Based in Ennis, Co Clare, O’Keeffe Electrical caters for all electrical instrumentation and engineering needs for its clients. Building Ireland touched base with O’Keeffe Electrical recently with Director Jerry O’Keeffe recently to learn all about the family-run business.
O’Keeffe Electrical is a company that holds an excellent reputation amongst its clients and has a proven track record in the delivery of projects on time and to budget with strong technical support provided at design, installation handover.
Operating from Quin Road, Ennis, Co Clare, the company currently employs 38 full-time staff with its genesis dating back to 1976 when it was known as M&OK Electrical.
Following the retirement of one of its directors in 1999, the business was re-structured and became O’Keeffe Electrical.
Its directors today, Tom O’Keeffe and Jerry O’Keeffe, hold more than 40 years’ experience between them in the Electrical sector.
Building Ireland caught up with Jerry O’Keeffe, Director for the business, to learn all about the company, including its current projects and the impact it has felt as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“2021 will mark 45 years since M&OK Electrical was first set-up and you could say this past year was one like no other with the pandemic,” said O’Keeffe.
“We weren’t totally shut down in the first lockdown because we would have had electrical works through the HSE which were deemed essential.
“So, you could say it was quiet during those first couple of months (in 2020) but step by step business has increased, with our main goal been the safety of our staff and customers presently.”
Providing exceptional, high-quality solutions at competitive prices, O’Keeffe Electrical are members of A.E.C.I. (Association of Electrical Contractors (Ireland)) and R.E.C.I. (Register of Electrical Contractors of Ireland).
The company provides a wide range of services that includes: Industrial Installation; Electrical Instrumentation; Emergency Lighting; PAT Testing; Small Power Installation; Periodic Inspection Reports; Fire Alarm / Security Installation; Communication / IT Installation; Street Lighting, Flood Lighting and General Lighting & L.V Switchgear Installation, PV Panel installations.
Customers are able to rely upon O’Keeffe Electrical when it comes to demonstrating operational excellence in managing the performance of the most complex shutdowns and upgrades with turnarounds executed safely and efficiently.
Right now, the company is immersed in a handful of different projects, including works at Shannon Airport, Clare County Council & the Department of Education in counties Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Galway at present.
“We have three large scale projects on-going at present and five or six medium sized projects ongoing at the minute also,” explained O’Keeffe.
They abide by all health & safety standards and regulations and also handle some HSE work outside of the Banner County as well.
In addition to the installations, the company provides an excellent back-up service and have a team of five technicians who visit all the HSE sites carrying out maintenance work to ensure that everything continues to run smoothly.
“We have a 12-month contract with the HSE which is a rolling contract,” said the Director.
“We’re 20 years working for the HSE and you could actually say its 40 years now between the two companies, O’Keeffe Electrical and M&OK Electrical.”
The company’s customer base is strong and 2021 is likely to see it growing stronger given the rate of projects it has on-going at the moment.
O’Keeffe Electrical is a company which can provide a complete service, all in-house.
They offer their services nationwide and have also developed the expertise to provide solutions in live environments with zero disruption to business or patient care – a vital electrical contracting skill which is often overlooked and taken for granted.
Putting it plainly, O’Keeffe Electrical offers its clients outstanding solutions across the full spectrum of electrical applications with a minimum of fuss.
So, what has been the secret to this highly successful business over the decades?
According to its Director, providing a good service in a consistent manner goes a long way in this game.
“I think it’s because we provide them with a very good and dedicated service,” said O’Keeffe.
“We have a good customer base built up and what the client wants, the client gets with us.”
With O’Keeffe Electrical, each contract that is awarded to the company goes to its Project Management Team which then appoints a Contract Manager dedicated to looking after each contract from the planning, right through installation, to final handover.
It’s a process which has proven extremely successful for the company right down through the years and you can be certain it will continue to strive to enhance its already high-quality service by a process of monitoring, evaluation and improvement.
Looking towards the coming months, O’Keeffe is keen for things to improve with regards to the global pandemic and is hopeful that business will continue on an upward trajectory.
“I would hope that business picks up to the level that it was pre-Covid first and foremost.
“There’s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel now with the vaccine being rolled out. After that, we’d just like things to continue like they have been for us and to continuously build our client base,” he concluded.
O’Keeffe Electrical,
Quin Road,
Ennis,
Co Clare
Tel: 065 6824159
Fax: 065 6828476
Email: [email protected]
Web: okeeffeelectrical.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, April, Vol 7 No 4
