Progress pictures of 145mm Pre-Stressed Walls for Warehouse – Mac Mahon Storage and Distribution ltd Moynalty, Co.Meath.

We can unveil the finished article with the floor and roof both installed. O’Reilly Concrete also supplied the 600m3 of Readymix Concrete for the floor which was poured in 2 days by Barcrete Ltd.
Thanks to Sean Mac Mahon of Mac Mahon Transport, we would like to wish you all the very best for the future. You can take a closer look at our Readymix Concrete as well as blocks and stone here

We installed 145mm Pre-Stressed Walls and fitted in the new Storage Warehouse for S Mac mahon storage&distrubtion ltd in Moynalty, Co.Meath, Ireland. O’Reilly Concrete supplied the 600m3 of Readymix Concrete for the floor which was poured in 2 days by Barcrete Ltd.
Thanks to Sean Mac Mahon of Mac Mahon Transport, we would like to wish you all the very best for the future. You can take a closer look at our Readymix Concrete as well as blocks and stone here

 

Some progress pictures of a Concrete stable yard in Moynalty in County Meath as the first load of Readymix Concrete was poured last week.

O’Reilly Concrete supply a full range of concrete mixes, from 10N all the way to 60N, along with specific pump mix designs and fibre re-enforced concrete. All our mixes contain GGBS which enables us to reduce our carbon footprint.

We have a number of batching plants in the North East Region; Kingscourt Co. Cavan, Taghart Co. Cavan and Ballyhoe Co. Monaghan

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

All our concrete plants conform to IS: EN206-1 2002. Our large fleet include a number of conveyor belt trucks which can service difficult to access sites and are ideal for in-situ shuttering.

The job is being completed by Elite Equestrian Developments Ltd and Paul Smyth who was been a loyal customer of the O’Reilly Group for over two decades so we wish Paul and Co. every continued success!

[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

We secured the Silvervale Park development at Willowbrook West in St Mellons as part of the Cardiff City Council framework partnering Wates Residential. This project will see the creation of 192 mixed tenure homes with completion expected in 2020.

Our Contract is to design, manufacture and install hollowcore flooring, precast stairs and landings to all of the apartment blocks. O’Reilly Concrete offered value engineering throughout the whole design process.

The Hollowcore floors were designed to the latest robust detail regulations. We worked with Wates Residential at an early stage of the tender process right up to the point of exchanging contracts. O’Reilly Concrete then produced detailed designs and calculations for Wates approval.

O’Reilly Concrete have now been invited to be part of future phases on the overall framework and look forward to delivering more apartments to the high standards expected. All phases have been delivered on time and within budget.

We are looking forward to partnering Wates on projects across the region and the UK as a whole. The below pictures show the site before work commenced and the site as it is today with the progress which has been made. The first block of houses are nearing completion with the first occupants ready to move in. Also included are internal shots of the kitchen fit-out’s and the appliances being moved in.

We are delighted to have secured the contract on the new school project in Belmayne Co. Dublin with ABM Design and Build. The project will consist of two schools, Belmayne Educate Together National School to the South of the site and St. Francis of Assissi National School to the west of the site.

Belmayne Educate Together National School is to be a 3 storey primary school building with 16 classrooms, general purpose hall, support teaching spaces and ancillary accommodation, with a total floor area of c.2439 sq.m.

St Francis of Assisi National School is to be a 3 storey primary school building with 16 classrooms, general purpose hall, support teaching spaces and ancillary accommodation, with a total floor area of c.2502 sq. m.

O’Reilly Concrete will be supplying the floors, precast walls and precast stairs to the respective schools. Work has already commenced on Belmayne Educate Together National School with the ground floors being fitted and the walls and stairs to follow. Work will then begin on the St. Francis of Assissi National School.

You can view our full product range on our website here 

Quantity Surveying is a vitally important job in any company and it is a prominent role recognised by many but very few actually know what the role consists of. The job carries even more significance in a large Precast company like O’Reilly Concrete, so I decided to sit down with O’Reilly Concrete’s two Quantity Surveyors; Patrick Caffrey and Kevin Smith to get a better understanding of the role and responsibilities of the job.

It was a really interesting conversation which began by talking about the process of minimising costs on projects and the transition from initial to final figures. Kevin and Pat did admit it is a difficult job especially when there are so many different departments for information to process through. Pat said you “have production, manufacturing, transport, installation and design teams which can make things complex. Communication is paramount between all the parties and this can often include extras which need to be passed onto us and fed back in turn to the client.” He also talked about the lessons which can be learned from previous jobs and estimates made. “No two jobs are the same especially when you are dealing with different regions in a geographic sense. Transport and labour, for example, is completely different in London than it is in Liverpool and costs fluctuate Internationally in terms of factors like cranage for instance.”

