Volvo specialists TN Truck & Plant Repairs going from strength to strength
17/06/2026
Operating out of Friarstown, Co Carlow, TN Truck & Plant Repairs Ltd offers service in truck, trailer and plant repairs for its customers and is a Volvo specialist. Irish Trucker caught up with company owner Tom Norton recently to discuss the ins and outs of the business and his overall hopes for it going forward.
Business is good these days at TN Truck & Plant Repairs Ltd and the company’s owner and founder Tom Norton means to keep things that way for the foreseeable.
Specialising in Volvo vehicles and offering a comprehensive range of services — from diagnostics to full engine rebuilds — this Co Carlow-based venture continues to go from strength to strength.
Set-up in 2023, TN Truck & Plant Repairs officially became a limited company last year, with Tom employing one full-time staff member alongside him to help carry out the services of the business week in, week out.
Those services include truck, trailer and plant repairs, diagnostics, auto-electrical repairs, service and safety inspection plans, CVRT pre-work and repairs and ECU tuning, with AdBlue Solutions and breakdown and callout service available.
Irish Trucker touched base with Tom himself to find out more on the business and what he feels has been the reasons behind its success to date.
“We do service and repair, CVRT, CVRT repairs, electrical, tuning and I’ve a low loader there for recovery as well,” said the 29-year-old Carlow native and business owner.
“We’ve a 24-hour breakdown service as well. Truck and trailer diagnostic system and we also do engine and transmission rebuilds and repairs.”
Despite being relatively young in business terms, Tom’s steady growth reflects both industry experience and a commitment to doing the job properly.
Interestingly, going out on his own wasn’t always part of the plan.
“Funny enough, I never intended on going out on my own. I was working for a company and they started getting quiet so I said I’d do three days a week for them and the rest for myself. Then three days with them went quiet and I said I’ll roll the dice on it and see what happens.”
It was a risk — but one that paid off.
“At the start, it was grand. I was always busy doing tractors, trailers, diggers. I do everything here except cars and vans really,” Tom pointed out.
It’s that broad capability which helped Tom to quickly build up a loyal customer base, many of whom remain with him to this day.
Today, TN Truck & Plant Repairs provides a wide array of services to its customers all throughout the south east of Ireland and even further afield sometimes.
From routine maintenance to complex rebuilds, the company offers a complete solution for the people it carries out work for.
The addition of a low loader ensures recovery and transport services are readily available, allowing Tom and his team to respond quickly and efficiently when breakdowns occur.
A key differentiator for the business is its specialist expertise.
“We specialise in Volvos. Myself and Ross, who works for me, we both served our time in Volvo,” Tom outlined.
That hands-on manufacturer experience gives TN Truck & Plant Repairs a strong edge when diagnosing and repairing Volvo trucks - something customers greatly value in an industry where accuracy and efficiency are critical.
Business was good last year for TN Truck & Plant Repairs and, so far in 2026, it hasn’t shown signs of slowing down at all.
“2025 was busy and this year it seems to be getting busier. We’re only really into the second month now and, look at, we’re up the walls with work,” said Tom.
The steady increase in demand is a testament to the company’s reputation for quality workmanship and honest service.
Geographically, TN Truck & Plant Repairs isn’t just limited to Carlow and its surrounding counties, as the company’s owner stated: “We cover anywhere really to an extent. Then the lorry low loader there, I can send that anywhere.”
The fleet in Friarstown includes a MAN TG van, a 2016 Volvo SH lorry, and a 2012 low loader with a low chassis setup — giving the company the flexibility to handle a variety of recovery and transport needs across the country.
No doubt, there’ll be more added machinery-wise in the months and years ahead as this venture continues its steady growth.
So, all of that considered, the clear question is what has been the secret behind the success of TN Truck & Plant Repairs to date?
How has this small start-up grown into what is very much now a thriving venture with an excellent reputation amongst its customers?
For Tom, he has always been of the view that quality is non-negotiable when it comes to the work his company carries out.
“They (the customers) don’t like shortcuts and the way I look at it is, if it was my truck I’d know how I’d want it done. So I just do it across the board.
“Once we fix it, it’s done. I’ve had a lot of stuff coming in from other garages where people were after putting in thousands up thousands and I fixed it with a €400 sensor.
“We’ll only do it the once. Since I started on my own, I still have the same customers.”
It’s a straightforward philosophy: diagnose properly, repair correctly, and stand over the work.
Looking towards the months ahead, with demand continuing to rise, Tom says that his focus remains on sustainable growth.
“I want to employ another guy to drive the low loader for us full-time. If we could do that this year, it’d be great and just keep building it from there,” he concluded.
TN Truck & Plant Repairs
Friarstown,
Co Carlow (R93 K0D8).
Mobile: 085 712 0255
Email: [email protected]
First published in Irish Trucker magazine May/June 2026, Vol 29-3