Whether you’re looking for complete-kit scaffolding solutions or have more specific requirements, Norscaff Ltd in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone has decades of experience as one of Ireland’s leading scaffolding suppliers.
Norscaff Ltd opened its doors to the public for the first time in 1999. Managing director Brendan Rafferty, while working in the engineering sector, saw the opportunity for a scaffolding wholesaler in the Mid-Ulster area and after a few conversations with building contractors, he decided to take the plunge and ordered his first batch of containers. From the date he placed the order, within two weeks he had sold the contents of the containers even before they arrived and he was re-ordering straight away. This set the tone and within 12 months, Norscaff was supplying a significant amount of the construction industry and scaffold hire firms within Northern Ireland and was making steps to begin supplying to the southern Irish market as well.
Norscaff has operated from Dungannon since the beginning and in 2014, it purchased another well-known Northern Ireland scaffolding company, Scaffold Sales & Services (SSS), in Hillsborough. This expanded the company’s portfolio and brought it closer to the main construction hub in Belfast. When Norscaff took control of SSS, it was imperative for it to re-stock it to a competent level and ensure that both old and new customers’ needs were catered for on a daily basis. In July 2016, Norscaff decided that due to the continued increase in demand, a larger premises was required and so it purchased a property just on the outskirts of Belfast city, only about five minutes from the M1.
Dublin is once again booming and with the level of construction both in commercial and domestic increasing rapidly, the company decided that having a stock of goods in the area would be advantageous for its customers. This led to the opening of a stocking yard in 2016 in Newcastle, Co Dublin. It has proved a valuable asset to clients working in the area and allows them to collect the main items on the same day they are required.
Norscaff supplies a significant percentage of the scaffold hire industry and also quite a few of the construction companies that still stock and erect their own scaffolding. Its customers span the whole of Ireland, both north and south, and the firm also supplies some very good customers in the UK. Currently, Norscaff’s customer base exceeds 3,000, with over 90% of them providing repeat business.
Regardless of the size of order, goods required, or distance, the scaffolding sales specialist will do whatever is required to fulfil its order and make sure that clients are 100% satisfied with every transaction.
Norscaff Ltd is a family-owned company, with Brendan Rafferty and his wife being the main shareholders. It was their vision and determination and, quite simply, hard work that has brought the company to achieve the success that it has. They saw the opportunity nearly 20 years ago in the market and like so many entrepreneurs at that time, were brave enough to go for it. Over the years, the company has continued to grow and under Brendan’s careful guidance, it has managed to come through a very difficult recession and been classed as one of the market leaders.
Where sales are concerned, Brendan, Jarlath and Colin look after this aspect of the business. Their many years of combined experience means that they are able to answer any query you have in an instant and will source any non-stock item you require should that situation arise.
Aidan, Barry, David and Jordan are responsible for picking the orders and are also a hugely important part of the team. They ensure that all orders are completed in a timely fashion and are as per the customers’ requirements. Without their knowledge and expertise, Norscaff would not be able to provide the level of service that its customers have come to expect and appreciate. They are also BM Trada Certified Plank Graders – an added bonus should a customer have any queries where planks / boards are concerned.
Norscaff is a scaffold and access equipment wholesaler and stocks the main two types of system scaffolding, K-Stage and K-Lok. K-Stage is by far the most popular throughout Ireland, and since 2015, the company has also been able to offer it with a galvanised finish. K-Lok is not as popular, but there are a few devoted customers to the brand and naturally the Norscaff team ensures that their requirements are catered for.
The items stocked by Norscaff include: K-Stage; K-Lok; Tube and Fitting (Incorporating Pre-Cut Tubes, Pressed & Drop-forged Fittings); Alloy Beams and X-Beams; Alsure Staircase Units; Timber Planks & Scaffold Boards (to suit all types of scaffolding and in various lengths); Akro-props; Alloy Tower Scaffolding; Industrial Ladders; Safety Equipment (Signs, Harnesses, Tools, etc); Keyclamp Handrail Fitting Range; Temporary Fencing; Palisade Fencing.
