GiblinÕs build for the future

Giblin Truck Bodies are at the forefront of their field of expertise in the South West of Ireland and owner Gerard Giblin explained to Irish Trucker how the company has reached its current level.

Gerard decided to set up his own business with a view to building high quality truck bodies. It was a decision that has borne fruit ever since.
Maintaining a strict adherence to excellence and a dictum of moving ahead of the times rather than with them, the Clare-based bodybuilder continues to go from strength to strength.

Boasting a thorough knowledge of the bodybuilding craft, Gerard was nothing if not determined to make a go of the company, which was just as well, seeing as he had to start out literally from scratch with no outside help whatsoever.
Having served his time with Bus Eireann as a coachbuilder, he took the brave decision to open his own business and admits that it was a wise move.
Based in Ennis, Giblin Truck bodies are kept busy all year round with the many various jobs that they undertake and Gerard revealed that he has the staff to cater for this.
“There are seven working here now and we complete on an average one hundred units per year, which has improved considerably from when I first started the business.”

Accordingly, the attention to detail was absolute. Setting out to meet the individual needs of all customers, the company quickly established a growing reputation for quality and demand for its products went through the roof.
The company builds a full range of bodies, including literally everything from articulated tipping trailers to bodies for rigid trucks. Serving such a wide range of customers ensures that the team at Giblin Truck Bodies is kept busy around the clock.
“Producing a top quality product is the key to being successful in this business. If a customer is happy with our work then he will come back, so it is very important to ensure that the job is done correctly,” he stressed.
Gerard not only mass-produces for larger customers but also meets the requirement of individual hauliers, depending on their exact need and the load being carried. The key is to provide a body that is as lightweight and flexible as possible without compromising performance or safety.

“We do work for several dealers in the area, while we also do some for the various County Councils. Most of the work is carried out on brand new vehicles and we have customers all over the country.”
The company deploys a combination of materials to produce cost-effective and practical products to suit all loads - standard steel bodies, aluminium bodies Curtainsiders and GRP box bodies.

Well aware of stringent legislative requirements governing the industry in relation to load weight, the company is dedicated to reducing the weight of its bodies to maximise payload - without compromising quality or performance.
"There are weight restrictions in place, so in order to maximise payload it's important to minimise the weight of the trailers to do this. We use a combination of heavy steel, lightweight steel and aluminium."
All good businesses need a good reliable staff to help the company be successful and Gerard admits that he is very fortunate to have such employees.

"The staff has been instrumental in our success. We pride ourselves on the quality of workers we employ and they are without doubt one of the reasons we have done so well. They're all vastly experienced and self-disciplined. They know exactly what has to be done each day and go about their tasks accordingly."
On average it takes two-three weeks to complete a vehicle, depending on the size of the job. Most of the components used by Giblin Truck Bodies are bought in Ireland, although some are sourced in Europe.
All parts used by Giblins’ are of the highest quality to ensure that the product last’s a lengthy duration without any major problems during its lifespan.

Covering such a wide area of engineering to include manufacturing Curtainsiders, Box Bodies, Tippers, Flat Bed, Dropsides, Livestock and Municipal means that Giblins’ are able to undertake any job, which is guaranteed to be completed to the highest quality and just as importantly on time.