From September 9 last, Heiton Buckley Monaghan became Chadwicks Monaghan. The rebranding coincided with the branch being shortlisted in the Excellence in Business Management category of the 2019 Octabuild Builders Merchant Excellence Awards, which take place at the Aviva Stadium on November 7.
The Octabuild Awards, which have been acknowledging the best in the builders’ merchant trade for 35 years, have been revamped for 2019 with a renewed focus on excellence that reflect the modern builders’ merchant sector in terms of business management, customer service, sales and marketing, innovation, leadership, diversity, partnership and communication.
Chadwicks Monaghan was delighted to be among the nominees, with branch manager Cora Maguire enthusing: “It’s great recognition for us and the service we provide. It has given everyone here a boost. We employ 13 full-time and three part-time staff, including a sales representative, two plumbers, sales assistants, yard operatives, a stock controller, driver and accounts personnel. It’s a real team effort.”
The nomination certainly reflects well on Cora who has been working in the Monaghan branch for 25 years and became store manager two years ago. She is one of five female managers within the branch network, with Marian Cunningham (Roscommon), Michelle Fahy (Galway), Diane McDonald (Bray) and Carmel Flaherty (Dublin) being the others.
“We’re flying the flag for the women!” smiles Cora, whose deputy manager is also a lady, Jean Carson.
“But seriously, I think it’s great to see women being accepted and being given the chance to progress in what has traditionally been a male-dominated environment. Heiton Buckley afforded me the opportunity to obtain a Diploma in Management Development through City & Guilds three years ago, which has stood me in good stead. The company also put our sales representative Shane Toye through their sales academy, which is also City & Guilds accredited. They place a strong emphasis on training and upskilling, and offer great support to all staff.”
Heiton Buckley’s Monaghan branch was the first to be rebranded as part of a €5 million investment programme by parent company Grafton Merchanting. Over the next few months, the Heiton Buckley brand will be phased out and all of their branches will convert to Chadwicks to bring the property portfolio for that brand up to 37.
Aside from the rebrand, Grafton Merchanting is investing some of the €5 million in an IT improvement programme. The aim of the programme is to give customers access to a centralised system, meaning they will be able to get credit from 43 of the current Chadwicks, Heiton Buckley and Panelling Centre branches across the country.
The rebrand is nothing new to Cora who explains how the branch will continue to offer the same great service. “Nothing has changed except for the name,” she continues.
“We will continue to provide an unrivalled service to the building, repair and maintenance sectors. We have always been committed to providing the highest standards of customer care, quality products and competitive prices. This combination of products, branch network, services and industry expertise and experience allows us to provide for the complete needs of the construction and related industries in Ireland.
“This is actually the fifth rebrand we’ve had since I started working here. The Patton family were big employers in the area for many years and the business traded as David Patton Ltd when I first joined. It then changed its name to Heiton McFerran, Heiton, Heiton Buckley and now Chadwicks.”
Between the rebrand, the Octabuild Award nomination and the official unveiling of its newly refurbished branch last year, it’s an exciting time for Chadwicks Monaghan. Located in Milltown on the outskirts of Monaghan town, the store was originally opened in November 1984 by David Patton before being acquired by Heiton McFerran in 1996. The revamped branch has been completely transformed to offer customers more products, a better customer experience and a more accessible layout.
Overall, the showrooms have doubled in size, allowing customers to have a more hands-on experience with the products. New features include new shelving, a stunning new state-of-the-art bathroom showroom and a door and floor display which houses the latest styles and top brands on the market.
Another key feature is the working display of a heat pump and a gas boiler. Coupled with energy-saving LED light displays, these key features allow those building or upgrading their homes to see first-hand these products in action and their sustainability benefits. New signage has also been added to the store, giving the whole brand an upgraded look and feel.
Catering for local builders and DIY enthusiasts in the area, the Chadwicks Monaghan team offers extensive product knowledge and customer service. As already mentioned, the expert team receives regular training on all the latest product innovations in the construction sector to ensure its customers stay on top of the latest trends in the industry.
The store has contributed to the fabric of everyday life in Monaghan for the past 35 years. Its products and materials have been used in some of the most recognisable construction projects in the area, including Monaghan Institute Education Campus, Monaghan Fire Station, renovations of Monaghan County Council Buildings and Monaghan Courthouse as well as the refurbishment of the Westenra and Hillgrove Hotels.
“We don’t have much big industry in the area, but what we do have are a lot of one-off builders and DIY enthusiasts who give us a lot of support. You have to fight for every bit you get. Being so close to the border, Brexit is obviously a major worry for us, but whatever challenges it throws up, we’ll do our best to meet them head on,” Cora says.
Chadwicks Monaghan stocks all the building materials you need for your project, from DPCs and felts, bricks and blocks, roof trusses, tiles and slates, lintels and fuelling systems to drainage, steel products, cement and aggregates, timber, plasterboard and insulation. The branch also carries a wide range of bathrooms, baths, showers, sinks and toilets, stunning fittings and stylish flooring, doors and Velux windows.
Opening hours are 8am-5pm Monday to Thursday, 8am-4pm on Fridays and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.
Chadwicks Monaghan
Milltown,
Monaghan,
Co. Monaghan H18 VW42
Telephone: 047 71644
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, December 2019/January 2020, Vol 5 No 11
