Celebrating 30 years in business, Ballyglass Truss Company Ltd is a leading manufacturer of superior roof trusses and open web floor joists. The company also provides a fitting service as required and has customers nationwide.
Operating from a purpose-built facility at Cloncollig Industrial Estate in Tullamore, Ballyglass Truss is a family-run business and NSAI-approved truss & open web joist fabricator which continues to go from strength to strength. All roof trusses are in full compliance with IS193, IS444, BS5268 Part 2 & 3 and BS6399 Part 1, 2 & 3. In addition, Ballyglass Truss is listed in the approved schedule of firms by the Irish Institute of Research & Standards and is a member of the Timber Quality Bureau.
The company sources its timber – which is Scandinavian machine graded and CE marked C24 and TR26 graded – from PEFC or FSC certified suppliers. Founded by Paddy Keating and his late brother Mick, Paddy now runs Ballyglass Truss along with Mick’s son, James. Among its 13 employees are Paddy’s daughter Tara, who has worked in the design department for the past 22 years, fellow designer Brendan McAuliffe, accounts manager Joe Egan and another nephew of Paddy’s, Maitiú Keating.
“Mick and I set up the company in 1991 after noticing that no-one in our area was making roof trusses,” Paddy recalls.
“We were experienced carpenters at the time and felt we could fill that gap in the market. Sadly, Mick passed away five years ago when his son James stepped into his shoes. The name Ballyglass came from an old corn mill which was located near our homeplace in Daingean. We used to have a darts team called Ballyglass, while my father played football for Ballyglass, who merged with Daingean GAA many years ago.”
The new company quickly established itself as one of the premier manufacturers of roof trusses in the midlands, supplying to hardware stores, builders and those building their own home. Before long, Ballyglass Truss expanded to other parts of the country and now boasts customers nationwide.
“We originally catered for customers in Offaly, Westmeath, Laois and Kildare before breaking into the Dublin market. At the moment, about 80% of our orders are coming from the West of Ireland where Cooney’s Homevalue are one of our biggest customers. They have outlets in Athenry, Elphin, Frenchpark, Castlerea and Ballina. Cosgrave Brothers in Dublin are another long-standing client of ours,” Paddy explains.
“We manufacture bespoke roof trusses for the residential, commercial and retail sectors. We can also supply and fit if required, but manufacturing is our ‘bread and butter’.”
The Co. Offaly concern has invested heavily down through the years in its facilities, technology and staff, who have completed various courses on timber grading and conversion to European standards. The company has its own timber grader, which is essential in ensuring a quality product.
To maintain a competitive edge, you have to build it fast, build it to last and build it for less. That’s why designers, specifiers, fabricators and builders’ merchants are turning to Space-joist for bespoke open web floor solutions. The pioneering system of its kind in Ireland and the UK, Space-joist can typically be made to any depth between 219mm and 600mm, with freedom in web configuration to allow for large services in any position. Robust in transit, and with exceptional resistance to dynamic loading, the system is unrivalled by any other timber engineered alternative.
Space-joist is popular because of its ability to clear-span wide areas without the need for load-bearing walls or post and beam requirements. The custom-designed Space-joist system reduces the amount of ‘bounce’ that may be found in conventional framed floor joist systems. It’s better, stronger and can be installed faster than traditional beam construction. It can also accept a liquid screen to include underfloor heating which is now ever popular in passive homes.
This premium floor solution provides improvements in dynamic loading so it feels like a firmer floor. Joist shrinkage and twisting which cause cracked ceilings and squeaky floors are a thing of the past thanks to Space-joist. Precision-controlled manufacturing techniques give you consistently even floors and ceilings.
Once the trusses are onsite, the builder can really start to see the benefits. The consistent size and height of the manufactured Space-joist means easier subfloor material installation, while the open web design allows for the utilities to be run in between the floor system without drilling or cutting holes. These benefits reduce the amount of time contractors spend onsite, speed up construction and ultimately save you and the builder money.
Quality, outstanding workmanship, attention to detail, value-for-money and a commitment to working closely with clients to deliver total satisfaction are the hallmarks of this well-run company.
“We have huge experience,” Paddy points out.
“As a family-run business, we are also able to offer our customers the personal touch that keeps customers coming back. We provide a very personalised service. When someone rings up to make an inquiry, they’re dealing directly with the company directors and knowledgeable staff, and not with a salesperson. We’re helpful, friendly and will go the extra mile for our customers.”
Paddy would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all the Ballyglass Truss team, and to thank the company’s clients and suppliers for their continued support.
Here’s to the next 30 years of Ballyglass Truss Co!
Ballyglass Truss Co Ltd
Cloncollig Industrial Estate,
Tullamore,
Co. Offaly.
Telephone: 057 9352166 / 087 2794370 (Paddy) / 087 2916424 (James)
Email: [email protected]
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, January 2022, Vol 8 No 1
