Based in Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick, Ahern & Scanlon Ltd are specialists in oil, gas and solid fuel heating and servicing. Building Ireland heard all about the thriving company from one its co-founders, Seamus Ahern recently.
These are busy times for Ahern & Scanlon Ltd and company owners Mike Scanlon and Seamus Ahern are certainly intent on keeping things that way down south right into 2020.
This year marks an even two decades since the pair of Limerick natives first began working together and after setting up their business in 2005, they’re glad to report that they haven’t looked back since.
Ahern & Scanlon Ltd specialises in oil, gas and solid fuel heating and servicing, while also offering services in heat pumps, air to water heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, under-floor heating, heat recovery ventilation, solar panels, solid fuel heating, wood pellet stoves and boilers, central heating gas, oil and solid fuel, breakdown and repair service, boiler installations service and repair, complete bathroom refurbishments including level access bathrooms and showers, power flushing of central heating systems, domestic and commercial gas installation and service, hot and cold water plumbing, all repairs and breakdowns.
The company itself is RGI and SEAI registered, as well as being fully insured, with over 40 years’ experience between Seamus and Mike together.
Perhaps Seamus Ahern himself sums it up perfectly when he says that they offer services in “anything plumbing-wise”.
Building Ireland caught up with Seamus recently to learn all about the business – from its origins right up to its current projects.
“Myself and Mike would have started working together in 1999 and the company itself has been limited since 2007,” he outlined.
“We’ve nine working here, including three on apprenticeships and really we would do anything plumbing-wise. Heat pumps, solar panels, wood pellets, gas, oil, breakdown repair service, bathroom refurbishments, power flushing, domestic and commercial gas.
“We’d mostly cover counties Kerry, Limerick, Cork and Clare.”
With Abbeyfeale nestled right along the Kerry border, the company’s work often brings it right into the heart of the Kingdom and, with six vans – one of which is dedicated to services maintenance and repairs, it’s able to offer its services clear across the Munster region.
Carrying out contract work for Calor Gas since 2008 means each and every one of those vans is often required on a daily basis.
Right now business is brisk but it’s all a far cry from when Mike and Seamus first started out, as the latter himself outlined.
“Mike and I would have each started our apprenticeships in ’99 and began working together in 2005,” Seamus explained.
“When we became limited company (in 2007) the recession would have definitely had an effect on us. Thankfully, we carried out a lot of work for the Limerick County Council during those tough years and it got us through.”
The company’s contract with Calor Gas came in the meantime and with it arrived plenty of work on one off houses, along with chicken houses all over the southern province.
Fast-forward a decade later and Ahern & Scanlon Ltd continues to have a strong working relationship with clients such as Calor, having been developed through efficiency and trust over the years.
“We’re doing a good bit of work for J & B O’Sullivan Builders in Tralee at the moment,” said Seamus.
“There’s a project we’re on which is 15 houses and we’re working on a lot of one-off houses and a handful of jobs for Calor too. We’d have that contract with Calor since 2008.”
Of course, given the nature of the business, work is often seasonal at Ahern & Scanlon Ltd.
Surprisingly enough, the early months of the year tend to be the quietest ones, according to Seamus.
“Our quiet time of year would roughly be from around January to March and then it all usually kicks off after St Patrick’s Day for us,” said the co-director.
“We’d be doing work for around 10 different builders locally, so it can get fairly hectic for us from say April onwards.”
So what has been the secret to success? How has Ahern & Scanlon Ltd grown from a small start-up to become what is now a thriving business in a little over a decade?
According to Seamus himself, a consistently excellent service has helped grow the company to what is now a solid reputation over these past 12 years.
“We give a very good back up service and to make sure of that we always have one van on the road full-time,” he said.
“So I think it’s down to the service that we give them and the fact that we have got a fairly good reputation for ourselves as well.”
Looking ahead, Seamus is keen to add another aspect to the business in the coming months which he hopes will grow the business further into 2020.
“We’ve added an extra van on the road this year, so that brings the fleet up to six,” he said.
“Right now retro-fitting of heat pumps in houses seems to be getting bigger and bigger. We’ve worked on it and we’re really looking at getting into it in a big way.
“That’s what’s on the agenda for us and also hopefully to complete the BER assessor course and offer this service to clients.”
Ahern & Scanlon Ltd are (RGI) and (OFTEC) registered installers and fully insured, the company like to give back to the local community by supporting and sponsoring clubs such as Abbeyfeale Rugby Club and other football clubs.
Ahern & Scanlon Ltd
Abbeyfeale,
Co Limerick
Mob: 087 992 2113/087 6111835
E-mail: [email protected]
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, September, Vol 5 No 9
