2021 will see Cherrymore Kitchens & Bedrooms celebrating 25 years in business, so Building Ireland felt it was time to catch up with its co-director Harry McLoughlin to learn more about what is a thriving company at present.
The growth continues at Cherrymore Kitchens & Bedrooms as they continue to increase staff numbers across four different locations year on year.
Since its inception in 1996, developing and manufacturing has always been the main passion at Cherrymore and the company’s designers are renowned for their innovative use of materials, and impeccable eye for detail, guiding you from the design stages through to installation.
From sleek and stylish contemporary designs to the timeless and classic traditional looks, Cherrymore’s highly skilled craftsmen take pride in perfecting every detail for you.
The company was founded by brothers Harry and Martin McLaughlin and the former spoke to Building Ireland about the growth of the business and how it has bounced back since government lockdown was lifted at the start of the summer.
“Right now we have over 70 full-time staff employed and have showrooms in Galway, Castlebar, Ballybofey and Donegal town,” Harry outlined.
“We’re very busy with retail and commercial work and it’s keeping all four of our locations busy at the moment.”
The company’s headquarters in Donegal town went through a 50,000sq ft. extension two years ago and they now work from a 100,000 sq. ft. premises in Donegal Town, with a second 50,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Ballybofey.
That’s a combined total of 150,000 sq. ft. between the two and they are equipped with the most modern technology to ensure that their products are manufactured to the highest standard possible. The company operates two separate arms to their business – one contract and trade division and a retail division.
With business now “getting back to normal” from government lockdown, as Harry puts it, Cherrymore has grown year on year to the point where they now call some of Ireland’s largest firms their clients.
“This year was looking good for us before the lockdown hit,” said Harry.
“Things were really starting to kick off for us before this (pandemic) hit and forced the government lockdown.
“We had to shut down overnight and were off for eight weeks altogether. We’re getting back to normal now though.”
Those eight weeks during lockdown were very much unchartered territory for Cherrymore.
Harry points out that even during the last economic recession which began in 2007/08, the business was able to pull through and thrive afterwards.
“We never let anyone go through the recession,” he said. “The way the thing is at the minute there’s a scarcity of houses in Ireland so we’ve branched out over the years.
“For example, we’ve done a lot of hotels up and down the country, so we don’t just have all of our eggs in one basket.”
Cherrymore are confident in their ability to deliver on every project and, at the moment, the company is immersed in some exciting ones.
“We’ve 291 apartments on in Dublin, 75 houses in Galway and then another housing scheme in Mayo,” beamed Harry.
“We’ve had a lot of repeat business from clients down through the years and at the moment we have a lot of work on, especially around Dublin and the east coast of the country.”
As a family run business, Cherrymore have acquired a reputation for supplying customers with their kitchen – how they want it, when they want it, and at the right price.
They take great care with your order at every stage. From helpful office staff who receive, check and process your order, to the individual production cell that has total accountability for constructing your kitchen, to the delivery crew who’ll ensure your kitchen makes it into your home in the same condition it left the factory, there is a dedicated team at Cherrymore making sure the whole process goes smoothly.
Many clients are returning customers, who also show their satisfaction with the company’s products by recommending them to friends and family.
So why do Cherrymore’s clients choose them ahead of other competitors in the same market? “Capability, capacity and having the right system in place to handle capacity – I think that’s why our clients choose us,” Harry stated.
“It’s about being able to meet project deadlines as well and, thankfully, we can say that we have a good bit of work lined up for the rest of this year.
“Now that could all change again with another outbreak, but we have a good enough order book at the moment.”
Like every other company in Ireland, Cherrymore will be hoping to avoid another shutdown at the hands of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Nothing seems certain at this point. However, you can almost count on further growth for Cherrymore should their doors stay open, as it has been a trend for the company for well over a decade now.
“We moved into this factory in 2007 and it was 40,000 square foot. We had 38 staff at the time,” Harry pointed out.
“We’re now up at 100,000 square foot in this factory and the company has in excess of 100 staff working.
“So the company has grown, the building has grown, the capacity has grown and we’ve been growing.”
With larger growth comes responsibility too and Health and Safety has always been paramount within the Cherrymore team.
They have their own H&S officer to ensure that all legislation and regulations are adhered to.
“We take health and safety very seriously and nothing is left to chance. There is a very good safety record in the company and that is something that we aim to continue,” Harry concluded.
If you’re aiming to create an environment that you will love spending time in, look no further than Cherrymore for the best service and support when it comes to Kitchens & Bedrooms.
Cherrymore Kitchens & Bedrooms
Ardlenagh,, Lurganboy, Donegal Town, Co. Donegal.
Tel: 074 972 5822
Web: cherrymore.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, March, Vol 7 No 3
Cherrymore Kitchens & Bedrooms
