Some woman for one woman!

21/03/2024

Jodie Prendergast of Kennedy International in Clane, Co. Kildare was a popular winner of the Women in Transport award at the Irish Haulier of the Year Awards in the Johnstown Estate House, Enfield, Co. Meath.

Jodie’s success is all the more noteworthy considering she has only been involved in the transport industry for a little over two years. Hailing from a farming background in Coon, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny, the 26-year-old caught the transport bug while working in the Thistle Farm racing and stud farm in nearby Danesfort.

“I worked in the racing yard from the age of 16. The work involved a lot of travelling to and from the UK with horses,” she recalls.

“It gave me an insight into the whole transport business which I was very interested in. That led to me working in customer sales for Europcar in Kilkenny before joining Kennedy International in August 2021. I love it here. It’s a successful family business run by the Kennedy family who are always eager to nurture and develop talent. There are great opportunities to progress within the company.

“In my role as operations manager, I deal with customers, drivers and workshop personnel on a daily basis. A big part of it involves building relationships with clients in Ireland, the UK and Holland. Every day is different and there is never a dull moment.”

In addition to changing careers, Jodie completed a four-year part-time LL.B Law Degree in SETU Carlow. An old head on young shoulders, she also holds rigid and artic licences which come in handy from time to time.

Jodie is hoping her award will empower more women to join the transport, logistics and supply chain industry.

“We’re very female-led at home,” she explains.

“I still live on the family farm with my mother Siobhan and four younger sisters Sammy, Lauren, Jackie and Ruby. We’re all very close and I hope I’ve made them proud. Transport is a male-dominated industry, but I just wanted to show that women can do just as good a job. It’s great to see more women in driving and transport management.

“At Kennedy International, we employ many females, including drivers, and are always on the lookout for more.”

Kennedy International is a wholly Irish-owned transport and haulage company that has been providing customers with transport and warehousing solutions for over 30 years. Its services range from the transportation of a small package to a pallet, multiple pallets to full loads. This service is provided with a modern fleet of over 70 trucks and 100 trailers. The trucks are a mix of Scania, Volvo, Iveco and DAF, while the trailers are made up of curtain-siders, low-ride tankers, flats, low loaders, refrigerated units and skelly’s. All vehicles – with the exception of those that are under warranty – are maintained and serviced inhouse to ensure there is no such thing as downtime.

Indeed, Kennedy International had one of the largest and most impressive fleets at the recent 'Full of the Pipe' Truck Show in Mondello Park, Co. Kildare.

The company prides itself on its 100-strong workforce who are highly-skilled and have thorough knowledge of transport procedures. Its management team is available 24/7 to discuss any issues in relation to the smooth operation and transportation of goods. Kennedy International’s reputation in the industry is unparalleled for customer satisfaction with the objective at all times to satisfy its customer’s requirements.

Kennedy International’s main services are container handling, tank services and international haulage. Located within Dublin Port, it is one of the largest container hauliers in Ireland, having the equipment, knowledge and expertise to ensure your cargo is delivered on time, every time. The transport specialist can offer a full logistics service for your goods, i.e. container unloading, loading storage and distribution throughout Ireland from its state-of-the-art warehouse.

Kennedy International and its subsidiary TankTrans Ltd have vast experience in the carriage of both hazardous and non-hazardous liquids and powders. This combined haulage on ro/ro and lo/lo basis amounts to 60 years and is expedited by a large fleet of vehicles and drivers that possess a wealth of experience.

Furthermore, Kennedy International offers a next-day delivery service throughout the UK, delivering everything from a pallet to full loads. All drivers are ADR-trained which allows for the transportation of hazardous goods throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe. Kennedy International provides scheduled transport services collecting and delivering all types of goods throughout Europe.

As Kennedy International continues to go from strength to strength, the Co. Kildare-based operation would like to take this opportunity to thank its customers and suppliers for their continued support as well as its top-class team for their hard work, dedication and expertise.

Kennedy International

Storage Facility

Blackhall,

Clane,

Co. Kildare,

W91 XW13.

Telephone: +353 1 836 5277

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.kennedyinternational.ie

First published in Irish Trucker magazine March/April 2024, Vol 27-1