Since setting up in 2013, Knockbrack Plant Hire has endeavoured to offer a service where quality, efficiency and value are the key fundamentals. Building Ireland spoke with Contracts Manager Gary Murphy recently to find out more about the company and its projects as of late.
Operated by Michael and Monica Gannon, Knockbrack Plant Hire has steadily grown to become a leader in ground works and R.C Frames throughout Ireland.
The Co Mayo-based company was set-up in the middle of a harsh economic downturn and in the short space of three years has turned itself into a thriving business. Gary Murphy has been part of the team at Knockbrack Plant Hire for almost 18 months now as the Contracts Manager of the business and outlined to Building Ireland what they’re all about.
“We’re based in Westport, Co Mayo and the company would be established since 2013,” explained Gary.
“There’s about 28 altogether between office staff and site staff, with Michael and Monica Gannon the two owners of the business. My position is Contracts Manager and I’ve been here since September 2015.
“We successfully complete all forms of ground works and concrete frames to the highest of standards nationwide, we have a large list of completed projects and are proud to be associated with the end product. At the moment we’re very busy with a couple of different projects – many of them in Dublin.
“Our projects of note at moment would be, the new Confucius Institute in UCD for Glenman Corporation, a National School in Cloonakilla in Roscommon for Kilcawley Construction and a concrete frame project at Franklin House in Ballsbridge for Manley Construction.
“We’re also undertaking the groundworks and concrete frame package at The Teresian School on the Stillorgan Road for Ormonde Construction.”
Knockbrack Plant Hire boast an experienced background team in the civil engineering and the construction industry which have completed works in almost all major fields of ground works, demolitions, general construction and R.C Frames.
The objective for the company is to operate high standards of workmanship, quality, commercial awareness, communication and safety & welfare. In doing this, they employ a locally based skilled and experienced workforce and implement a training and development works scheme.
Utilising the expertise and talent of co-owner Michael Gannon, who has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the construction industry, having previously managed small, medium and large scale works.
Groundworks and R.C Frames are the main stay of the company’s activities but Knockbrack Plant Hire is extending its efforts and setting sights on planning through to development of all types of construction projects, including commercial and residential. The extent and quality of services provided by the company have helped accumulated technical skill and professional reputation.
Consequently, Knockbrack Plant Hire has grown to become a leading member in the field of ground works in Ireland and is now well placed to extend its services on overseas projects. As of late, the company has been focusing on projects in the educational sector.
“About 90 per cent of our work here would be educational,” Gary stated. “We’ve completed our first project at Our Lady’s Secondary School in Belmullet in 2013, for Kilcawley Construction and haven’t looked back, we have then since gone on to complete numerous projects for the Department of Education, St. Josephs National School Rathwire, St, Josephs National School Dundalk, the new IT Hub at NUI Maynooth and our current National School at Cloonakilla Athlone, to name a few.”
He continued: “When Michael Gannon came home from England (after previously working throughout Europe) and started this company it was right in the middle of the recession. Everyone had been doing different kind of groundworks and civil projects but he decided to concentrate on educational work and site works. Now we’re feeling a slight upturn and there’s a lot happening in Dublin at the minute, I have to say.”
Kilcawley Construction (Sligo), Purcell Construction (Galway), Ormonde Construction (Kilkenny) and Manley Construction (Meath), are all now regular clients of Knockbrack Plant Hire and the list seems to have been growing strong since the company’s inception in 2013.
So what’s the secret? How has the company come to acquire such loyal clients in the short space of three years?
“Our workmanship speaks for itself and when you have that you gain confidence in the people you work with,” said the Contracts Manager. “We have always been very competitive here. We have a good relationship with our clients and they trust us. We really want to thank the main contractors for coming back to us time and time again and hopefully next year we’ll be completing more big projects for you and for many years to come.”
All of Knockbrack Plant Hire’s services are tailored to individual client needs for better service and client-satisfaction, and in 2017 they’ll be staying true to form, according to Gary.
“We’re straight back to work in the New Year with six live projects and many more projects being lined up to commence early next year. It’s looking positive,” he stated.
“Housing schemes and private developments are coming back, so confidence is definitely growing so hopefully we’ll be kept busy again.”
Health & Safety is the top priority at Knockbrack Plant Hire and at the heart of the business ethos are the Environmental and Health and Safety concerns surrounding each project.
Comprehensive risk assessments and method statements are part of the planning for each project. All of the company’s staff are trained to either CSCS/CPCS or NVQ level and all have been Solas Safe pass trained, they are all fully experienced in the works the undertake and competent to undertake works they have been appointed to carry out.
Knockbrack Plant Hire provide a site specific health & safety management system, incorporating RAMs and COSHH together with all relevant Health & Safety procedures in controlling risk. With Michael Brown of ‘Full Circle Safety Training Ltd’ we operate a continuous training programme for our staff, making sure that they receive the necessary knowledge about the plant, equipment and PPE that they require to be able to carry out their work in a safe and efficient manner.
Thanks to Michael and his team we are never more than a phone call away from expert advice in the field of Health and Safety. The wide range of plant is maintained regularly and services by skilled technicians and, as such, thorough examinations are carried out and recorded as per Health and Safety regulations and all applicable documentation is stored both on site and at their head office in Westport, they believe that a safe working environment is the key to achieving high standards.
High standards seem to be a common theme throughout Knockbrack Plant Hire and they look set to continue as the company enters into its fourth year in operation.
Knockbrack Plant Hire
Address: Knockbrack, Westport, Co Mayo
Office: 098 24670
Michael: 087 1679198
Gary: 087 9451432
Fax: 098 24670
Web: www. kbph.ie
E-mail: [email protected]
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, February 2017, Vol 3 No 2
