Crowley Plant Hire have many strings to their bow
08/03/2022
With over 30 years’ experience in the forestry and construction sectors, Crowley Plant Hire pursue a policy of continuous investment in their fleet. Managing Director Sean Crowley talked to us about the diverse range of services they offer their much-appreciated clients.
Crowley Plant Hire is based in Kilmilhil, Co Clare and was established by Sean in 1990. Specialists in ground works, forestry services, road making, land reclamation, turf cutting and haulage, they have earned themselves a reputation which few of their competitors can equal.
Boasting a wealth of knowledge and experience, Sean is very much hands-on when it comes to the day-to-day running of the business and the company’s clients can rest safe in the knowledge that no stone will be left unturned to ensure all work is completed to the highest standard possible.
“I grew up working in my father PJ’s business,” the Managing Director recalled. “He started out doing a bit of agricultural hire with Massey Fergusons and then moved into track excavators in the mid-eighties. I went out on my own in 1990 and my brother, Paul, has been with us ever since he finished school around ‘91/’92.”
Paul is one of 35 highly skilled and dedicated employees currently on Crowley Plant Hire’s weekly payroll and the company counts Coillte amongst its long list of loyal clients.
Planting, growing, protecting, managing and harvesting; forestry is at the heart of what Coillte do.
Ireland's forest industry is expected to double in size over the next 10 years and Coillte aim to be at the core with an innovative supply chain and a consistent reinvestment in the next generation of forests.
Crowley Plant Hire are experienced in undertaking a range of forestry services and completing small and large contracts which explains why the state-owned body regularly avail of their services.
“We would carry out afforestation for Coillte as well as mounding and road construction,” Sean outlined. “We also work for private companies such as SWS Forestry Services, Arbor Forest Management and The Forestry Company.”
To enable them to satisfy the daily demands on their services, Crowley Plant Hire operates an extensive fleet of 25 excavators and associated machinery and this gives them the ability to cover all aspects of their work, ensuring that the most appropriate form of machinery is used on each and every job.
In addition, it means they can offer solutions for all kinds of access problems and difficult
terrains, enabling them to manage their work and time efficiently as well as safely operating on all levels of terrain.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Sean is always looking to update and expand the fleet as necessary.
“We have everything ranging from 25 tonne down to 3 tonne and a lot of other side equipment, including tree shears and mulchers for our forestry work and tilt rotators for civils work. We are constantly upgrading our machines and equipment.”
Forestry is just one of the many strings that Crowley Plant Hire has to its bow and Sean takes great pride in the diverse range of services they offer their clients. They haven’t strayed too far from their Kilmihill headquarters for work purposes in recent years but that is beginning to change.
“We’re currently in Limerick and Cork on ground works jobs at the minute,” he revealed.
“We’re very busy across the board. We are doing a lot of commercial work, concrete formwork, and we have a specialised shuttering/formwork crew with steel fixers on board. We would have done a lot of civils and Rock Armour in the past for Louis Keating of LM Keating who is a man I would have a lot of respect for. We also had trucks doing haulage for him but these days the trucks are doing our own work.
“Everything we do, there is no specific sector that I would give up. I like to keep my options open always and I’m willing to diversify and invest when suitable opportunities arise.”
To conclude, Sean wanted to express his gratitude to the likes of Coillte and all the other clients who have stood by him and his company through thick and thin.
“Our clients' loyalty is very much appreciated,” he said, “and we look forward to continuing our close working relationships going forward into the future.”
To find out more about the services that Crowley Plant Hire Ltd specialise in, not to mention their competitive quotes, contact Sean or Paul on the numbers provided.
Crowley Plant Hire
Kilmihil, Co Clare
Sean: 087 681 3969
Paul: 087 266 5342
Email: [email protected]
Published in Irish Trucker & Light Commercials magazine, February/March 2022, Vol 25 No 1
