A company with 27 years’ experience knows what their clients want and on occasion can even help the client decide what they want. Electrical contracting is one of the many skilled trades in the construction industry and experience is essential in this sector.
One company that has this length of experience is H&F Electrical Contractors Ltd, a Limerick based company that offers a nationwide service to its large customer base. Established in 1989, H&F Electrical Contractors Ltd offer a wealth of experience and expertise across all market sectors in delivering electrical, instrumentation, data network and ancillary electrical systems.
The company has become one of the foremost electrical, network communications and instrumentation contractors in Ireland while developing a prestigious client base.
Initially established by Frank Fogarty and Don Hickey, the company was taken over by employees Don Phelan, Tim Hogan and Neilus Sheehy. The latter speaks to Building Ireland about the changes the company has gone through and how they have survived the latest recession in this country.
“We are at our busiest since the downturn. We are growing all the time, about 30 or 40% a year since the recession ended. It was a tough time and we had to tighten up, re-strategize and consolidate our position to try and ensure we would come through it, which we did and that’s the important part,” said Neilus.
H&F has earned a reputation for excellence, not only in performance, but in quality, safety and service. H&F Electrical have successfully completed electrical projects across the construction spectrum, from Data Centres, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Industrial, Pharmaceutical, Commercial, Government and Technology sectors.
“Our objective is to work in partnership with our clients to obtain mutually positive results. Total customer satisfaction is highest on our agenda and we are continually improving our standards of excellence to meet our customers and since its formation has earned a reputation for quality workmanship and service.
“Our company operates to the strictest safety standards and all employees have a minimum Safe Pass, HF Electrical Safety Induction Program. Ongoing training forms an integral part of our Safety Policy.”
Neilus has been with the company for the past 15 years and he has worked on some prestigious projects during that time, while gaining invaluable experience in different roles in the company.
“I joined H&F Electrical Contractors Ltd in July 2001 as a Senior Quantity Surveyor. My duties included the day to day financial management of each project, liaising with the design and construction teams to ensure clients requirements were achieved within budget.
“In 2006, I took on extra responsibilities which included a more direct involvement in the estimating and preparation of tenders. In 2011, I was promoted to the position of director within the company, my additional responsibilities included minor contract management, purchasing and account management.”
Some of the projects that have been completed by H&F Electrical Contractors Ltd. in the past 10 years have included: APW, Galway. upgrade of electrical distribution systems in Merlin Park Hospital, Portiuncula Hospital and Cork University Hospital, Hibernian Insurance, Galway; Somerfield Distribution Centre, St Helens, England; Thomond Village Student accommodation, Limerick; AIT Engineering Block; Critical Care Unit, MWRH, Limerick; Medical School, University of Limerick. Projects for Dell in Limerick, Dublin, Poland, Morocco, Paris, Scotland and Finland specialising in Data centres and production lines.
“One of our main clients would be the OPW, where we have completed a large number of new builds and retro-fits of government buildings from Courthouses, Garda stations to offices including Longford Courthouse, Thurles Courthouse, Limerick Courthouse, Roxboro Garda Station and Revenue offices in Ennis and Limerick.
We were also the specialist electrical contractor for the baggage conveyor system in the new Terminal T2 in Dublin Airport, this comprised of providing power and controls for 6500m of baggage conveyor.
“We would get a lot of repeat business and I know that’s a sign that we are doing something right. We have been relatively fortunate in recent years that we have been able to steadily grow the business without too much risk attached, our staff maintains good working relationships with the companies we are working with and it makes all the difference. Irrespective of the scale or value of the contract every customer is treated with the same respect.”
H&F Electricals’ experience in HTMI specifications for hospitals has saw them become experts in this area and they have worked on many projects for the HSE.
“We would have an excellent knowledge of the HTMI spec for hospitals and we are currently working on a new MRI room in Tullamore hospital and Cat Scan in UCHG. One of our largest projects to date was the Critical Care Unit in University Hospital, Limerick which comprised of 44 specialised beds in ICU, CCU and HDU wards.
“We have also done UPS System, fire alarm and emergency lighting system upgrades on a large number of HSE Live sites throughout the country. We would also specialise in MV, LV and Generator upgrades on HSE LIVE sites where it is critical to maintain supply 24/7.”
The biggest challenge facing the industry at the moment is the low number of young people entering the trade and with the high number of recently qualified electricians working abroad, there is a vacuum there at the moment which is very hard to fill.
H&F Electrical operate to the highest standards and this has seen them take on more and more work. “Like I said earlier, we are at our busiest since the recession, there is a good bit of work ahead of us on our books, but we cannot rest on our laurels and have to continuously be out there looking for new opportunities while also maintaining the good relationship that we have with our existing clients.
H&F Electrical
Contractors Ltd.,
Unit 3,
Crossagalla
Enterprise Centre,
Ballysimon Road,
Limerick
t. 061 417 494
f. 061 412 818
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, November/December 2016, Vol 2 No 7
