Clean sweep for EJC Contracts at truck shows
13/02/2025
EJC Contracts Ltd in Newtownabbey is almost as famous for its stunning fleet of trucks as it is for delivering safe, award-winning turnkey civil engineering and telecommunications solutions.
A self-confessed ‘clean freak’, logistics manager and company director Daniel Connolly’s passion for striking, powerful and immaculately-turned out trucks has seen EJC Contracts come up trumps at many truck shows, including this year’s Full of the Pipe in Punchestown, Truckfest in Edinburgh and Tipperary Truck Show in Dualla. Daniel rarely misses a truck show and the opportunity to showcase his impressive vehicles.
EJC Contracts won in the Best Small Fleet and Best Bullnose Truck categories at both Full of the Pipe and Tipperary Truck Show, and was also among the winners at Truckfest which was sandwiched in between.
“It’s great when your hard work is rewarded,” he enthuses.
“Whereas other people are into sport, music of whatever, trucks and truck shows are my thing. That’s my hobby. It’s an expensive hobby, mind you! But when you’ve grown up around trucks, it’s hard to get away from them. You develop a passion for them.
“I’m also a clean freak. Anyone that knows me will tell you that I spend my weekends cleaning and polishing trucks. I take great pride in the appearance of the fleet. How your vehicles look says everything about your company. If they are clean and well presented, it gives a good impression.”
Daniel adds: “We entered a Scania ST650 in the Best Bullnose, and the same truck along with an S650 and a R560 in the Best Small Fleet categories at Full of the Pipe and Tipperary. We were delighted to take first prize in both instances.”
The winning trucks are part of a 50-strong fleet of mostly Scania tippers, grab lorries, hotboxes and artics that form the backbone of EJC Contracts’ busy utilities operation. In addition, the company runs the same number of vans along with an array of plant and equipment, and employs 180 people who are a mix of engineers, supervisors, mechanics, planners, installers, drivers, labourers and administration staff.
“We used to have a lot of Volvo trucks, but we’re predominantly Scania now. It’s our preferred brand. In saying that, we took delivery of five new DAF rigids last year from MV Commercial in Airdrie, Scotland who also built the bodies for us. We are very proud of our fleet and our drivers. Behind the wheel of every truck is a professional, reliable and courteous driver who always delivers the goods,” Daniel says.
Founded in Mallusk in 1993 by Daniel’s father Eddie Connolly, EJC Contracts is a leading civil engineering and utilities specialist currently working for telecommunications giants such as Virgin Media, O2 and Nexfibre as well as NI Water. Having started out as a tarmacadam contractor, the successful family business now has a presence across a broad range of utilities, including telecommunications, water, gas, electricity and urban renewal.
EJC Contracts’ services range from tarmac contracts and utilities installation to civils, paving, site clearance, grab hire and project planning and design. Through its programme for labour and staff training, employees strive to not only meet, but exceed clients’ expectations. The client base, which continues to grow, maintains a core of repeat customers. These clients continually return to achieve the solutions and quality of finish to which they have become accustomed through their relationship with EJC Contracts.
“We have many valued private and commercial customers, with Virgin Media being the biggest by far,” Daniel explains.
“We secured a big utilities contract with them eight years ago which accounts for about 70% of our overall business. We have well over 100 staff engaged in fibre optic / broadband installation and maintenance for Virgin Media all over the UK. We also carry out a lot of domestic and commercial groundworks projects closer to home.”
EJC Contracts’ innate understanding of the civil engineering processes and the need to control project costs sets it apart from many of its competitors. By investing heavily in its fleet, the Newtownabbey operation has been able to develop a unique portfolio which it constantly upgrades by purchasing new additions every year, never settling with the current set-up, and always striving to ensure services are carried out with the most modern and technologically-advanced machines on the market.
EJC Contracts is proud of its proven track for the successful installation and maintenance of underground infrastructure. Its top-class team are qualified to complete the entire process of the planning and designing, installation of the utility service from excavating the trench, laying and connecting service, final reinstatement, and testing and commissioning where necessary.
Having its own multi-skilled accredited operatives enables EJC Contracts to lay multi-utility services on new development projects which saves the client time, money, disruption and gives it greater control of Health & Safety and Quality. By working on many long-term projects, the EJC Contracts crew have become experts in trenching and ducting methods, open cut and pipe bursting techniques.
Furthermore, EJC Contracts offers a grab hire service to both the construction sector and domestic clients. Its goal is to provide a fresh and forward-thinking service based on the principle of good customer service, good communication and reliability. In summary, the contractor aims to be your number one choice for all aspects of civil engineering across Northern Ireland and beyond.
As EJC Contracts continues to go from strength to strength, the family business would like to take this opportunity to thank its clients and suppliers for their unwavering support as well as its dedicated team for their hard work and expertise.
EJC Contracts Ltd
386a Ballyclare Road,
Newtownabbey,
BT36 4TQ.
Telephone: 028 9083 9574
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.ejccontracts.com
First published in Irish Trucker magazine January/February 2025, Vol 28-1
