Cunningham Contracts Group is a leading Building & Civil Engineering Contractor that delivers projects for clients across Ireland and the UK. Building Ireland touched base with Operations Director Lisa Murtagh to hear all about the ins and outs of the company, its current projects and double nomination at this year’s Irish Construction Industry (ICI) Awards.
Business is thriving at Cunningham Contracts Group. The plan for the company is to continue building on our successes.
The company recently carried out multiple projects on a large semi-conductor plant in Leixlip, County Kildare, as well as a world-class pharmaceutical plant in Blanchardstown. The former was a 48-month project which included Cleanroom Construction, BIM co-ordination, installation of critical infrastructure around existing live services along with complex civil engineering works.
The past 12 months saw around 60 additional employees added to the headcount at Cunningham Contracts Group as the company continues to grow and consequently strengthen its team.
Lisa Murtagh has been an integral part of that team for the best part of a decade now and has served as its Operations Director for the past four years. Lisa provided Building Ireland with some insight into the current climate for the company and its hopes for the future.
“No doubt, the market has been challenging over the past year with difficulties arising from inflation and skill shortages, but, for us, we have done particularly well, we never shirk a challenge,” she outlined.
“We have been successful on some key tenders which sees us currently operating across the following sectors: Pharma, Critical Infrastructure, Civils, Education, Healthcare and Residential.”
For Cunningham Contracts Group, the project books look healthy with a €40m project recently secured with South Dublin County Council.
“We are particularly pleased to announce that we have been appointed by South Dublin County Council for a new large-scale €40m development in the west of the city which is part of a major urban regeneration plan,” said Lisa. “For us, that was a major win and the future continues to look bright.
“Completing more and more specialist construction projects has been a focus of the business. Our work winning ability, expertise in planning, design, and construction, combined with continuing to exceed client expectations has allowed us to realise that ambition.”
Originally founded by Tim and Joanne Cunningham in 2006, Cunningham Contracts Group has established itself as leaders when it comes to delivering projects across all sectors.
In May 2021 the exponential growth of the company was epitomised by a move into ultra-modern, state-of-the-art, corporate headquarters. The new offices were of course self-delivered within an impressive five-month timeframe. Fast-forward two-and-a-half years and business continues to grow despite the many significant challenges being encountered within the industry. Plans to open a further office in the Dublin region are similarly reflective of ongoing growth, despite the odds.
On the night of November 2nd, the company was up for awards in two categories at the annual Irish Construction Industry Awards at The Mansion House in Dublin.
Cornamona Court was an urban development on a brownfield site in the heart of Dublin. It incorporates the largest residential scheme undertaken by Dublin City Council since 2008. The development was designed and delivered with sustainability in mind, using environmentally friendly building methods, waste management procedures and energy saving measures to reduce its carbon footprint in terms of both the completed built assets and the construction processes utilised.
As for Blackwater House, Cunningham Contracts Group were given the brief of conserving, remodelling, and refurbishing the historic Blackwater Building and carrying out an extensive specialist fitout inside the listed building originally constructed mid-19th Century. The project delivered a future-proofed solution in a listed building, all the while ensuring minimal disruption to existing services within the live St Davnett’s Hospital campus. Consequently, the client currently enjoys use of an industry-leading care environment which incorporates the latest medical infrastructure, thereby exceeding the care needs of the community.
“These two projects were certainly ones that Cunningham Contracts Group are proud of. They were not without their challenges and complexities but overcoming those intensifies the pride felt,” beamed Operations Director Lisa.
“The Cornamona project in the heart of Dublin was an excellent project to deliver, along with Blackwater House as both projects really showcased our expertise and our quality workmanship.”
So, all of that considered, the burning question is what has been the secret behind Cunningham Contracts Group’s success to date? How has a small ‘start-up’ grown into what is now a thriving tier one Building & Civil Engineering Contractor with 200 staff and a golden reputation amongst its clientele?
“We are a very driven, ambitious and diverse team,” Lisa considers. “Something that is also key to our business is our self-delivery model. That self-reliance and diversity of experience gives us the control to deliver on time, to budget, with build quality assured for our clients every time. That’s key.”
Looking towards the months ahead for the company, its Operations Director is as optimistic as ever and it targets continued growth through delivering more projects that are top of the line.
“The hope is to keep growing the business. We have managed to increase our turnover year on year and we want to keep that continuity and keep being successful in the market and for the market,” she concluded.
Cunningham Contracts Group
Head Office
Unit 4 Peaken Suite,
Quayside Business Park,
Dundalk,
Co Louth
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 042 941 9700
Support Office
28 Derryboy Road,
Carnbane Industrial Estate
Newry,
Co Down BT35 6FY
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 028 3025 2695
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, April 2024, Vol 10 No 4
