Based in Co Waterford, Suirside Construction Ltd is a company which has earned a reputation for delivering projects of the highest standards. Building Ireland touched base with Operations Director Eddie Doherty recently to learn all about what is a thriving business.
Suirside Construction’s origins date back to 2007 when Ned Doherty founded the company and in 2013 it would become fully limited.
Since its inception 13 years ago, the company has grown into a recognised main contractor in the South East of Ireland after completing projects of all size and complexity in Public, Private, Commercial and Pharmaceutical Sectors.
Eddie Doherty is Operations Director of the business and was good enough to take some time recently to fill Building Ireland in on the details of current projects, as well as the hopes for the company going forward.
“We have carried out projects in different sectors all around the country and also have recently incorporated a fit-out company with ‘Suirside Fit-Out’.
“We have completed projects for clients such as Bausch & Lomb, Eirgen, Port of Waterford, Ardkeen Stores, Carlow Golf Club, Dore Opticians, Loko Restaurant and more.”
2014 saw Suirside Construction Ltd earn its first public sector contract and it seems as though they haven’t looked back since.
The company has been consistently growing, particularly in recent years, to the point where it now employs over 30 full-time staff.
By employing a professional office and site in-house team that takes pride in their work, Suirside stands out from its competitors.
The Senior Management at the company adopts a hands-on approach to help clients realise their dreams of building a world-class structure that can compete on a national stage with the best in the construction industry.
Suirside has managed to grow its reputation through a strong client focus, with all of its tradesmen being fully qualified they also encourage their further education to ensure their skills are always up to date.
“I believe clients choose us before our competitors because of the quality of finish and the attention to detail we put on all of our projects,” said Eddie.
“We’re not going to be the cheapest but you definitely get the best end product with Suirside and I think that’s something which has stood to us down through the years.”
Indeed, the company’s approach since ‘Day One’ has always been to deliver high quality finished products to clients specialising in the commercial, residential and pharmaceutical sectors.
Using specialist teams and highly trained workforce, Suirside Construction Ltd understand clients’ needs and deliver’s final products that exceed their expectations.
In the pharmaceutical sector, the company has been carrying out projects for Bausch & Lomb for half a decade now and recently completed works for the Ocular products firm in Waterford.
Works on the new Area 8 Solutions Room were completed in conjunction with Weltec Engineering and although the team had to adhere to new Covid-19 restrictions, the project was completed on program and within budget in a live pharmaceutical factory during the difficult times. With the success of this project, Suirside Construction LTD have signed contracts to start on another two similar projects within the factory prior to Christmas.
Matthew Haberlin has been Suirside Construction’s Site Manager on the Bausch & Lomb project for the last number of years anddeserves a special mention for his contribution to ensure its success.
Among Suirside’s different range of services is also conservation work, which shone through last year when the company carried out work on the Waterford Art Gallery.
It was developed in a previously disused building on O’Connell Street in Waterford, close to the city’s Cultural Quarter.
The purpose-developed art exhibition space allows the Waterford City Council to show off its municipal collection and Suirside Construction Ltd were delighted to complete conservation work on the late Georgian, early Victorian building.
“Last June we finished the Waterford Art Gallery conservation project, which was done for Waterford County Council. It was officially opened in October and we’re very proud to be part of the project as it means so much to the city in that area,” Eddie stated
Last year also saw Suirside Construction Ltd’s highest turnover reached and while 2020 has saw a stumbling block hit with the Covid-19 pandemic, business is still flourishing down on Gulfstream Avenue.
“We have a number of current projects on the table at the moment with another 4/5 to start prior to our Christmas break,” said the Operations Director.
“As with the rest of the country lockdown has affected us this year and you can see it with the lead time now on materials, and the rising prices on raw materials.”
Suirside Construction Ltd is guided in all of its work by the guarantees that they give to clients.
Forging a long-term relationship is important to the company and its staff and they’re focussed on ensuring the finished project exceeds the expectations set for every project.
Along with father and son, Ned and Eddie Doherty, Project Managers Micheál Fanning and Dean Kearns, William Curtin & Ben Kerwick (Quantity Surveyor), Lorraine Ennis (Accounts & Payroll Admin) and Natasha Holden (Receptionist) all help to lead the business each and every day.
Looking towards the coming months, Eddie can certainly envisage Suirside Construction Ltd adding to its team of staff in order to keep up with the current needs from clientele.
“We have a lot on right now you could say, and in 2021 we would expect more of the same as we are currently tendering for projects further away than in previous years”
“With the government after providing more finance for social housing in 2021, I cannot see the construction industry slowing down. We are confident things will get back to some sort of normality next year and we can stay busy like we have been in recent times,” he concluded.
Suirside Construction Ltd
Gulfstream Ave,
Airport Business Park,
Waterford,
X91 YD65
Tel: 051 307 044
E-mail: [email protected]
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, January 2021, Vol 7 No 1