Quantity Surveying is a unique role in the sense that the actual function of the job is different in every company. Naturally, working in a large precast company like O’Reilly Concrete would be different than it would be in a company which is more construction orientated. Kevin associates the role here as one which is more manufacture-based as opposed to construction which is the very last stage of what a Quantity Surveyor does. “A traditional QS role consists of all construction related activities and other difficulties. Here in O’Reilly Concrete, we are just dealing with precast as opposed to adding in electricians, plumbers and plasterers which makes life that bit easier.”

The ultimate goal or day-to-day duty of a QS is to convert tender stage quotations into a contract award. However, there can be additional factors that come in when a contract is awarded such as “monitoring cost overruns, submitting payment claims, monthly evaluations as well as contractual obligations such as building compliance or environmental issues to ensure the contract is thoroughly followed through on. This all ensures that when the work is handed to the design team, they know they have the green light to proceed.

There is a certain risk element attached to the vast majority of jobs and Quantity Surveying is no different and can often be a high-pressured job in certain circumstances. Pat spoke about the impact of Brexit as a good proportion of work comes directly from the UK. It is vital to keep a close eye on the price of sterling as even the slightest of fluctuations can impact profit so there is a very fine line in terms of Precast margin. If you turn the tables, there is also a major effect when looking at raw materials which are imported from the UK which are relevant to manufacturing. Aside from installation costs, the remainder are fixed and can be minimised with effective communication with the project manager. “

Projects can be broken down in terms of size and stature. A “frame project” consists of the design and build completely including floors, walls, beams and steel. This requires a huge amount of time and effort and must be factored into the rate. Kevin talked about the different pressures being a market leader brings in itself. “A simple flooring project needs to analysed and manufactured which is quite simple and although this would be our bread and butter so to speak, this is the sector which has the most competition and can often be the toughest to win. As market leader and with the excellent reputation we have, we have delivered some huge projects with under still under development as we speak. Terminal 2 in Heathrow Airport, Mallow and Tyrrelstown school’s are just a few and we are in the tender stage with others across Europe in Poland, Holland and Germany so there is exciting times ahead for sure.”

The two lads have an excellent relationship which is crucial and they fit in really well in terms of the culture in O’Reilly Concrete. There is a really close-knit feel about the company and Pat likens Kevin and his relationship to the Irish rugby team. “In any good team, you need a good set of half backs with an almost telepathic understanding of each other with excellent communication. I would see myself as a Conor Murray type of character-a young, good-looking, skilful and athletic scrum-half whilst describing his partner Kevin as a Johnny Sexton type figure-an older, more seasoned campaigner. Kevin just shook his head in disgust!

It has to be said the two lads have a great attitude towards their job and the company as a whole and Pat loves the feel good, team-based atmosphere within the company. “Everyone is willing to lend a hand when you’re under pressure and work together for the good of the company and help because they genuinely want to lend a hand, not just for the sake of it.” Kevin talked about the technology in O’Reilly’s and how up-to-date we are and although other companies can often be slow to adapt to change and implement new technologies, O’Reilly Concrete is certainly not in that bracket. “We are at the forefront of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and have recently installed a new SRM software package called ‘Pipedrive’. This helps to convert tenders into contracts and saves duplication of work.

One pet hate of the QS role was a view shared by both of the lads was the non-standardization of bills of quantity descriptions. Also, the distrust which can sometimes exist between engineers and Quantity Surveyors. “Thankfully, this isn’t the case in O’Reilly Concrete but it does happen whereby the Engineer makes a mistake but does not choose to report it and instead tries to cover it up. This eventually leads to an awkward conversation between the two parties. The hard work of the design team working in tandem with us ensures that mistakes are virtually eliminated.”

Technology is continually evolving in all walks of life and has been moving rapidly especially in the last decade. Large precast companies may have initially been slow to adapt but they are making strides and are catching up with the pack at a rate of knots. No one recognises the significance of technology and the need for change as much as O’Reilly Concrete’s Technical Director, Richard Kowalski.

Richard has seen and experienced the journey technology has embarked on and he has spearheaded the journey made by O’Reilly’s in recent years. Richard acknowledges the incredible impact that technology has had on the Precast Industry as a whole in recent times and it’s something that the O’Reilly Group have embraced when so many others have just stood back and waited in the crowd for someone else to make a move.

