ECT - the sand and gravel specialists

ECT Sand & Gravel is a leading supplier of washed sand and gravel in the Wicklow area. The company was set up by Wexford native Vincent Cousins over a decade ago and in that time has earned a reputation for reliability, value-for-money and excellence.

Having served his time as a mechanic and worked for various haulage companies in Ireland and Australia, Gorey man Vincent Cousins decided to set up his own transport business in 1996.
It was a decision he hasn’t regretted. Previously known as Vincent Cousins Transport Ltd, ECT Sand & Gravel has firmly established itself as one of the leading suppliers of sand and gravel in the greater Wicklow area. Having started out with just one truck, Vincent now has a fleet of six trucks, employs eight staff and counts such reputable companies as Ascon, John Sisk & Son, Readymix and SM Morris Ltd among his ever-expanding list of customers.

“We’ve made good inroads over the past few years and hopefully things will continue to go well for us in the future,” Vincent explains.
“The construction boom helped to get us established and we’ve been kept very busy. Our core business is supplying sand and gravel, but we also do some muck-shifting as well. We can carry out site clearance and demolition work, and hold a waste permit licence for the Wicklow, Wexford and Dublin areas.
“We also supply screened and unscreened top soil which is suitable for raised percolation areas.”

After serving his time with Wexford County Council, Vincent worked as a mechanic with Dempsey Commercials in Enniscorthy. He then spent a year-and-a-half in Australia before returning home and buying his own truck. He transported lime for farmers in Goresbridge, Co. Kilkenny and later transported sand and gravel for Redmond Construction in Bray and SM Morris in Kilpedder.
Then, in 1996, he set up Vincent Cousins Transport which he subsequently renamed ECT Sand & Gravel Ltd. ECT (East Coast Transport) was originally a general haulage company, but has specialised in sand and gravel supplies since 1999 when Vincent purchased a large sand pit at Ballinabarney, Redcross, Co. Wicklow.
“I bought 58 acres and screening equipment, and we’ve been sand and gravel suppliers ever since. We’re based in Redcross which is just off the main N11 and is about three miles from Rathdrum. We’re within easy reach of Wicklow and the surrounding counties of Dublin, Wexford and Kildare,” he says.

ECT supplies a wide range of washed and graded sands to the construction industry. A variety of stone types are also supplied. There are 10 different grades of sand available, ranging from 1mm to 100mm Pea gravel, which consists of small, smooth, rounded stones. 1mm sand is used in the manufacture of asphalt and concrete blocks. The next grades are 3.5mm, 4.5mm and 5.5mm which are suitable for plastering, concrete and ground works respectively.
6mm sand is used as paving grit, while 10mm, 14mm, 20mm and 30mm Pea gravel is suitable for landscaping, driveways, land drainage and percolation systems. 50mm and 100mm Pea gravel is used primarily in road building and drainage.
ECT has built a reputation for supplying difficult-to-find sands to tight specification. Whether the sand is for home and garden or construction use, they can supply it.

The screening and washing equipment used by Vincent includes the Commander 510, Mark 2 and Chieftain 1400, all of which are Powerscreen products. Vincent’s six trucks are equally divided between MAN and Hino.
ECT Sand & Gravel’s main customer is SM Morris, which is a leading civil engineering and tarmacadam/asphalt contractor. SM Morris currently has two operational asphalt and macadam production plants based in Kilpedder and Kilbride (both Co. Wicklow). The company has been producing bituminous bound mixtures at its Kilpedder headquarters since 1990, while the Kilbride plant has been in operation since 1995. Each plant contains over 20 different standard mix types to suit all applications, from yellow or red macadam for private driveways to asphalt surface course mixes for major NRA (National Roads Authority) motorway construction contracts.

“We have a contract to supply SM Morris sand and gravel which is used in the manufacture of tarmac and asphalt. They are a great company to deal with. We also supply to big construction companies such as Sisk, Ascon and Readymix in Blackrock, Co. Dublin.”
Vincent is constantly striving to improve his business and increase his range of products. In this regard, he plans to shortly begin supplying bagged sand to local hardware stores.
“There is a gap in the market for bagged sand and we hope to fill that void. There is nobody doing it in this area, so there’s definitely an opening. We plan to supply one tonne bags of washed and screened sand to hardware stores in the area. Bagged sand is easy to take away and would suit a lot of people.”

Vincent recently purchased a 19-acre site adjacent to his existing quarry in Redcross. He plans to develop it into a landfill site and has applied to Wicklow County Council for a landfill licence.
ECT Sand & Gravel employs eight staff, consisting of drivers, fitters and administration personnel. It is not unusual for Vincent to take on extra staff during the busy summer months.
Vincent has forthright views on the Irish haulage industry which, he feels, badly needs to be regulated.
“People in this industry won’t get the respect they deserve until such time as it’s regulated,” he claims.

“The haulage industry has driven this country as much as any over the past 10 years, but there is still no sign of regulation. The scenario where anyone can get a haulage licence mustn’t be allowed to continue.
“The cost of fuel and wages is rising all the time, but the rates haven’t increased accordingly. There is no real unity in this industry and that is what’s killing it,” he concludes.
For further information on ECT Sand & Gravel and what services the company offers, telephone: 0404 41717. Fax: 0404 41772. Mobile: 086 2527162.