An exciting new recruit
05/07/2024
Empire Recruitment has joined forces with Full of the Pipe as a new official sponsor of Ireland’s premier truck show. It’s a perfect partnership as the Cavan-headquartered recruitment company’s Business Development and Service Delivery Manager Mark Kenny has been extensively involved in the transport industry for all his working life.
Ahead of the 2024 edition of Full of the Pipe, Empire Recruitment was brought on board as one of the event’s official sponsors. This is a fitting union for a variety of reasons, not least because a large percentage of Empire Recruitment’s work is trucks- and trucker-related.
Empire Recruitment have been constructing careers and delivering talent nationwide, across numerous industries, since 2012. Established with a vision to bridge the gap and make lasting connections between employers and job seekers, they are committed to providing tailored recruitment solutions that empower businesses to thrive and individuals to succeed.
The team at Empire Recruitment understand the importance of finding the perfect fit for both employers and candidates. With their extensive network, industry expertise and personalised approach, they strive to match skills, experience and cultural fit to ensure long-term success and satisfaction.
Empire Recruitment understands the pivotal role of temporary drivers in Transport & Logistics. With fluctuating demands, they ensure smooth operations and meet delivery targets. Leveraging their network and expertise, they supply skilled and flexible drivers, adept at adapting to various schedules, fully compliant and ready to hit the road.
Beyond drivers, they also specialise in providing office-based professionals crucial to logistics. From planners to directors, their candidates excel in planning, organisation and decision-making. Drawing from an extensive talent pool, they deliver experienced professionals for temporary or permanent roles, tailored to each company’s specific needs.
Empire Recruitment offer industry-leading CPC Courses and Manual Handling training in their state-of-the-art training facility in Cavan town. They offer the full range from Module 1-6 all priced at just €60 per module.
Group booking discount of 10 per cent is available for 10+ drivers or you can book out the entire CPC course (16 seats max) for a private session for €750, with Manual Handling available at an additional €20 per applicant.
Business Development & Service Delivery Manager Mark Kenny comes from a strong transport background and has worked in the industry since leaving school. He spent more than two years as a Customer Service Agent with Burke Shipping Group (now DSG) at Dublin Port before working as a transport recruitment consultant,
Then came four years with Knights of Old’s Irish operation, working as transport supervisor and then operations manager for the country.
As operations manager with Knights of Old, Mark had responsibility for the day-to-day operation of Irish imports, exports, collections and deliveries, and also managed the Dublin office and Irish driving force. He joined Empire Recruitment three years ago and worked initially as transport recruitment consultant before becoming Business Development & Service Delivery Manager, responsible for sourcing new business for the group and maintaining relationships with clients nationwide.
“The industry has been good to us, so we have to give something back,” he states, when asked about Empire Recruitment’s fledgling partnership with Full of the Pipe. “Also, through sponsorship, you can get more recognition for the role you are playing in the industry.
“We really enjoy truck shows. I used to go to the Peterborough Show in the UK and I’d have a good appreciation for what makes a good truck show. Full of the Pipe is right up there as the premium show in Ireland now – it’s a brilliant show and we’re delighted to be associated with it.”
Did Empire Recruitment approach FOTP, or vice-versa? “I reached out to Kevin. It is quite common for recruitment companies to sponsor events and we were weighing up our options when we heard that Full of the Pipe was back. We decided to try to get in and when Kevin got back to me with his vision for how the sponsorship would work it was a no-brainer to join forces, sponsor the event and get our name out there.”
Not only will the name Empire Recruitment be connected with the show but Mark will also be taking a personal interest in Full of the Pipe 2024: “Myself and my wife and kids are going to head up and our office manager is also going to the show with her family. We’ll stay up for the two days if we can manage to get accommodation for the second night – at the moment it appears to be sold out but we’ll keep looking. We’re also hoping to get a stand up so we can talk to people and let them know what we are offering to the industry.”
Between them, the construction and transport industries account for a large percentage of Empire Recruitment’s activities: “The company was set up in the wake of the collapse of the construction industry but has since expanded to include finance and transport & logistics,” says Mark. “Construction and transport & logistics would be about 70 – 75 per cent of our business, covering both temporary and permanent recruits.
“A lot of the drivers and operatives would be temporary, while the more technical roles tend to be permanent, but there is no hard and fast rule. We cover nationwide and transport & logistics is a massive part of what we do.
“There is a driver shortage in Ireland and rates were slow to move in line with construction and increases in minimum wage. Drivers weren’t getting the recognition they deserved and that led to many of them leaving the market, which has created a vacuum. We are here to facilitate companies to find candidates and to help candidates find the right company, with regards to conditions and their work-life balance as well as wages.”
“We work with so many different-sized transport companies from one- or two-man operations up to your BM Transports and Sam Dennigans, who could employ hundreds of staff nationwide. We’re here to help people make that connection, to bridge the gap and find the job that is tailored to their needs and preferences.”
Empire Recruitment,
1 Church View Square,
Church Street,
Cavan town.
Tel: 049 437 3809
Email: [email protected]
Web: empirerecruitment.ie
Full of the Pipe Truckshow Ireland returns to Mondello Park over the weekend of July 13th and 14th.
