Billy Moran & Sons Ltd in Legan, Co. Longford has been a leading supplier of plant and machinery to the Irish construction sector for almost 25 years.
Plant sales and servicing accounts for about 60% of the family business’ turnover. In tandem with this, Billy Moran & Sons offer pre-CVRT and full breakdown services for commercial vehicles as well as pre-NCT for cars and general repairs and servicing of private vehicles. Full diagnostics are available for all vehicles and machinery.
Billy Moran started the business as a sole trader in October 2000 before forming a limited company three years later. Joining him in the day-to-day running of the company are his son James and daughter Avril. Another son, William, was also involved before becoming a continental truck driver.
In 2004, Billy built a state-of-the-art workshop beside the family home in Legan and added an extra bay for articulated trucks in 2012. Over the years, the company has built up a large local customer-base which includes Kiernan Structural Steel, Midland Irish Peat (Klassman Deilmann), Ankerland Construction, Joe Quinn Transport, Longford County Council, Derrymore Peat, Damien Gannon Roofing, Galvin Construction, Lodgepark Landscapes, White Trailers, JMS Hire, Kenny Plant and Johnny Keenan Plant Hire.
“Machinery sales and servicing has always been our bread and butter,” James explains.
“But during the recession, this aspect of the business suffered and we had to concentrate on our other services. With the economic recovery, however, came a resurgence in plant sales. It’s what we’re best known for.”
Billy Moran & Sons is committed to providing a professional and value-for-money service to meet the growing requirements of its customers along with knowledge and understanding of the industry that will ultimately benefit them. A comprehensive range of quality used plant is stocked at all times, with the company having an excellent reputation for sourcing high-quality used mini-diggers, large excavators, track machines, telehandlers, forklifts and scissor lifts.
“We stock all the leading brands, including Hitachi and Kubota diggers and 360 degrees track machines, JCB telehandlers, dumper and loaders, and Genie scissor lifts. Our diggers range from 0.8 tonne upwards,” James continues.
“Our strong relationship with many reputable dealers in the UK allows us to source any size of machine to suit a client’s specific needs and budget. All our stock is HPI-checked for customer peace of mind and protection. We do a full background check if we’re buying from a new source.
“We insist on carrying clean, original stock which isn’t freshly painted. You’re taking the originality from the machine if you paint it or try to camouflage it. What you see is what you get! All stock is sold with a warranty and full-service history. We can also source new machines from main dealers. We still sell a small number of cars and vans to regular customers, but not on the same scale as we used to because of the impact Brexit has had on that sector.
“The customer comes first with us and we’re always available to deal with their queries.”
Billy Moran & Sons has met the challenges posed by Brexit and Covid-19 head on, and continues to go from strength to strength.
“While Brexit has led to longer delays, extra duties and tariffs and made good, clean stock harder to come by, it hasn’t held us back and neither has Covid, which hasn’t really had an adverse effect on the sectors we deal with. We’ve sold machinery all over Ireland as well as in the UK. We’ve supplied telehandlers to sites in Wales and London for Kiernan Structural Steel who are a great local company here in Longford. We’re fortunate to have so many loyal customers.”
Furthermore, the family-business provides a mobile mechanical breakdown service to get you back on the road as quickly as possible. They have a MAN 6×2 rigid truck with a beavertail body dedicated to breakdown recovery as well as to the collection and delivery of stock. They also run a smaller MAN 4×2 tilt and slide and two service vans (Volkswagen Transporter and Mercedes Sprinter) for repairs on location.
Billy Moran & Sons can service and repair everything from cars and commercials to trucks, excavators and tractors, offering a top-class vehicle diagnostic and inspection service. The company’s pre-CVRT and NCT checks will ensure your vehicle passes its test with flying colours.
Business is booming for the plant sales specialist, so much so that James remarks that there “aren’t enough hours in the day!” He says: “The whole construction sector is really busy at the moment. But the shortage of young skilled workers is a concern. A lot of young people don’t seem to be interested in construction or any kind of physical work.”
Billy Moran & Sons would like to take this opportunity to thank all of its customers and suppliers for their continued support, and look forward to dealing with them for many more years to come.
Billy Moran & Sons Ltd
Clontymullen,
Legan,
Co. Longford,
N39 X754
Telephone: 043 6676133
Mobile: 086 8127597 / 087 9777595
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.billymoranandsons.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, December 2023, Vol 9 No 12
