Established since 2009, Clantech Electrical Services Ltd delivers projects in the commercial, industrial and maintenance sectors for its clientele. Building Ireland touched base with its founder and Managing Director David Whelan to learn all about the company – from its origins to projects it has on-going at the moment.
Business is good these days at Clantech Electrical Services Ltd and the plan for David Whelan and his team in Kilcooney, Co Waterford is to try and keep things that way right through to next year.
The company is currently immersed in numerous projects all throughout Waterford and beyond the Deise County’s borders with well-known clients which include the likes of Clancy Construction, O’Gorman Construction and The Jones Group.
Since its inception 14 years ago, Clantech Electrical Services Ltd has grown steadily when it comes to size and in regards to its reputation as an electrical business.
Building Ireland heard more from Managing Director David Whelan about a company which now employs 50 full-time staff, including David’s own sister Margaret (Accounts Manager), and holds a reputation for excellent work amongst its clientele.
“We’re based in west Waterford about halfway between Clonmel and Dungarvan along the Tipperary-Waterford border,” he outlined.
“We work on commercial and industrial projects mostly, but we’ve also got a sister company called Green Solutions that made G10 panels for the solar industry.”
David himself has a GAA background, having played with Waterford’s senior footballers in years before he founded Clantech Electrical Services Ltd, while his grandfather lined-out with Tipperary on ‘Bloody Sunday’ in 1920.
That considered, it’s not hard for one to understand how and why the Whelan name is well-known around the local area.
David revealed that when he first took the decision to set-up his business, he did so out of necessity more than anything else.
“I was working for Winthrop Engineering company for a good few years at that stage and, I suppose, with the downturn in the economy there wasn’t too much work around at that time,” he said.
“My eldest child had just been born around that time and I felt I just had to make a decision whether I was going to go abroad or stay home, and I decided to stay home and take a chance to build my own company.
“It grew out of necessity as opposed to any great grá I had for working for myself. That wasn’t part of the plan, but I took that decision and started out with just myself and a couple of weeks later I took on somebody and just gradually built it up from there.”
Back in ’09, getting a business off the ground in this country would’ve been a tall order in itself.
Clantech Electrical Services Ltd came through the tough times brought on by the economic downturn and gradually grew year on year all the way to where it finds itself now – a thriving electrical services firm with 50 staff on its books.
“Ignorance is bliss. If I’d known exactly what it took, I probably wouldn’t have done it,” David reflected on the early days of his company.
“I didn’t really think too much about it. Obviously, I would’ve confided in one or two close people to me just to source a little bit of advice. I took that onboard and then somebody approached me around that time to see if I would sub a bit of work for one of the bigger electrical companies and, without thinking too much about it, I just said ‘yes, fair enough’.
“After that, it was just a matter of getting a good friend of mine who is an accountant to set-up all the legal side of it to set-up my business and I just took it from there.”
Fast-forward nearly a decade-and-a-half and business is strong for the company at the present time, as it continues to deliver projects for big name clients.
For close to a decade now, Clancy Construction has been one of the main clients that Clantech Electrical Services Ltd carry out work for on a regular basis.
“Business is very good, thank God. I have to thank Clancy Construction for that as they’re my major source of work,” David stated.
“We’ve a very good business relationship with them. They’ve been very good to me and I’d like to think I’ve been very good to them for delivering their projects on time and to a high standard and, I guess if I didn’t, they wouldn’t be coming back to me for more work.”
He added: “We’ve completed work on the new operating theatres in the Mercy Hospital in Cork for Clancy,”
“Bandon Road Student Accommodation in UCC was another that we finished up recently. It was five towers of student accommodation which was also done in conjunction with Clancy Construction.”
David has also signed a deal with Clancy Construction which will see them converting an old pub in Donnybrook into apartments and it’s another exciting project for all parties concerned.
So, all of that considered, the burning question is what has been the secret behind Clantech Electrical Services Ltd’s success to date?
How has a small start-up, born in the middle of an economic recession, grown into the thriving electrical services business that it is today.
For David, much of it is down to the people he has working for him and the overall personal touch that his company provides the customer.
“All my business is repeat business and, obviously, that’s down to my staff and particularly Paul Mulhearn who is my right-hand man,” said the MD.
“Paul and Mick Flynn would be the ones that drive my business and make sure that the projects are delivered.
“I source 95% of my staff local to the West Waterford Region, made up mostly of lads with a GAA background.”
He continued: “We’ve got the personal touch. We don’t hide behind phones or emails; we’re very much old school as in we like to put names to faces and, if there is an issue, we don’t run away from it or bury our head in the sand. We meet it straight on, we sort it out and we get it done.
“I think people like to see we’re invested in the long-term future plan of the company. We like to build relations and I think that’s the best way to do it – with a personal touch and going to meet the people for their projects.”
Looking towards the months ahead for the business, David is eager to see continued growth for it as well as more quality work.
“We’ll hope to grow more and deliver the high standards which so far we have done and to continue to keep our clients happy as well,” the Deise man concluded.
Clantech Electrical Services Ltd
Kilcooney,
Ballinamult
Co Waterford,
E91X0X7
Tel: 058 478 23
Mob: 087 780 8873
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, October 2023, Vol 9 No 10
