The transport refrigeration and tail lift service specialist
15/02/2024
Founded in 2020, Derek Fitzgerald Services Ltd has quickly established itself as a leading transport refrigeration and tail lifting service specialist in north Co. Cork.
A metal fabricator and Thermo King-certified refrigerated transport technician, Derek has worked with Ballinlough Refrigeration at their Cork depot for 15 years before going out on his own three years ago. Derek’s father William had built trailers in Killavullen near Mallow for over 40 years and he saw an opening for transport refrigeration and tail lifting servicing in the area.
“There was a lack of people in this part of the country with the skills to provide such a service,” he explains.
“So I decided to give it a go. I provided a mobile service for the first year and then got a premises in Gould’s Hill, Mallow where customers were able to drop off their trailers for service and repairs. The business continues to go from strength to strength and we have some great clients on our books.
“We pride ourselves on our top-class, professional, value-for-money and friendly service which is backed up by a wealth of experience and expertise. We continue to offer a mobile rapid response service which caters for fridge and tail lift breakdowns. Our opening hours are 8am to 6pm, but we’d never see any of our regular customers stuck outside of those hours.”
He adds: “Our main services are servicing of Thermo King and Carrier refrigerated units, fitting and servicing of Dhollandia and Zepro tail lifts and also servicing agri air conditioning systems during the busy summer months.”
The importance of a refrigeration unit in a truck or van cannot be overstated. If you’re transporting food or pharmaceuticals, the quality of your vehicle’s products depends on the quality of your fridge unit. With this in mind, it’s vital that you keep your transport refrigeration well maintained at all times. Derek and his small but dedicated team are experts when it comes to keeping your refrigerated unit in tip-top shape. They can service, repair and maintain refrigeration and freezing units in all vehicle sizes to keep your business running smoothly.
After your first service, they will maintain your records and remind you of your next due date so that you can concentrate on your business.
The Fitzgerald team have an innate understanding of the different types of refrigeration units within the industry and are well-equipped to complete the service quickly and efficiently. The excellent working relationship they enjoy with the likes of Ballinlough Refrigeration, Southwest Refrigeration and Denis Gallagher Commercial Services ensures every customer is catered for outside of their north Cork heartland.
F-Gas registered, Derek Fitzgerald Services Ltd also have vast experience with Dhollandia and Zepro tail lift servicing and work with customers to provide the solutions they need. Dhollandia has been one of the world’s leading manufacturers of tail lifts for over 50 years. They produce in excess of 75,000 units per year and have sold more than one million units since 1968. The Belgium brand has an unparalleled product range with lift capacities ranging from 150 to 32,000kg.
Zepro is another leading manufacturer which has been catering for the needs and demands of the tail lift market for over 40 years.
Derek Fitzgerald Services Ltd is the service partner of choice for many fleet operators in the region, including Ballycotton Transport, Hire Fleet, Crowley Transport, Rathmore Transport, Celsius Logistics, JS Ryan Freight, Barry Group, McCarthy Transport and Mallow Taxi Company.
“We service and weight test Mallow Taxi Company’s wheelchair accessible tail lifts. We have fantastic customers who avail of our services on a regular basis. We wouldn’t be anything without them,” Derek says.
Derek is joined in the business by his mother Ellen, who runs the office; Tom Browne, who also worked for Thermo King; and one part-time fridge technician. Like Derek, Tom undertook Thermo King’s award-winning Thermo King training program, which has provided them with access to an array of knowledge and experience within the industry. “Tom knows as much about the trade as I do, if not more!” Derek smiles.
Also grateful for the support and encouragement he receives from his partner Deirdre Harold and his eight-year-old daughter Abigail, the affable managing director would like to take this opportunity to thank his clients and suppliers for their continued support.
Derek Fitzgerald Services Ltd
Killavullen,
Co. Cork.
Telephone: 087 694 1941
First published in Irish Trucker magazine December 2023/January 2024, Vol 26-7
