Molloy Concrete Ltd has been synonymous with manufacturing and supplying quality ready-mix concrete and concrete blocks as well as washed sand, aggregates, and stone for over 65 years. From its quarry halfway between Ballina and Foxford, the longstanding family business delivers to customers throughout North Mayo and beyond.
Molloy Concrete was founded in the late 1950s by the late Bernie and Mary Molloy as a sole trading business before becoming a limited company in 1972. Hailing from a construction background, Bernie carried out many building projects in the Ballina area before commencing block making from Connolly Street with a hand-mould. They then purchased their first block machine and two forklifts for the sum of £3,400 in early 1960.
At the time, 1,000 four-inch blocks cost about £45, which was the equivalent of five-to-seven weeks’ wages. Raw materials were delivered in 7–10-ton lorries that had to be filled manually with shovels.
Eventually, block and concrete production was moved to Coolagagh in the mid-1970s and is currently located at Curradrish for ready-mix concrete and Bonnifinglas for blocks. The business is now owned and run by Brian and Angela Molloy, whose son Daniel is also involved as quarry manager. Molloy Concrete employs 23 people from the surrounding area and has employed many local people through its existence, many of whom have been on the books for decades. The company runs 18 trucks – 12 ready-mix trucks, three tipper trucks and three block trucks.
Company ethos and product
Building a home for most people can be one of the biggest financial and emotional investments they will make in their lifetime. It is their security in later years and where couples will enjoy life and create happy family memories.
The integrity of the Ready-mix concrete and blocks is crucial with our products having stood the test of time over the last 65 years. All our products are subject to rigorous testing and everything we do is fully compliant and NSAI approved.
Working in conjunction with the client, architect, and contractor, Molloy Concrete supports them with their needs and delivers products that are certified to the highest industry standards and provides all those involved with the confidence that their blocks are stronger, more durable, and more resistant to water and chemical penetration.
Blocks manufactured by the third-generation family business will not be issued to clients unless they are 60 days old, ensuring that they are fully cured and have surpassed required strengths.
The company is independently audited annually, certified and approved by the National Standards Authority (NSAI) to supply ready-mix concrete, blocks, washed sand, gravel, stone and fast-drying liquid floor screed. Other checks implemented by the quality control department to ensure continuing compliance with all standards include independent calibration of weighbridges by Avery WeighTronix, weight batching verification by Pneutrol International and authentication of cube and block testing machines by Controls Testing Ltd in addition to block and cube testing at BHP Laboratories, all being certified.
Raw materials are tested regularly by an independent geologist to ensure compliance with standards and to verify that no harmful materials are present in finished products. All sands are graded and washed to remove dirt before being used in production.
Routine independent testing and evaluation of blocks and concrete cubes ensure that all standards are maintained. A very important control, relatively unknown to most customers, is the facility by a concrete manufacturer to provide customers with a batch report for any concrete mix supplied to them, reassuring them of both quality and quantity. Molloy Concrete can provide this.
All of this is part of the foundation of our company ethos of “supplying to the customer a product both meeting and surpassing the required standard, reliable and fit for purpose fulfilling the customers expectations, with a quality customer service.”
Environmental commitment and low carbon products
Molloy Concrete’s commitment to the environment is reflected in its supply of low-carbon products such as long-life concrete and low-carbon concrete blocks. Low carbon concrete is formed by the addition of a product called GGBS, an acronym for Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (a byproduct from the manufacture of iron), and is a high-performance alternative to traditional cement that will increase the technical performance of your application and improve its appearance and minimize its environmental impact.
The reactions between GGBS, Portland cement and water are complex. When Portland cement is used in concrete production, crystals are formed with a lot of large pores around them, like holes in a household sponge. Through the addition of GGBS and its unique chemical reaction and its finer structure, these larger pores / holes become filled, thereby greatly reducing the ability of corrosive chemicals or substances to penetrate the concrete, causing corrosion to both the concrete and steel.
