Beckett & Company is a leading suspended ceiling and drywall specialist which employs 60 people in Dublin and has undertaken many prestigious projects in the capital for the likes of PJ Hegarty, Stewart Construction, John Paul Construction, BAM and John Sisk & Son.
The company was established in September 2005 by father-and-son Eric and Darren Beckett, and grew rapidly before scaling back dramatically during the recession. The economic recovery signalled a return to growth which has seen Beckett & Company come to the forefront once again.
“Within 18 months, we had 120 staff on our books,” managing director Darren recalls of the company’s genesis at the height of the Celtic Tiger.
“But then the recession hit and we were down to just three staff at our lowest point. Thankfully, things have picked up since then and we’re on an upward trajectory once more. Our workforce is back up to 80 and we’ve plenty of working going on in and around the city.”
Beckett & Company prides itself on being a family business above all else.
“As a family-run business, we’re able to provide the sort of personal service that you just don’t get from the big contractors. We’re always at the end of the phone for our customers and will go the extra mile to look after their needs. The repeat business we receive is testament to our success. We’ve never tried to be the biggest – only the best. Because most of our work is secured through word of mouth, we rarely advertise. Our work speaks for itself.
“The Beckett name is well-known in the business through my father who ran Beckett Ceilings, which was the biggest ceiling contractor in the country once upon time. He stepped back from Beckett & Company three years ago, but continues to be a great help to me. I’ve learned a lot from him since I started working for him as an 11-year-old.”
Providing quality and value-for-money fit-out solutions to the commercial, residential, pharmaceutical and hotel sectors, and committed to the finest workmanship and attention-to-detail, Beckett & Company specialises in suspended ceilings, drylining, metal stud partitions, taping and jointing, external rendering, skimming, carpentry, acoustic ceilings, drywall bulkheads and ceiling repairs among other things. The company’s wide range of skills and vast experience enables it to deliver on all types of projects and exceed customers’ expectations.
Since its inception, Beckett & Company has undertaken and completed several substantial fit-out contacts to the highest quality and design standard, on time and within budget. Among the high-profile projects it has worked on are the Covanta incinerator in Poolbeg, the extension to Castleknock Hotel Country Club in Castleknock, the 160-bed extension to the K Club in Co. Kildare, the Mallinckrodt Pharmaceutical plant in Blanchardstown and the Blackhall Place student accommodation development.
More recently, the Aylesbury-based contractor has worked alongside BAM, Duffy Construction and PJ Hegarty on the Intel Microchip facility in Leixlip, John Sisk & Son on the Herbert Park Hotel / Office Block in Ballsbridge, John Paul Construction on the SK Bioteck pharmaceutical plant in Swords, Ardmac Builders on Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) pharmaceutical facility in Swords, Collen Construction on two commercial units at the Horizon Logistics Park in Swords, Duggan Brothers on the Irish Stock Exchange expansion in Dame Street and M&P Construction on a commercial unit on Mespil Road.
Last year, Beckett & Company joined forces with PFP (Passive Fire Protection) Ireland to form a new company called PFP High Performance Insulations. Specialising in fire protection of steel beams and column encasings, the new venture has hit the ground running and has carried out work for BAM on Boland’s Quay and JJ Rhatigan on the Lansdowne Place apartments development.
“Chris Barry of PFP Ireland and I came together over six months ago to set up PFP High Performance Insulations after we identified a niche in the market for the type of work that’s somewhere between dry wall and fireproofing. It has been the perfect fit,” Darren explains.
Boasting an outstanding track record, PFP Ireland is a specialist passive fire protection company, from specification to inspection. Its specialist on-site and off-site teams offer decades of experience across the Irish construction sector. The company offers design and delivery as well as off-site and on-site solutions, including liaison with suppliers and sub-contractors.
Darren concludes by saying: “We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our clients for their continued support. I’m pleased to say that we enjoy an excellent working relationship with some of the largest and best-known main contractors in the country. Long may that continue to be the case.”
Beckett & Company
34 Kiltipper Avenue,
Aylesbury,
Dublin 24.
Telephone: 01 452 1808
Fax: 01 452 4116
Email: [email protected]
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, May, Vol 5 No 4
