D&M Truck Engineering standing the test of time
26/06/2024
Based in Kilcullen, County Kildare, D&M Truck Engineering is an industry-leading one-stop shop for all light and heavy commercial vehicle services including testing, diagnostics, maintenance, repairs and much more besides. To mark D&M’s 40th anniversary, Irish Trucker touched base with David Dunne to discuss the past, present and future of this long-established and progressive family-run business.
For four decades and counting, D&M Truck Engineering Ltd. has been delivering invaluable services to commercial vehicle owners and operators across Kildare and beyond.
As well as being a modern RSA-authorised CVRT testing centre for HGVs and LCVs, from its state-of-the-art workshop in Kilcullen Industrial Estate, D&M also possesses the personnel, tools, equipment and experience to provide unbeatable commercial vehicle servicing, repairs, diagnostics, tachograph and speed limiter calibration solutions – and any other service a truck, van or bus operator might require.
The genesis of D&M Truck Engineering goes back to 1984 when the business was set up by John Dunne and his and his business partner Tom Magee. Both have sadly passed away. John in 2005 and Tom in February 2024. Over the ensuing forty years the multifaceted commercial vehicle test centre and garage has gone from strength to strength.
The business is now managed by John’s wife Nora and son, David. Maintaining a proud family tradition, the latter – a fully-qualified vehicle engineer and technician – joined the family business upon leaving school 22 years ago. He points out that one of the great strengths of D&M Truck Engineering is the comprehensive range of services provided on a daily basis:
“We do light and heavy CVR testing, all-vehicle service and repairs, tachograph installation and calibrations, ADR’s, speed limiter calibrations, fast tractor testing, twelve-weekly inspections, vehicle type approval, wheel alignment, tyres, safe load passes, engineer reports, modification reports – everything, really. Anything to do with a commercial vehicle, we can do it.”
At the heart of the business is the skill, expertise, dedication and customer service of a vastly-experienced and highly-qualified team of testers and technicians. “We have a team of ten mechanics on the floor and three office staff,” says David. “Five of the mechanics are also fully-qualified testers. At the moment, we have seven workshop bays and two testing lanes. We are constantly reinvesting back into the business to improve our services.
“In the near future, we will be adding two more testing lanes to increase our testing capacity and reduce the waiting time for tests, which we hope to get down to a couple of days.”
Due to its outstanding track record for invariably providing exceptional service levels to either meet or exceed customer expectations, D&M Truck Engineering benefits from a large and steady volume of repeat business.
“We are very lucky to have a lot of longstanding customers, many of whom have been coming here for up to 40 years,” David confirms. “We do a lot of fleet work for the likes of Michael Murphy, Domino Pizza, Kennedy International and many others. We aim to be a one-stop shop by providing every service a commercial vehicle owner could possibly want.”
It’s important to get the balance right between being thorough and getting the vehicle back on the road as quickly as possible… “Once a customer drops his vehicle off at the door, we will do whatever we can to provide a complete service in-house to the highest standards, keeping downtime to an absolute minimum. All work is carried out with the customer, vehicle performance and safety in mind.”
No stone is left unturned in terms of guaranteeing that every test, service and repair is executed in the most professional and up-to-date manner and this naturally requires an ongoing investment of money into the business.
“Everything is constantly upgraded and improved because you simply have to move with the times,” says David. “This applies not just to the premises and our tools but also continuous training and upskilling of all the lads in the workshop. If they need a particular tool or piece of equipment, or something upgrade or replaced, then there is no argument. We make sure our mechanics and testers have access to everything they need to carry out their work as efficiently and effectively as possible.
“We have several brands of diagnostic equipment for commercial vehicles to cover everything, including all makes and models. We always try our best to keep everybody happy and our loyal customers seem to appreciate that.”
Nothing beats the feeling of seeing a happy customer leaving the premises with their vehicle firing on all cylinders, and the fact that David and Nora and everybody else at D&M Truck Engineering enjoy their work is an added bonus, as their enthusiasm and upbeat nature results in an enhanced customer experience.
“I do enjoy it 100 per cent,” the Kildare man concludes, “I wouldn’t be here otherwise. The variety of the work is nice and it’s always a pleasure to meet different people and do different things. In this line of work, you get to meet and work with a lot of great people.”
When you bring your commercial vehicle to D&M Truck Engineering, you can rest assured it’s in the safest of hands. They have all the specialist expertise and equipment to cater for your commercial vehicle. You can book online on their website (www.kildarecvrt.ie) or, alternatively you can contact them over the phone.
A lasting legacy to its founders, D&M Truck Engineering Ltd. has come a long way over the past 40 years and, encouragingly, demand for the vast range of commercial vehicle services provided has never been stronger. It’s onwards and upwards for this impressive Kildare business!
D&M Truck Engineering Ltd.
Kilcullen Industrial Estate,
Kilcullen,
County Kildare,
Tel: 045 481 639
Email: [email protected]
Web: kildarecvrt.ie
First published in Irish Trucker magazine June 2024, Vol 27-3
