MOTORWAYCARE is a leading supplier of motorway maintenance systems in Ireland and the UK. While still a relatively new company, its management and staff have a wealth of experience in bringing state-of-the-art services to motorway networks.
A young, progressive, innovative and dynamic firm, MOTORWAYCARE has established itself as a leader in its field under the guidance of JJ Doherty. JJ, who hails from Longford, was previously owner of HOLGATE, which since its inception in the 1990s has placed almost two million metres of safety, parapet and noise barrier product on the Irish motorway network alone. Three years ago, they brought together their vast knowledge, experience and expertise to devise a new concept, which provides a three-sixty service for all essential motorway requirements.
“At its height in 2006, HOLGATE had an 80 per cent share of the Irish safety barrier market, employed 70 staff and had a turnover of €16 million. Since setting up MOTORWAYCARE, we’ve regained top spot in the Irish market and are also making big inroads into the UK market,” JJ explains.
With offices in Dublin, Cork, Belfast, Kinnegad, London and Paisley (Scotland), MOTORWAYCARE is well-positioned to continue its rapid growth. The owners’ vision is to leverage their knowledge and to build on their experience to create a comprehensive and competitive business, while providing product, service, knowledge and training to their partners, suppliers and contractors alike.
MOTORWAYCARE is an enhanced service which includes the provision of training and full technical assistance that enables contractors and motorway maintenance providers the opportunity to place all essential products onto the motorway network from their own resources. Recognising that we are now living in an era when we need to be “better, cheaper and faster”, MOTORWAYCARE has been specifically tailored to provide all product and services in line with these requirements.
Through its international partner Saferoad, MOTORWAYCARE has the largest and most varied range of systems required for all motorway networks, thus fulfilling its audacious ambition of being your “essential motorway provider”. The essential products in the MOTORWAYCARE range include safety barriers, bridge parapets and noise barriers. The safety barrier range is one of the largest in Europe and is enhanced by a unique selection of bridge parapet systems. The noise range includes a selection of high-quality aluminium systems that are both highly absorptive and aesthetically pleasing.
Saferoad is recognised as the leading supplier and installer of vehicle restraint systems. Based in Scunthorpe, it is a Quality Assured company to BS EN 9001:2008 for the 2a, 2b, 2c, 5a and 5b sector schemes and has been accredited with CHA, Achilles, Lantra and Exor. In addition, Saferoad is a member of the Vehicle Restraint Manufacturers Association, Fencing Contractors Association, Environmental Noise Barrier Association and the Association of Safety Fencing Contractors.
MOTORWAYCARE works closely with Saferoad in developing new solutions which are safer and more efficient. “We have forged an excellent working relationship with them. Training, innovation and knowledge are the three key areas of our business,” JJ explains.
MOTORWAYCARE has also developed its own unique range of PROTECTCARE products. The PROTECTCARE range delivers unique and bespoke products such as galvanised steel crash barriers, flexible post systems, column protection systems, wooden carpark barriers, swing gate barriers, bollards and bicycle stands to all sectors, including off-road industrial and carpark requirements.
“MOTORWAYCARE is essentially made up of three businesses,” JJ continues.
“There’s MOTORWAYCARE, MOTORWAYCARE UK and PROTECTCARE UK. While I directly run MOTORWAYCARE from here in Ireland, my UK general manager Paul Spivey oversees the other two operations from the UK. In total, we employ 30 staff and have five installation and maintenance crews.”
MOTORWAYCARE has introduced enhanced services for all stakeholders in the motorway infrastructure network. These services include a newly-developed ‘Supply & Assist’ service which sets a precedent within the industry.
The company is proud of its association with the building of Ireland’s motorway infrastructure network and is currently involved in the N17 / N18 Gort to Tuam motorway scheme which, when completed in 2017, will bypass several towns, including Athenry, to remove traffic networks and significantly improve safety and reduce journey times for traffic travelling north-south along the West of Ireland. The new road will also improve connectivity between the Western Region and Dublin, and will significantly assist the economic development of the BMW (Borders, Midlands and Western) regions.
The PPP scheme, which is valued at €257 million and is being carried out by the consortium DirectRoute (Tuam) Ltd, is over 57km in length.
MOTORWAYCARE was also proud to be associated with the N11 Arklow-Rathnew PPP / N7 Newlands Cross Flyover projects, which earned BAM Ireland and BAM PPP the Engineering Project of the Year award at the Irish Building & Design Awards earlier this year.
“We extend our congratulations to BAM on winning the award and look forward to working with them again in the future,” says JJ, who is confident that his company will continue to grow in Ireland, despite the fact that most of the main motorway infrastructure network is now in place.
“All of the other routes, such as Limerick-Cork, still have to be interconnected and an outer orbital route outside the M50 will also be developed in the near future. The safety and noise barriers on our motorways also need maintaining on an ongoing basis,” he points out.
“At the moment, the Irish market accounts for about 60 per cent of overall business. However, I can see that changing in the coming years given that the UK is still a developing market for us,” the affable managing director concludes.
MOTORWAYCARE (Dublin office)
Crofton House,
Unit 5,
Greenhills Industrial Estate,
Walkinstown,
Dublin 12.
Telephone: 01 4569888
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.motorwaycare.com
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, September 2016, Vol 2 No 5
