Lennon Logistics is in full flow
23/09/2024
Lennon Logistics Ltd is a leading specialist in refrigerated, dry freight container transport with depots in Kilmacrennan, Co. Donegal and Dublin as well as a workshop in Armagh.
Established in 2010 by Danny O’Donnell, the family business takes its name from the River Lennon which flows through his home village of Kilmacrennan before entering Lough Swilly at Ramelton. Danny runs the company with the help of his wife Jo-Anne, who is financial controller, Claire Farrell, who also works in administration, and a 14-strong team of drivers.
These are exciting times for Lennon Logistics who opened a yard in Coolquay, Ashbourne, Co. Dublin last year and recently took delivery of a stunning new Scania S770 V8 from Westward Scania. The new arrival joins a black and white-clad fleet of 12 tractor units comprising seven Scania, four Volvo and one Renault. Danny is also running a DAF rigid and an assortment of trailers, including four Schmitz and Gray & Adams refrigerated units, 15 SDC curtainsiders, eight skellys, two flats and a recent purchase of a fuel tanker. As part of an ongoing replenishment programme, he recently purchased a new Broshuis skelly from McMenamin Commercials in Letterkenny to join his existing Dennison skellys.
“If you don’t have good staff and equipment, you can’t do the work,” the affable managing director says matter-of-factly.
“We’re very lucky in that regard. Our drivers are reliable, experienced and courteous. They always deliver the goods. It’s a real team effort. I cannot stress enough the importance of having staff who are reliable and trustworthy. We also insist on keeping a fresh and immaculately-turned out fleet. How your vehicles look says everything about your company. If they are clean and well presented, it gives a good impression.
“In this business, you need to be doing something different to make it pay. You can’t just concentrate on general transport. That’s why we do jobs that others don’t. We pride ourselves on our timely deliveries and value-for-money service. The yard in Ashbourne, which is run by Bernard McHugh, has been a massive help to us. It has given us a presence in Dublin and allows us to be more versatile.”
Lennon Logistics boasts a large and loyal client-base which includes Aldi, Homesavers, Leinster Shipping, McMonagle Stone, MSC Containers, Cube Logistics and United Air & Sea Freight Services.
“We have great customers who we enjoy an excellent working relationship with,” Danny continues.
“We have two lorries dedicated to our work for Aldi. We collect the goods from Aldi’s distribution centre in Naas and deliver to their stores in Buncrana and Dungloe. Ronan Bradley oversees the Aldi transport for us.
“For Homesavers, we deliver to their 54 stores nationwide from their distribution centre in Robin Hood Industrial Estate, Dublin 22. We cross-dock the containers for Homesavers in Coolquay. We treat all of our customers the same, regardless of their size and how busy we are. Customer satisfaction has always been number one with us."
Danny is a proud father to his three children Danni-Marie, Jack and Ollie and lives in Armagh with his wife Jo-Anne and the boys. From Armagh, maintenance and repairs are carried out. Trucks under warranty are maintained by Westward Scania in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon and McDonnell Commercials, who are main Volvo dealers. Regular maintenance ensures there is no such thing as downtime.
“Armagh is actually quite central to Kilmacrennan and Ashbourne, so it’s as good a place as any to have a garage which James McKinney runs for us.”
Danny’s passion for transport was instilled in him by his late father Eddie, who was a wool merchant and independent county councillor. Eddie died in a car accident in 1993 at the age of just 45, leaving behind his wife Anne and six children, then ranging in age from 16 to 2.
“My father used to export the wool and that’s where the interest came from,” explains Danny, whose brother John now serves as an independent county councillor for the Milford district.
“I served my time as a mechanic in McDaid’s Garage before buying my first artic during the Foot & Mouth crisis in 2001. I worked for Duffy Express Freight, Martin Boyle Haulage and also in England for a short time. I purchased my first new lorry in 2008 and set up this company two years later. We’ve gradually grown the business into what it is today.”
Lennon Logistics is a great supporter of the local community in Kilmacrennan and is particularly proud of its sponsorship of Donegal ladies football kingpins Termon. Boasting the talents of All-Star Geraldine McLaughlin, Termon were the first Donegal club to taste All-Ireland glory when they defeated Cork’s Mourneabbey in 2014.
The company is very proud to have received two ‘Highly Commended’ awards for two of its Scania’s from the recent Truckfest Show in Lincoln.
As Lennon Logistics continues to go from strength to strength, Danny would like to take this opportunity to thank his customers and suppliers for their continued support as well as his hard-working team for their dedication and expertise.
Lennon Logistics Ltd
Kilmacrennan,
Co. Donegal.
Telephone: 087 9665690 / 087 779 7873
Email: [email protected]
First published in Irish Trucker magazine July 2024, Vol 27-4
