An industry-leading architectural metalwork and steel fabrication company headquartered in Lusk, County Dublin, Express Steelworks Ltd. are specialists in all aspects of design, fabrication and installation of architectural metalwork and steel, specialising in bespoke products.
Backed by over three decades of expertise and boasting a stunning portfolio of completed projects for a who’s who of contractors, developers, clients and fit out companies (including BAM, Sisk, Cairn Homes, Kwik RC Frames, Structure Tone, etc.), Express Steelworks Ltd. is firmly established as Ireland’s leading architectural steel and metal design, fabrication and installation specialist.
The award-winning, family-run company was established in 2013 by Noel Mulligan, who has over 30 years’ experience in the field of steel fabrication and architectural design.
Working on all types of engineering and steel fabrication projects, including bespoke metal and steel work, down through the years, Noel has had the distinction of working on some of the biggest construction projects in Ireland including Dublin Air Traffic Control Centre, the National Children’s Detention Facility, Hanover Quay, Mill Street Student Accommodation and the National Children’s Hospital.
“We do a lot of bespoke products,” the founder and MD confirms. “We also do a fair bit of structural steel – standalone stuff – but the bespoke architectural metalwork has developed into our main forte.”
With a proven track record for the consistent delivery of project excellence, Express Steelworks generates a large and steady volume of repeat business, predominantly with BAM and Structure Tone.
At the time of writing, Noel and his meticulous team had just completed work on a Google project at the landmark Old Boland’s Flour Mills at Grand Canal Dock for Structure Tone. This was a particularly poignant project for Noel to get as he had been initially involved with BAM in the first phase of the development going back to Day One in 2008.
“We were essentially involved in bringing Boland’s Mills from ground zero up to 17 storeys high, with a lot of bespoke stuff in that. Initially, on the old building, for BAM, there was a lot of structural steel and conservation work. For Structure Tone, we did a large amount of bespoke metal work, including stairs, glass balustrades, etc. It was nice to be involved in the beginning and then also in the most-recent works there.”
The scope, scale and variety of all the works completed by Express Steelworks at Boland’s Mills for both BAM and Structure Tone is testament to the enduring legacy, flexibility and dependability of the company to deliver the full range of steel solutions including the most complex architectural metal work projects.
It was fitting too that both BAM and Structure Tone received major industry awards for Boland’s Mills, which reflects extremely well on the main steel works contractor on site…
To this end, one of the stairs used by Google was the prototype for stairs that they would subsequently use on other sites worldwide. “They are helical stairs which were built in our factory over a period of six to nine months, with architects and engineers calling in frequently to view them, test them and take deflections. Once they were built, we had to cut them up again and transport them to site and bring them in through a window at Google and build them back together again, a painstaking and precise process which also took months. Structure Tone got an award for that, while BAM received an award for preservation and conservation for the original work there.”
Express Steelworks’ services are in big demand and Noel and his team of 20 skilled and experienced steel work specialists were very busy at the time of writing: “We’ve a good bit going on at UCD for BAM, who have been our main bread and butter for the past 14 years or so. Structure Tone is our biggest client in the fit out / bespoke architectural side of things.
“We did a lot of work for BAM at the National Children’s Detention Facility in 2012/13, which was a convenient one as it’s located about five minutes’ drive from my workshop. We’ve also done a good bit of work for them in hospitals, including the Children’s Hospital, Connolly Hospital and Tallaght Hospital. Thankfully, we were able to keep going during Covid as these jobs were classified as critical.
“We’re a relatively small company, with 20 employees and turnover between €1.5 and €2 million a year, which is good for a company of that size.”
Noel’s wife Tammy looks after accounts, while their son Christian and daughter Shauna are showing a great interest in the family business. “I started in this trade at 17,” the amiable Dub reflects. “I served my time with a local company here in Lusk, Larry Kane Steelworks. I did a four-year apprenticeship there and worked for him for a further five years. I was then a partner in another company before deciding to set up on my own. This is what I’ve done all my working life and I have a real passion for it.
“Christian, who’s at college in Cork. is serving his time with us, while Shauna has a big interest in interior design and also helps out with the bookwork. We’ve invested a lot of time and energy into Express Steelworks over the years but it’s paid off as the company has been a good success story so far. Hopefully we can pass it down to the next generation when the time comes, if they are interested in taking over, which I think they might be…”
As proven leaders in their field of expertise, Express Steelworks have already made an immeasurable contribution to the construction industry in Ireland and it’s reassuring to hear that the in-demand architectural metalwork and steel fabrication specialists possess the steely resolve to consolidate their status as undisputed industry leaders in the years and decades to come!
Express Steelworks Ltd.,
The Green,
Quickpenny Road,
Lusk,
County Dublin.
Tel: 086 042 1740
Email: [email protected]
Web: expresssteelworksltd
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, October 2025, Vol 11 No 11
