Celebrating 20 years in business, David Blessington Concrete Works Ltd is a leading groundworks and formwork company based in Granard, Co. Longford.
From humble beginnings in 2002 when former Longford inter-county footballer David started out as a sole trader – David Blessington Concrete Works became a limited company three years later – the business has grown to employ a large workforce and to provide a nationwide service. Mutual respect and loyalty between management and staff has been a cornerstone of the success in their business.
“We’re a proud Longford company with a wide and varied client-base,” David says.
“Our reputation in this business is second to none. Our employees are trained to a very high standard. We achieve complete customer satisfaction by working together as a team and providing an efficient and friendly service. We’re always happy to go the extra mile for our customers.”
With a strong focus on quality, efficiency, reliability, health & safety and value-for-money, the company boasts an impressive client-base which includes established companies such as Kiernan Milling, Kiernan Structural Steel, Glennon Brothers, Wilton Waste, Paul & Vincent, Balfour Beatty, A Cafferkey Developments, Murphy International, John Paul Construction, Monami Construction, HML Plant Hire & Construction, Elliott Construction, CField Construction, Longford GAA, Arcourt Holdings and Hegarty Demolition.
Hailing from a family steeped in the groundworks and plant hire sector, David provides his clients with a professional service which he personally oversees, from day-to-day operations through to project completion. His range of services includes groundworks and muck shifting, all concrete works, i.e. concrete frames, RC tanks, yard slabs and industrial floors.
The Granard man owns and operates a modern fleet of plant and equipment which can undertake civil projects. His plant / machinery includes excavators, dump trucks, cranes and concrete pumps. David prides himself in providing an inhouse, one-stop shop for all your groundworks and formwork needs.
C2 registered and fully insured, David Blessington delivers high-quality groundwork and civil engineering projects on time and within budget. From all aspects of earthwork and excavation to main services, foundations right up to finished floor level, the company has the expertise to complete projects to the highest standards.
David’s portfolio of work includes an extensive array of site developments which are dotted across the country. Prestigious projects include: All groundworks and concrete works for new state-of-the-art Kiernan Milling mill alongside their existing mill; Paving and footpaths in Capel Street, Dublin for SM Morris; New flamingo aviary and sealion pool, along with 6m deep water tanks for filtration, in Dublin Zoo for TCSL; all groundworks and foundations for new paint shop and blasting extension for Kiernan Structural Steel in Longford; works for Glennon Brothers.
When we spoke to David, he was working on Kiernan Structural Steel’s new UK headquarters in Wales.
Formwork is a big part of the business and David has completed many such projects of all sizes. The contractor uses the PERI formwork system and occasionally the Doka formwork system. PERI is a worldwide leading manufacturer and supplier of formwork and scaffolding systems.
Among the formwork projects he has successfully completed are retaining walls and reinforced walls in Elm Park, Blackrock, Dublin for John Paul Construction; freestanding 43m lift shaft core built with CB240 climbing system, together with retaining walls and single pours up to a height of 7.5m, for new mill at Kiernan Milling in Granard; all concrete and formwork for new 83-bed extension to University Hospital Galway for GEM / Elliott.
Furthermore, David Blessington Concrete Works excels in the preparation, pouring and finishing of residential, commercial and industrial flooring. The company’s vast experience in working with concrete, coupled with its modern screeding and finishing equipment, allows it to embrace and deliver on all aspects of its client’s concrete flooring requirements. In addition, the Longford firm provides for all construction needs in the agricultural sector such as RC slurry storage tanks, silage slabs and walls, and concrete yards.
Some of the more high-profile industrial, commercial and residential projects David has completed include the new Google offices, Barrow Street, Dublin for A Cafferkey Developments; Paypal offices in Dundalk for A Cafferkey Developments; all concrete frames at a 150-bed apartment block in Ballyfermot for Arcourt Holdings; large factory extension along with blaster pits for Kiernan Structural Steel; finished floor apartments in Boland’s Mill, Dublin for Hegarty Demolition; 30,000 sq. m. keg yards in Guinness Brewery for Larkmount Developments.
It is testament to the quality of David’s work that he is always busy. Even during the Covid lockdowns, his company remained fully operational as an essential service.
“We did all the RC and groundworks for Wilton Waste on their new waste recycling facility in Naas, which was deemed essential works,” he explains.
“Another job which we recently finished was the installation of RC frames at two apartment blocks in Ballyfermot for Arcourt Holdings. We also completed works last year on a seven-acre Irish Water reservoir in Stillorgan for Murphy International which is the largest reservoir in Ireland. That was a big job which involved building 6.5m high walls, using large volumes of concrete rebar. We’re always busy, thank God.”
David has a number of large projects on his books at the moment. These include a 14-storey RC frame in Abbey Street, Dublin for Monami Construction; all groundworks and concrete works at Aboc Kovex in Swords for Kilwater Construction; all groundworks at housing development in Ballyboden for Cluna Developments; six acres of concrete slabs and all RC retaining walls at Musgraves Distribution Centre in Kilcock for CField Construction; all groundworks and concrete works for stock shed holding yard for Kiernan Structural Steel.
Asked why clients choose David Blessington Concrete Works time and again, David replies: “We offer an unrivalled, dedicated service. We’re not that big, but we’re organised and driven to get the work done on time and on budget. I’m very lucky to have great men working for me. They’re the best of lads. Because they’re our own staff, they’re trustworthy and it gives us full control over every project we carry out.
“We like a simple life where our number one priority is working for clients that need the work done.”
The affable managing director would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of his clients for their support and repeat business. He would also like to thank his suppliers for their continued support.
Here’s to the next 20 years!
David Blessington Concrete Works Ltd
Tober,
Granard,
Co. Longford.
Telephone: 043 6687797 / 087 9694464
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.concreteworks.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, July 2022, Vol 8 No 7
David Blessington Concrete Works
