workshop repairs, field service and technical training.

Pat O’Donnell has been successful at matching quality, proven products to the needs and demands of the Irish market.

The product portfolio has been expanded over the years by the addition of world-renowned brand names from Finland, Italy and the U.S., complimentary to Volvo and ranging from cranes to crushers.

Pat O’Donnell & Co.’s current product portfolio includes Volvo, Volvo Penta, Rammer, Avant and Sennebogen.

ABOVE: Pat O`Donnell, MD, at his desk in Fairview 1990s ABOVE: 1970s Fairview premises Dublin

Irish-owned

The company remains wholly Irishowned, with a history of success spanning more than four decades in one of the economy’s toughest and most competitive sectors: a position which has been built and consolidated in spite of the cyclical downturns to which the sector as a whole is prone.

Pat O’Donnell & Co.’s products are to be found working in an almost endless array of Irish businesses, including civil engineering projects, sawmills, quarries, materials handling and mushroom composting.

Pat O’Donnell has built up personal relationships over the years with customers all over Ireland, now often extending to the next generation in many family-owned operations.

Unique perspective

He is therefore daily conversant with the views and needs of Irish business, allowing him an almost unique perspective on the problems, concerns and aspirations of senior management in both our traditional and new industries, whether import- or exportoriented.

‘SucceSSful at matching quality, proven productS to the needS and demandS of the iriSh market.’