Collins Ventilation Systems in Co Cork has had quite the rise in the space of eight years, so Building Ireland felt it was time to catch up with its innovative owner Paul Collins to find out what exactly they’ve been up to down in Mallow.
It has been quite a turnaround for Paul Collins since 2009 but, then again, the Cork man has a decent track record with success where ever he goes.
In the same year that Collins Ventilation Systems Ltd was born, Paul had been informed that Thompson’s Air Systems was being put into liquidation and that after 13 years with the company, he would be made redundant.
As a consequence of a number of months reflection, this event prompted his inevitable decision to establish his own company so as he could carry on the work that he previously did under Thompsons.
Collins Ventilation Systems’ main purpose is the supply and installation of ventilation and HVAC systems in the pharmaceutical, industrial, commercial, education and healthcare sectors.
To date contracts won and successfully completed by the company across all of the above sectors and include the likes of Cork University Hospital, Aldi, Lidl, Bank of Ireland and Harvey Normans.
Paul described business as “very good” at the present time when Building Ireland caught up with him recently to discuss the ins and outs of his venture.
“We’re in Mallow, Co Cork and the company is set-up eight years now. We’ve 20 staff working here and I’m the Managing Director,” he explained.
“We specialise in the supply and installation of ventilation systems nationwide. We do a lot of pharmaceutical plants and work in the healthcare, commercial and educational sectors. We also do a lot of projects with hotels and tourism as well.
“When we started this company we started off small and we just went from strength to strength to where we are today, so we can’t complain about where we’re at right now.”
The company’s growth has been impressive to say the least, with staff numbers swelling up and a new base for operations also having been added in the past 12 months.
Paul felt it was necessary to set-up shop in the west of the country in order to keep up with the demand his business was experiencing throughout 2016. It has been a case of ‘so far, so good’ thus far.
“Business is very good,” he beamed. “We have a base in Co Galway now as well and while we’re predominantly covering all throughout Munster, we cover nationwide with our work.”
Collins Ventilation Systems currently has 20 staff – 16 direct and four of which look after the administrative end of the business – and has utilised a team of five different sub-contracting crews that are all supervised by Paul Collins.
It is a company which is well capable of undertaking large and small projects and prices competitively to win tenders without compromising on quality. Previous projects that they’ve carried out have saw contracts range anywhere from €20,000 to up to €1m.
Paul was good enough to fill us in on some of the on-going projects which the company is currently occupied with.
“Right now we have projects happening in Adare Manor in Limerick, Boston Scientific in Cork, BD Medical in Limerick and Kerry Foods as well,” he stated.
“I’d say that half of our business here would be repeat business from our clients. We do a good bit of direct work for Roche Ireland as well, and when it comes to our clients we try and carry out the best job possible to try and ensure that repeat business.”
So what’s the secret to it? How has a firm like Collins Ventilation Systems managed to hit the ground running so impressively post-economic downturn?
“I’d say it because we give them a good service. We’re competitive as well and we offer good workmanship,” Paul put it simply.
As well as that, the company concentrates heavily on its Health & Safety policies, making them all the more attractive for potential clients.
All crews at Collins Ventilation Systems are trained to the highest standard with particular emphasis placed on health and safety.
The company updates its Safety Statement on a periodic basis and carries out risk assessments for each individual contract. Particular attention is given to composing the Method Statements so that the work can be carried out in a safe and efficient manner.
Due regard is given to the importance of their own crews and other trades and the public who may be impacted by the work carried out.
Collins Ventilation Systems does not have any enforcement actions, prohibition notices or other sanctions imposed by it by any regulatory authority. Its safety record is exemplary.
Indeed the future looks bright for a business that won’t find its 10th anniversary coming, with the growth very much continuing down Mallow way.
“We’ve taken over a new storage facility in Mallow now that we’re looking forward to putting it to good use,” said Paul.
“As I said, we’ve also had a base in Galway for the last year or so which helps us to cover the west of Ireland, so we’re still growing.”
At this stage, there’s not much more Paul and his trusted staff could ask for than that.
Collins Ventilation Systems Ltd
Tel: 086 083 26117
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.collinsventilation.com
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, October 2017, Vol 3 No 9