GGBS is used in combination with Portland cement to produce superior longer lasting concrete, significantly reducing its carbon footprint. This process has been adopted in Molloy Concrete’s block manufacturing business to offer a low-carbon alternative across its full range of products.
The benefits of specifying low-carbon concrete are vast resulting in superior quality longer lasting concrete that continually gains strength all its lifetime. These include the extended lifespan of the concrete products, reducing the risk of cracking, lowering embodied carbon, increasing strength and durability and its chemical resistance, particularly when used in the agricultural sector and sea defense systems and renewables.
Molloy Concrete Ltd.’s low-carbon concrete blocks are the ideal solution for a person considering building a new home as they can contribute enormously to reducing their carbon emissions and they are also the ideal solution in passive house construction due to their environmental benefits.
New products and development
As the Co. Mayo operation continues to innovate and diversify its product range by recently adding the CEMFLOOR Liquid floor screed to their product line, including the C20F4 for domestic houses with underfloor heating and the HPC self- compacting 30n/10mm floor screed.
Molloy Concrete has also added a concrete based mix design which is excellent for polished concrete floors. Due to the unique mix of ingredients and the varying stones a distinct floor finish is achieved both rich in texture and varying colors.
Molloy Concrete continues to go from strength to strength, having recently received planning permission for a construction and demolition waste recovery facility.
Blocks and aggregates can also be collected in any quantity from our quarry and block yard as well as jumbo bags of products.
Reason for producing 13N blocks for customers
Due to high rainfall levels, especially in the west of Ireland and particularly in the Mayo area, the risk of saturation and freezing is significantly increased especially for work below or near external ground level,
they have also now added a 13N block to its 4’’concrete block product range which is used for extra strength and reliability
The ACEI (Association of Consulting Engineers Ireland) has recently recommended that 13N blocks should be specified in these instances as well as for all rising and external walls both inner and outer levels, and where the wall will remain un-plastered. This also is to comply with the EU directive SR325:2013+A2:2018.
Molloy Concrete has also added a mix design which is excellent for polished concrete floors to their range of concrete products. Due to the unique mix of ingredients and the varying stones a distinct floor finish is achieved both rich in texture and varying colors.
Agricultural construction
Low-carbon concrete can also play a very significant role in agricultural construction in slatted sheds, milking parlours, effluent storage tanks and other buildings and yards where silage effluent, slurry and other corrosive liquids/yard run offs are frequently in contact with the concrete.
These effluents are highly corrosive and can have devastating effects on concrete, but with the low carbon concretes increased chemical resistance, due to the addition of GGBS in the design mix this issue can be greatly remedied, reducing the need for repairs and associated costs and downtimes.
A smoother wall finish is also achieved on internal and external walls which reduces dirt sticking to the walls. This helps prevent chemical penetration and leads to easier cleaning reducing the risk of some infections in sheds and yards and improves overall hygiene.
Molloy Concrete has supplied low-carbon concrete to a variety of well-known, large-scale projects across various sectors in Co. Mayo, including Killala and Black Lough Windfarms, Coca-Cola Ballina, St Mary’s new Secondary School, Culleen’s new National School, Charles Rivers Laboratories, numerous residential housing developments and agricultural projects along with several smaller builds.
Loyal customers and staff
Having a large and loyal customer-base across the local construction, agricultural and private sectors which we continue to serve with pride and distinction the company would like to take this opportunity to thank its customer, MANY THIRD GENERATION and suppliers for their unwavering support as well as having a great team of staff who know the business inside out for their hard work, dedication, and expertise.
Special note of thanks to the recently retired Muredach Mullen was the popular face of the company for the 65 years he was with us. He played an integral part in making Molloy Concrete the success story it is today guiding with a calm head and steady hand.
We deliver within a 40km radius of our site, including Killala, Easkey, Dromore West, Swinford, Bohola, Lahardane, Bonniconlon, Ballycastle and Crossmolina.
It is all about quality product and quality customer service.
Molloy Concrete Ltd
Ballina,
Co. Mayo.
Telephone: 096 21164
Email: [email protected]
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, August 2024, Vol 10 No 8
