Since its inception in 1993, Temec Ltd. has developed into one of Ireland’s premier mechanical services engineering companies, delivering prestigious largescale projects across the commercial, industrial, retail, educational, medical, recreational and institutional sectors. Building Ireland met managing director Joe McCarthy to find out more.
From Trinity’s Biomedical Sciences Institute, the RCSI and Pathology Buildings in Beaumont Hospital, Dundrum Town Centre Buildings 3&4, the Westin and Hilton Hotels to Block E, H and I in Central Park, Temec has delivered unrivalled mechanical engineering solutions on some of Ireland’s most iconic buildings over the past quarter of a century.
The company can include Green Properties, AIB, Easons, Royal College of Surgeons, Samsung, Vodafone, Standard Life, Mastercard and the RDS amongst its impressive portfolio of satisfied clients, regularly taking on projects alongside a veritable who’s who of the country’s main developers and contractors.
Regarding the key ingredients that have helped establish Temec as a commercial mechanical contractor of choice, MD Joe McCarthy notes: “There are a number of key factors for our success and reputation for top quality projects. We carry out the installation works with our own workforce, rather than acting as a management company for labour only sub-contractors. This allows us ensure quality workmanship. We also ensure that all levels of staff get involved in multiple aspects of each project. This provides them with invaluable experience in numerous aspects of our business and results in our workforce taking a personal interest, and pride, in the finished product. Also from a management viewpoint, it continually results in fresh thinking and new ideas, allowing our company to stay at the forefront. We also take a long term view on our projects. Building and maintaining our reputation is extremely important and it’s not always about the financial bottom line. We focus on delivering quality work. We also know the importance of our supply chain, and by treating them with respect and fairness, we know we will get great service, which passes on to the projects we complete.
“The work has to be carried out to the highest standards of quality and safety. We would like to think that we are the first choice mechanical contractor for some very prestigious developers and you can only get to the top of that list by providing a very good service.”
Temec is fully committed to delivering modern and effective multi-disciplined services, using the latest industry procedures to ensure that all projects are delivered on time and within budget. Their pro-active approach and management systems ensure an effective and prompt interaction with clients as well as design and construction team members.
With a proven track record for excellence, Temec Ltd. invest considerable senior management time and finance to ensure that staff and systems develop and evolve to reflect the changing demands of the construction industry, leading to many high-value contracts and a large volume of repeat business.
Safe-T, IOSH, CIF and CIRI registered and certified, Temec have developed an A-grade in-house safety management system tailored to meet the specific needs of the company and the modern construction industry, which is continually developed to ensure the safety, health and welfare of staff and the general public. Temec also utilise an external safety consultant to carry out regular site safety audits and ensure that all safety procedures are rigorously adhered to.
“The company was formed by David Tumbleton and Derek Emerson in 1993 and was reorganised in 2007, when myself and Michael Kelly were brought on as directors,” reflects Joe, who was then made managing director in 2016. “By making these changes, it meant that our company could continue to grow and reflected the original owners’ commitment to their staff and desire for the company to continually develop.”
The recession decimated the construction industry shortly after Joe and Michael became directors – hardly ideal timing? “There were challenging times for everybody but we were fortunate in that we secured a large mechanical contract for the Trinity Bioscience Building in 2010, and along with other smaller contracts, kept us going through until 2013,” says Joe. “Since then we have grown each year, and we’ve had numerous contracts to keep working with the same clients and engineers that we’ve dealt with throughout the years. Most of our work is through consultants and the majority of it is repeat work. We have a good record of providing quality service to these guys and would like to think that we are the first company they think of when compiling tender lists.”
The bulk of work undertaken at present is commercial office blocks in the capital. “We’ve recently completed commercial office block developments for Green Properties – One Molesworth Street and 4-5 Harcourt Road. Last year we completed Block H Central Park, a 15,000 sq metre CAT A office block, also for Green Properties, and recently completed its full fitout for AIB. We are currently working on Block I, Central Park – an eight-storey commercial office block – as well as 43-49 Mespil Road, a commercial office refurbishment for Davy Target Investments. Along with numerous other projects, we have continued to secure a stable supply of projects”
Mechanical contracting on commercial office blocks – new builds and refurbs – has developed into a specialist area of expertise for Temec. “We’ve been doing them for so long now that we know what to do and, perhaps more importantly, what not to do,” Joe states.
As well as commercial offices, Temec have carried out work in many other sectors from retail to tourism “We finished a Primary Care Centre in Drogheda at the start of the year and are currently working on plant replacement and upgrade works in a live office environment at Citibank, North Wall Quay.”
Direct employment is generated for a team of 45. “We carry out most of the installation work ourselves to maintain better control of the contract and to achieve a better quality installation,” the MD continues.
“Training is extremely important to us. We have a college training programme and currently have two guys in their final year of the DIT degree programme, and one in his final year Masters in BIM. We introduced this because training and upskilling benefits both the company and our workers, both in their day to day works, and also their personal wellbeing. We also ensure that our staff work on numerous aspects of each project which both keeps them interested in their work, and provides the company with fresh thinking.”
While a widespread labour shortage has been reported in skilled trades in Ireland since the downturn, Joe points out that Temec have not been adversely affected… “Most of our staff have been with us for a number of years, and hopefully will be for many more. As with our business view, we also take a long term view with our workforce, and are not a hire and fire type company. Even during tight times, we always paid the correct rates, even though it put us at a commercial disadvantage to some of our competitors. Fortunately this works both ways, and by the company showing loyalty to our workforce, the workforce in turn show loyalty to the company. The has resulted in a very stable and highly-skilled, experienced workforce.”
How’s the order book looking at present? “It’s one of those industries where it goes up and down. We’ve had a very busy two years, hit a bit of a quiet spell, and now have a number of new projects due to kick off, so things are looking promising.
“It’s still very competitive out there in the marketplace and you have to battle for most projects. We’ve also managed to get many projects on the strength of our reputation and past performance and fortunately for us, clients do appreciate quality, ongoing service and the end product and, although price is obviously a keen consideration, it is not the deciding factor in many cases.”
Regarding the future of the industry “There are a number of issues that are affecting the industry. Brexit is obviously going to be an issue going forward and its currently unknown effect on investment and the supply chain. Introducing new people to the industry is also an issue across the board, from apprentices to engineers, but the CIF and DIT are making great efforts to address this.
“Also, unfortunately there also still unscrupulous employers out there that take advantage of their workers and this can reflect poorly on the industry,” the managing director of Temec Ltd. concludes. “That said, the industry is still on the up, and we feel very positive about the next few years. We have developed a very sustainable business model, embraced new technologies, and have a workforce second to none, so how could we not be positive about the future?”
Temec Ltd.,
Unit 3,
Kinsealy Business Park,
Kinsealy Lane,
Malahide,
County Dublin.
K36 FN80
Tel: 01 8462366
Email: [email protected]
Web: temec.ie
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, December 2018, Vol 4 No 11