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

O’Reilly’s made their first big move in the technology sector when BEAM production was introduced before the vast majority of people and companies even heard of the term. O’Reilly’s developed the first BEAM project in Ireland in 2014, a huge milestone for all concerned. 3D modelling is another major facet which enables so many different aspects. For example, design solutions or materials of high performance concrete which gives very high-quality concrete as opposed to ordinary concrete. Sustainability is also a huge factor with O’Reilly’s using GGBS to reduce their carbon foot. According to Richard, the hope is to have the Cardiff factory fully automated in the production precast walls panels in the near future. Needless to say, this would be another giant step in the technological journey with modern technology in the form of Artificial Intelligence or Augmented reality. “The digital data in the factory and on sites is there but it is but it is just a case of devising a model to use features like AI and AR. The vision is fitters using these on an everyday basis and actually visibly viewing everything before they even begin to fit.”

There are a vast array of advantages and benefits to integrating technology into Precast industries. Manufacturing suddenly becomes much more efficient in terms of cost, time is saved as well as improved quality. Richard gave a simple solution which laser projections provide for shuttering, for example, drawings being sent directly to fitters eliminates any potential errors such as human error which can now be avoided with the aid of technology.

The advantage of fitting crews using handheld devices will help to eliminate paper which in turn will reduce time. Bar coding and tracking will make trace-ability easier leading to better control from factory to site. The aim for O’Reilly’s and any other large Precast industry is to continually search for better ways to provide a service for clients, better cooperation between engineers and design teams through the use of BEAM models which save time and reduce unnecessary work on site. The exchange of information for clients and the option to view the proposal in 3D Tender models helps to build better understanding and relationships between the company and client.

Richard is honest and speaks his mind and despite all the benefits, he does not hide from the difficulties and challenges which technology does inevitably bring. He admits he is constantly learning and the fast nature of technology developing can prove difficult to follow. “Everything goes towards simplicity; augmented reality or artificial intelligence, people need to be trained properly to read drawings in the correct manner. Anyone can view a virtual reality sketch however it is crucial you understand it and know how to build it. For example, the iPhone is very simple to use hence why it is so popular, simplicity is the key to be more accurate and successful.” The underlying message here is that you need to have a step by step procedure which deliver a faster and better quality service.

Richard recently spoke at the Tekla UK Concrete Show in the UK and he finished his presentation with the quote “if you don’t adapt you will die.” People often freak out when they hear the term ‘Artificial Intelligence’ or’ Augmented Reality’ but Richard feels it is not rocket science to pick these features up and implement them successfully. “You don’t need a Master’s degree to use AI or AR, iPhone users adapting is the prime example of this. Technology is part of your life and work, if you neglect it or fail to work with it and against it, you will inevitably fall behind.”

Over the last years 13 years since Richard began in O’Reilly’s, the company has made incredible strides from using standard 2D design to using BEAM, 3D modelling and augmented reality in such a short space of time. Whilst the Concrete industry in the technology sphere is growing every day, there is still work to be done. However, buildings and cities are now being built in the virtual reality world before work on site even begins.

It is clear to see from talking to Richard that he has a real passion for technology and he is constantly looking at ways and means of improving the way things are done and how you can learn from previous jobs and make the required adjustments to improve future projects. “There are always better ways of doing things in terms of safety, construction, reducing waste, reducing cost. It is just a case of learning from your previous errors and mistakes and putting things right or else you will find yourself disappearing from the market. The key is to find new ways of completing things and explore alternatives to stay ahead of competition.”

Before becoming the technical director of O’Reilly Concrete in 2014, Richard was a draftsman at first when he arrived in 2005. 6 months later he was appointed as a senior engineer designer so the ever-evolving nature of the world and technology has created a role which did not exist a decade ago which is quite remarkable. This position is vital to co-ordinates all the aspects of Research and Development, integrate technology, develop new products and create future plans in terms of all technical aspects.

The role requires a good deal of research to learn about new phenomenon’s which are emerging every day whilst also keeping a close eye on competitors along with market trends. This enables Richard and O’Reilly’s to stay one step ahead of the competition. The primary goal is to be the market leader and this is achieved through flexibility and adaptability in terms of quality and design. The Hilton Hotel project in Heathrow in the UK was a huge challenge in terms of safety and exposure and modifying to meet the Heathrow authorities’ requirements. For example, activities cannot disturb or interfere with the public and the airport more specifically. You must adapt or else you will die…[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

Some excellent photos of our project in Punchestown Racecourse in Co Kildare, Ireland. A truly brilliant job completed by the building contractor Mervyn Gray, another loyal customer of O’Reilly Concrete.

The machinery shed was made up of a 95mm Prestressed walls, 100mm insulation and another 95mm of Prestressed wall as seen in the below images.