Norscaff prides itself on many aspects, in particular the quality of its products and stock levels. The company enjoys long-standing relationships with some of the best manufacturers in the business. Norscaff are wholesalers of KHK, Technocraft and Synergy Scaffolding to name but a few. It only stocks equipment from reputable manufacturers for the full range of products available and all of its scaffolding comes with the necessary test certificates for HSA/HSE etc. In addition, Norscaff only stocks planks/boards that are graded to BS2482:2009 Standard and is known for supplying some of the best boards in the country. This is proven by the fact that in 2016, the firm sold over 250,000 8ft scaffold planks alone!
As we all know, the Health & Safety element of the market has changed dramatically over the past few years and Norscaff has changed to suit it. For example, staircases are a much-required item now and together with one of the UK’s leading manufacturers, Alsure Ltd, we stock their fully-patented system – rated as the best in the business. The beauty of these units is the fact that should one of them get damaged, you can purchase spare parts rather than having to dump them, which was always the case with the old-type units.
Constant monitoring of market requirements means that Norscaff continues to add to the items available. Customers may not need some of the items every day, but when the time comes when they do, the Dungannon-headquartered operation aims to have it and be ready to supply them immediately. The Norscaff team are also able to offer 24-hour pallet deliveries to anywhere in the country and full load deliveries within 48 hours.
Over the years, Norscaff have also built up strong relationships with our suppliers and is able to call upon them at any time and know that they will work tirelessly to ensure it gets what it require. Having a good supply chain is imperative to any company; without it a company like Norscaff cannot operate and it really appreciate the help and constant support it receives from all of its suppliers.
Another aspect of day-to-day responsibilities is transport and logistics. Where this is concerned and due to the level of goods coming and going on a daily basis, Norscaff sub-contracts this out to reputable haulage firms such as Roache Transport, Hamilton Roadfreight, Nolan Transport and Liam Connolly Roadfreight. These are some of the most reliable companies in the business and Norscaff is proud to have them representing it when arriving with its goods. With time constraints and ever-changing rules to gain access to sites, they work with Norscaff and ensure that whatever needs to be done, gets done.
As Norscaff imports the majority of its products, the logistics of the containers needs to be done meticulously and this contract has been awarded to All Cargo UK, Belfast. The company has been working with John and his staff for over three years now and they provide a first-class service every time.
For 2017, Norscaff’s main objective has been to get the new depot in Belfast up and running. With a one-acre footprint and 11,000 sq. ft. warehouse, stocking capabilities have increased dramatically in this area and with the majority of all Northern Ireland scaffold hire firms and construction projects being in Belfast, it’s the perfect location. The general feedback from all existing customers is that they will have a lot less travel time and in turn reduced downtime. With regard to the other two depots, Norscaff will continue to meet the needs of its ever-expanding customer base and ensure that they are looked after in the manner they are accustomed to.
In conclusion, Norscaff Ltd would sincerely like to thank all of its existing customers for their continued support throughout the years and looks forward to dealing with them for many years to come.
If you have any requirements for scaffold, access equipment or any of the many items listed above, please do not hesitate to contact the Norscaff team at any of the depots, and they will do our utmost to meet your requirements. Transport is also available to anywhere in Ireland or the UK.
Norscaff Ltd, 180 Ballygawley Road, Dungannon, Co Tyrone, BT70 1RX. Tel: 0044 2887 767126
Norscaff Ltd (Belfast), Whiterock Bus Park, 729 Springfield Road, Belfast, BT12 7FP.
Tel: 0044 9590 4808
Norscaff Ltd c/o Quarryplant International, Brownstown Road, Newcastle, Co Dublin. Tel: 00353 1 6314988
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.norscaff.co.uk
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, September 2017, Vol 3 No 8
