Since its inception in 1980, Western Postform Ltd has established a strong nationwide reputation in the commercial construction sector. Building Ireland found out more from its Managing Director Alan O’Grady recently.
Coming up on 38 years in business, Western Postform Ltd in Ballinasloe, Co Galway has never been busier and its Managing Director Alan O’Grady simply wouldn’t have it any other way.
The family-run company is renowned for its focus on the timely delivery of contracts with emphasis on quality and budget control.
Alan and his wife Olivia took over the running of the company from Alan’s father, Michael O’Grady, and have made sure that the firm continues to be very competitive, with the competency levels and professionalism of their staff along with total commitment to service and delivery of projects in the manner expected of them from the design team and employer.
Alan himself has been involved in the company from his teenage years and was able to take time from a schedule which he described as “madness” to tell Building Ireland more about Western Postform Ltd.
“We’re based on the Galway Road in Ballinasloe and we’re established since 1980. We have 45 staff working here at the moment,” the Managing Director outlined.
“We have two sides to the company here – furniture and washroom sales. Schools and hospitals would be a lot of what we do when it comes to the furniture end. Then we have a washroom area for lockers for swimming pools and that kind of work.”
The education sector sees Western Postform Ltd concentrating on all forms of schools – Primary, Secondary, Higher Education, Nursery and Special Need. The work they carry out is designed to requirements and to Department of Education specification.
Science Rooms, Prep Rooms, Technical Graphics, Home Economics, Multimedia, Metalwork, Woodwork, Sliding Storage which are manufactured by Western Postform Ltd gives it flexibility in design and there are various ranges of colours and finishes.
One of the company’s more high profile projects this year came in the commercial sector with the re-development of Cork GAA headquarters, Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
Western Postform Ltd started work at the stadium last February and finished on schedule in mid-summer.
The company were delighted to be involved in such a high-profile innovative project, with the newly refurbished €80million Cork city venue officially opening in the third weekend in July to play host to the All-Ireland senior hurling championship quarter-finals.
Western Postform Ltd were happy to be part of the stadium’s history, having had such a proud history itself to date.
“My father Michael O’Grady was a founder of this company back in 1980 and he put a lot into this company down through the years until I took over,” Alan explained.
“I’m involved the last 20 years and I was 18 when I started working during the summers. The business has grown since then and, thankfully, there have been no lay-offs as long as I’ve been here.”
Even with the economic downturn devastating construction businesses nationwide, Western Postform Ltd managed to hold on to its entire staff.
Business certainly suffered but it’s all in the past now for Alan and co as they look enthusiastically towards the future.
“The downturn definitely was tough but it’s back to the madness again now thankfully,” he laughed.
“Schools and hospitals kept us going through the recession and, as I said, we’re mad busy now again. Along with Galway, we’re doing a lot of work around Dublin, Limerick and Cork right now.”
The capital is booming at present and Western Postform Ltd has plenty of staff headed east every week to meet the demand of their clients.
A recent project in Pearse Street saw the firm carry out the supply and installation of glass toilet cubicles, glass privacy panels, closed granite vanity top with glass panels below and low level laminate IPS panels.
“We’re in 15 schools all over the country at the moment and we’re also in St James Hospital,” said Alan.
“We’re carrying out housing developments all over and have previously worked on Pairc Ui Chaoimh, the Aviva Stadium and Croke Park.”
Busy times indeed. Down in Munster, work for Tipperary DGO has saw them carrying out the supply and installation of acoustic oak veneer wall -panelling, laminate tea stations, WPF Lifeseal Toilet cubicles, and closed semi recess laminated vanity units, as well as high level laminated IPS panels.
Similar work was also carried out on Hamilton House in Limerick recently and the schedule continues to keep full for Western Postform Ltd.
The list of clients keeps on growing as well, with Stewart, Clancy Construction, O’Malley Construction and JJ Rhatigan & Company all on board for many years at this stage.
As of late, Conack Construction Ltd, a leading building and civil engineering contractor in Limerick, has been a client which Western Postform Ltd are very busy with. But what’s the secret to it all?
How has a venture like Western Postform Ltd managed to obtain repeat business from so many clients for so many years?
“I think it comes down to the fact that we provide a great service,” Alan stated. “It’s also down to our experience as well because we’ve been at this for the best part of 40 years now, so nobody knows how to do it better than us.”
It’s hard to argue with that.
Western PostForm Ltd.,
Bespoke Fitted Furniture,
Galway Road, Ballinasloe,
Co. Galway
Phone: (090) 96 42 566
Fax: (090) 96 43 867
Email: [email protected]
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, February 2018, Vol 4 No 2