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

There is also another 120m2 of 150mm Thermal Hollowcore Flooring and Precast Stairs to be installed in the coming week along; with a petrol interceptor from O’Reilly Oakstown on the same site.

All in all, there was approximately 400m2 of material fitted in one day. Delighted to say, the project is on course to be completed in time for the Punchestown Festival which commences on April 24th![/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

Great job completed in PJ Nolan’s in Harristown with the installation of Pre-Stressed walls in these new sheds. After encountering problems with Cryptosporidium in 2017, PJ installed new a sloped floor and smooth wall surfaces which aids cleanliness and helps cleaning.

The easy installation of the side walls which were 1.5 metres high as well as the back walls which were 2.4 metres and took just 3 hours to fit with approximately 180m2 of pre-stressed walls.

Thankfully since the installation of the walls in the new sheds, there has been no cases of Cryptosporidium detected which is excellent news for all concerned!

Visit this page for more information on our Pre-Stressed walls and the various different benefits.

Transport in large, multinational companies is an ever-evolving phenomenon. More and more products are being introduced on a daily basis, therefore, you must adapt and attempt to add them in to an already clustered schedule. In a Concrete based industry, Pods for example can be problematic with different height and weight restrictions as well as other specifications. If only it was as simple as just loading them onto a lorry and waving them off into the sunset.

One such feature is analysing the different haulage companies who are available to transport these deliveries. Since the Recession, the number of haulage companies has grown significantly and is now a fiercely competitive sector. Transport Manager in O’Reilly Concrete, Dave Barry can testify to this, “we are inundated with enquiries from different parties about potential jobs which may be arising at a particular time. In many ways this works to our advantage, however, it is crucial we do not make any hasty decisions and evaluate all the alternatives in a thorough fashion.”

O’Reilly Concrete regularly use a wide range of haulage companies across the UK and Ireland. Irish companies include Millroad Transport, Copper Haulage, Ward Transport and McVitty Transport. For the Uk deliveries, these include BM Transport, Surefreight, Nolan Transport, Roche Freight Transport and Perenial Transport.

Generally speaking, price is the number 1 factor in the decision-making process, however, there are also other factors which might not seem near as important but are actually equally if not more important. Reliability from past experiences is taken into account as well as the timescale of a project.

Dave spoke about he uses a system or a formula to choose the delivery method. “We compare and contrast three different prices to see where we can get the best value. We also take into account the quality of the service, which at times, is more important than the price.”

A simple example of why there is more to picking a haulage company than basing it purely on the cheapest option is if a certain company may be €200 cheaper than one of its competitors. The obvious instinct is to go with the cheapest available price, however, if it is 2 hours late then that €200 of a saving suddenly disappears when there is a crane and workers waiting. The job is in turn delayed and the more expensive option may have proved more fruitful in the long haul.

Transport managers like Dave encounter different problems every day. “Some are avoidable and others are completely unavoidable such as boats not sailing due to rough seas or lorries breaking down. There is a lot of things out of your hands and you need a bit of luck.” We also depend on the people who work on site because there is only so much that can be done from the comfort of the office.”

There is a long and vigorous process for Dave to follow when he first begins the journey. Firstly, he must receive the file from the design office with all the relevant customer and product information. From there, Dave rings the site and arranges a date and plans the delivery and availability of trucks and drivers plus how long it will take. This can prove time consuming if the right type of crane or other things are unavailable. The final step is to assign a fitting crew to go and fit the product whatever it may be. There are so many factors that are linked or intertwined so it is vital to have everyone singing off the same hymn sheet.

Dave uses a checklist to ensure everything is done right and in the correct order and the fact he has valuable experience in fitting helps him understand what can and can’t be done in a day and how many loads will be fitted daily or weekly. Schools can be problematic in the sense that work needs to be completed in certain time frames so there is a small window in which to operate.

90% of the haulage is external with smaller jobs carried out by O’Reilly lorries. It costs less to outsource than buy a huge fleet lorries and trucks. “There is no busy or quiet season, it varies from week to week. There is never really a dull moment especially when there are a couple of big project’s in the UK.” The prime focus is to deliver a quality product and most importantly service. “If the service is good then price comes second.”

According to Dave, “technology is everything!” An email takes 30 seconds to write and generally speaking responses are instant just like Whatsapp which is instant messaging. LinkedIn helps transport manager like Dave build up contacts. He also uses his smartphone to catch-up on emails in the evening time and even uses Snapchat to send and receive pictures of projects taking place across the UK and Ireland. Ultimately, “technology makes life easier and the days of using a pen and paper are suddenly disappearing at a rapid speed.