As quarry operators, producers of road materials and civil engineering contractors, Arkil Ltd. provide a one-stop shop for the full package of road construction and civil engineering solutions. We dropped into their County Kildare HQ and touched base with their contracts manager for Leinster, Phil Toland, to find out more about this outstanding, multifaceted operation.
Active in Ireland since April, 1988 and enjoying close working relationships with numerous local authorities and main contractors nationwide, Arkil Ltd. produce a range of construction materials – with a particular emphasis on road construction – from their three quarries in Rathangan, County Kildare; Lispole, County Kerry; and Crossbarry, County Cork.
The company is synonymous not only with producing high-quality materials but also with delivering exceptional civil engineering and road surfacing solutions.
Arkil can provide a road surfacing solution to meet a client’s exact needs, from major road construction contracts or high-stress industrial settings requiring specially-designed asphalt to a farm roadway or standard driveway. They boast an exceptional track record in completing a full range of projects on time within budget and to programme, including motorway projects, industrial parks, local authority roads, schools, universities, colleges, shopping centres, city and urban roads, sports grounds, housing developments as well as work for building contractors and private individuals.
Arkil Ltd have built on their strengths as a specialist road surfacing contractor to become a multi-disciplined, national civil engineering business. Coupled with their traditional road and pavement building experience, they have diversified these skills into other work areas, specifically civil engineering, groundworks and infrastructure schemes (from drainage schemes to waste water treatment facilities), with the capacity to meticulously deliver projects both large and small punctually and in a cost-efficient manner.
From their quarries in Kildare, Cork and Kerry, all types of asphalts, macadams, stone aggregates, natural stone, building stone, clause 804, high PSV chips, (Psv60, Psv65 and Psv70), high friction surfacing, anti-skid surfacing, sand, concrete and concrete blocks are produced in accordance with the latest specifications and standards.
Currently generating direct employment for a crew of 55 highly-skilled personnel – plus a lot more in subcontracted labour – Arkil were the main contractor and project supervisor for the R880 Clonakilty re-surfacing and drainage scheme, which comprised the complete urban renewal of the streetscape in Clonakilty town. They were also the main surfacing contractor for the retail development of Kildare Village as well as completing work for state bodies and global brands such as Lidl and Aldi.
More recently, between February 27th and March 7th this year, they produced, supplied and laid road materials over 2.5km in Tullamore for Offaly County Council. Other local authorities with whom the company has developed strong working relationships include Kildare, Carlow, Laois, Kilkenny, Cork, Kerry and South Dublin County Councils. “Operating the three quarries gives us scope to work in a number of different counties. From the quarry here in Kildare, we service the Leinster region and try to operate within a 35-40-mile radius of the production facility wherever possible,” notes Leinster contracts manager Phil Toland.
Asphalt materials are produced in the world-renowned Bennighoven Tar Plants at Arkil’s Kildare and Cork depots. In order to maintain a high-quality end product, their laboratory technicians carry out rigorous testing of all constituent materials on a daily basis.
Arkil Ltd have also developed a high-friction material for anti-skid applications. This product has been developed and tested under the guidelines for High Friction Surfacing (HFS) and is now in full production at its High Polished Stone Value (HPSV 72+) stone quarry in Lispole, Dingle. The PSV of the stone is 72+ – the same as the market standard calcined bauxite. Arkil Ltd have focused in on this rare stone quality and is marketing this new product as an alternative to HFS. To date this product has been successfully installed in Ireland & the USA.
Having weathered the storm of the economic downturn, Arkil have invested close to €1million in plant and machinery in the past three years. “You have to invest because you simply can’t take on this kind of work if you don’t have the necessary equipment,” Phil states. “We use the very best specialist machinery as well as experienced and fully-qualified personnel.
“Each surfacing crew would typically consist of a supervisor and a five-six-man gang and we also employ traffic management, road planing, tack coat, lane marking and iron work personnel. The order book looks promising for 2017 and it will increase more when the local authorities start tendering in April…”
Health & Safety is a responsibility that Arkil Ltd. take very seriously. They are committed to providing a safe working environment for all employees and members of the public and to simultaneously protect the environment while producing high-quality asphalt macadam and aggregate materials.
“All of our management staff are First Aid trained and have completed Managing Safely in Construction courses and managing the role of project supervisor construction stage courses and all of our operatives have the relevant Safe Pass training, plant machinery training and FAS CSCS qualifications,” Phil continues. “Our Occupational Health & Safety Management System is certified to OHSAI 18001:2007 standard and we also have an Environmental Management System in place to ISO 14001:2004 certification while our Quality Management System is ISO 9001:2008.”
Going forward, Arkil are confident that there’s a bright future ahead for the Ireland’s premier road construction materials specialist: “We’ll expand as the market allows us to expand and continue to invest,” he concludes. “The key for us is that we offer a one-stop shop solution and can take on the civil element or anything that needs to be done before surfacing. We give a good product and offer an excellent back-up service.
“We get a lot of work through positive word of mouth and we always leave a good quality product behind to ensure a continuous flow of business from returning customers.
“We would like to thank all of our repeat business customers and look forward to serving new customers in the coming years.”
Arkil Ltd.,
Drennenstown,
Rathangan,
County.Kildare.
Tel: 045 524520 / 021 4775988 (Cork depot) / 066 9157300 (Kerry depot)
Fax: 045 524618
email: [email protected]
Web: www.arkil.ie
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, May 2017, Vol 3 No 4
