Dunnes Building Services was established some 20 years ago, initially to serve the growing demand for high-end construction projects in the Leinster Region. DBS was the creation of Dermot and Joe Dunne, both of whom are well known in the sector and have vast experience in the Construction Industry in Ireland and the UK.
Dermot, a carpenter by trade, realised the niche having performed as a subcontractor for some of Ireland’s largest building Contractors including John Paul and Pierse Contracting.
Initially the company serviced a large number of public bodies including the Departments of Education, Agriculture & Defence as well as carrying out projects for the OPW, ESB, and Iarnród Éireann. This client base soon developed into the private sector, primarily due to the reputation DBS had built for delivering extremely high end finishes. The company has since diversified its client base, delivering projects across a number of sectors from Healthcare to Education, Residential and Fitout.
It is fair to say that the bust of 2008 through to today has hit DBS as much as many other Contractors but it also provided Dermot & Joe a period to advance the business in terms of structure and process. DBS has since attained ISO 9001, 14001 & OHSAS 18001. It has also built its internal structures in terms of Document Control, Health and Safety, IT and more recently it’s staffing. This includes taking on a new Business Development Director, Mark Cronin who has spent the past decade working for top ten Contractors across numerous sectors serving markets in Ireland, the UK, Middle East and Mainland Europe.
Having recently carried out turnkey projects of circa €4M each for Audi Athlone and Knockmay Community Centre, a €3M refurbishment of a factory for American Multinational Magni in Cork and a £1m refurbishment of the Irish Centre in Central London, the company has strong experience in their relevant sectors. Currently, DBS are working on the refurbishment of St Vincent’s Hospital in the Midlands as well as further projects for Aviva, Laois County Council and the Environment Protection Agency.
Dermot commented “The last two years have certainly seen an increase in business, but we want to get to the next level. Although the Construction Industry in Ireland has suffered a dramatic hit in the last seven years, there certainly is some good coming out of it also. This period has pushed many good companies forwards in terms of processes and controls. It has been a bitter pill to swallow for so many, but hopefully it provides us with a solid platform from which to grow. The key word for our industry now is sustainability. A sustainable workload and the building of sustainable infrastructure which is well designed, well built and well maintained.
“While we are excited about growing our business in Ireland, we are also cognisant of spreading our geography to lower our risk of exposure to an individual market. In doing so, we are looking to build our business in the UK, with a particular focus on London. I worked in London for many years in the late eighties and early nineties and having recently delivered the £1M Irish Centre refurbishment, I am confident in our abilities to transfer our business and work ethos across the Irish Sea without suffering a dilution in quality.
“Health & Safety is a major issue within the business and DBS prides itself on ensuring the safety of its workers. We have an excellent reputation when it comes to health and safety and we have invested a lot of money in this area of the business. I’m also delighted to say that we are claim free since we started, which is a fair achievement over the course of 18 years.”
DBS is currently undergoing a rebrand of the business which will come to fruition in the coming months. With a strong reputation in the marketplace, experienced staff and a great company structure, DBS is perfectly positioned, in the heart of Ireland, to serve the needs of its clients.
Contact Details:
Mark Cronin, Business Development Director
Dunnes Building Services
Address: Unit 12 Portarlington Industrial Estate,
Botley Lane, Portarlington, Co. Offaly
Mobile: +353 (0)86 183 9871
Phone: +353 (0)57 8643827
Fax: +353 (0)57 8643877
Email: mark@dunnesbuildingservices.
Web: www.dunnesbuildingservices.com
Taken from Building Ireland magazine Vol 1 No 1, Autumn 2015
