Exciting times at Clonfadda Commercials 

18/09/2025

Established in August 2018 as a mobile diagnostics and technical repairs specialist, Clonfadda Commercials has gone from strength to strength since opening its new state-of-the-art workshop in Fenor, Co. Waterford two years ago. 

Just a 10-minute drive from Waterford city, the new premises has been a game-changer for owner John Francis who, by spending less time on the road, is able to dedicate more time to truck and bus repairs which has seen his customer-base grow accordingly. 

“It has made a big difference,” the 34-year-old confirms. 

“When I was doing mobile repairs full-time, I was losing a day on the road most weeks. Getting from ‘A’ to ‘B’ took up a lot of my time. While I still offer a mobile repair service, I’m predominantly based in the garage now. It’s great to have a permanent base and to be able to cater for more customers.” 

Providing an exceptional repair and maintenance service to truck and bus operators in the region, John and his small but dedicated team can carry out all necessary maintenance and repairs to your vehicle at the one-bay workshop, which boasts a full range of Jaltest and Tech Tool diagnostics for Volvo and other leading makes such as Mercedes and Scania. 

Among the services provided are CVRT preparation, vehicle repairs and servicing, engine diagnostics, fuel system and electrical fault finding, I-Shift gearboxes, and exhaust repair and fitting. The workshop also carries a wide range of spare parts and offers a 24/7 mobile breakdown service. Clonfadda Commercials is committed to providing a complete range of proactive and reactive solutions to ensure downtime is kept to an absolute minimum and vehicle owners can get back on the road as quickly and safely as possible. 

“We pride ourselves on our quick turnaround time and being a reliable, efficient and friendly service that our customers can count on. We carry out servicing, repairs and maintenance to trucks, buses and trailers to the highest standards,” John says. 

“Time is money for our customers and with that in mind, we keep their downtime to a minimum by carrying out repairs and servicing quickly and efficiently. We’re here to keep the wheels of your fleet turning with routine maintenance, servicing and repairs. We continue to attract new customers through word of mouth and referrals from existing clients. 

“We’re an independent Volvo specialist with a particular focus on providing mobile diagnostics and technical repairs to both Volvo bus and Volvo truck operators. Our business is split evenly between bus and truck repairs. We’re one of only a handful of garages in our area who specialise in bus repairs.” 

The affable Waterford man has a wealth of experience working with the Volvo marque. He started his apprenticeship locally with Suirway Bus & Coach Services Ltd, who are synonymous with Volvo, working his way up to the position of head technician before spending two years as a Frontline diagnostic support engineer with renowned UK-based Volvo truck and bus dealership Thomas Hardie Commercials. 

“I did mobile and on-site diagnostics with Thomas Hardie Commercials and then went to Australia for a year,” he explains. 

“I wasn’t always on tools while in Australia, but worked in the plant and agri sectors and also did some driving before coming home and deciding to set up on my own.” 

He adds: “When you specialise in a particular manufacturer, it’s easier to provide customers with the best possible and most efficient service. Because modern machinery is so advanced and every system is different, it makes sense to stick to what you know best as much as you can.” 

John comes from a strong engineering background and owes a lot of his success as a commercial vehicle technician to the influence of his father Vincent: “I’ve been interested in mechanical stuff from a very young age. My father is a marine engineer and I spent a lot of time alongside him when I was young. That’s definitely where I got my interest from.” 

Diagnosing problems is a huge part of what John does and he believes it's best to have a workshop furnished with all the adequate tooling to get to the source of the problem. 

“I don’t like guessing. You could go with your gut instinct and nine times out of 10 you will be right, but what about the other time? You are best to be 100% certain. I prefer to spend the time finding out for sure what the problem is. The troubleshooting aspect of the work is vital now and you need to use it once you have the equipment at your disposal. You might spend a little extra time diagnosing, but you will get it right and will save yourself and your customer time and money in the long run. 

"We are also experts in programming and mapping control units, and offer various solutions for fuel economy and increased horsepower." 

There are many advantages to being a small garage operator as John outlines: “Our motto is ‘quality over quantity’. The bigger you are, the harder it is to give a top-class service and to keep on top of things. We offer a very personalised and friendly service. Our customers appreciate the personal touch and know that we will always go the extra mile for them. 

“If we do decide to go bigger in the future, the big challenge would be to recruit good staff. Fortunately, I have an excellent team around me at the moment and long may that continue to be the case.” 

John would like to take this opportunity to thank his customers and suppliers for their continued support as well as his team for their hard work, dedication and expertise. He is also grateful for the support he receives from his wife Fiona, and children Iarlaith and Líadh. 

Clonfadda Commercials 

Clonfadda, 

Fenor, 

Dunhill, 

Co. Waterford, 

X91 N2D5. 

Telephone: 089 479 1523 

Email: [email protected] 

First published in Irish Trucker magazine July/August 2025, Vol 28-4