Jimmy Kelly Truck & Trailer Bodies - ten years at the top

The success of any business can be gauged by the length of time that a company has been operating. Jimmy Kelly Truck & Trailer Bodies celebrate their tenth year supplying a top quality service to a large customer base.

Based in Coltstown, Castledermot, Co Kildare, Jimmy Kelly Truck & Trailer Bodies has come a long way in the last decade, since the days when Jimmy operated out of a leased premises in Co Carlow, but since then they have revolutionised the bodybuilding industry with some of the most innovative designs ever seen.

To coincide with the celebration of the tenth anniversary, the company has launched its latest addition, the ejector trailer and Jimmy’s son Merrill speaks to Irish Trucker about the company’s success and their latest design.

The family run business has over 35 years experience in bodybuilding and to say they are at the forefront of their field of expertise would be an understatement. From their state-of-the-art premises, they can design and build a wide range of bodies to an extremely high quality.

In 1999 Jimmy decided to set up his own business with a view to building high quality truck and trailer bodies. It was a decision that has borne fruit ever since.

Jimmy Kelly Truck and Trailer Bodies Ltd has always been a quality driven outfit. In that light the company took the first tentative steps along the road to ISO recognition in early 2004 when it contacted the NSAI and they have since received the EN ISO 9001:2000.

The company’s ability to react to individual customer requirements is centred on the excellence of its design team and the flexibility and professionalism of its fabricators. Specialising in the design and build of bodies, the staff have acquired so much expertise over the years that they have no problem undertaking any project brought to them by a customer.

However, one of Jimmy Kelly’s biggest assets is the ability to diversify into other areas and Merrill revealed that has being instrumental in the company’s success.

“In the last two years, we have noticed a significant slowdown in the construction industry, and due to this we have had to diversify into other areas. As well as producing standard trailer bodies with slight modifications depending on the customer, we also started manufacturing demountable bodies.

“We then realised that this was just not enough to keep us going and following a lot of negotiations, we won a number of contracts for manufacturing stainless steel water tankers for fire and rescue services around the country.”

The quality of the product that Jimmy Kelly’s produce is second to none and that has been recognised by last year’s production of the artic sliding hook. This was designed for the waste management industry and it has proven to be a successful venture.

“The artic sliding hook is based on a multi-purpose concept that carries an extra 8-10 ton payload over its rival big hook trucks. The artic hook bins can carry up to a capacity of 60 cubic yards and will pick up any standard big hook bins. We are the only southern based company that manufactures these as they were originally imported from other countries. Our location in the midlands is central to our success as we provide servicing to a large customer base throughout Ireland.

“This artic sliding hook was named the ‘Best Innovation Trailer for 2009/10’ and it now has been put forward for the European competition that will be held in Hanover later this year.”

But, their latest blueprint is the ejector trailer and Merrill spoke proudly of this production that is already on the market.

Now, the ejector trailer is not something new to the industry, but Jimmy Kelly’s model certainly is and already the new trailer has attracted the attention of many potential clients.

“Bord na Mona and AES, who have merged as one company have placed an order for four of the trailers. The prototype took two months to assemble, but we can now manufacture one in two weeks approximately.

“The trailer can have the capacity for 110 cubic yards. It has been produced with the best quality materials right from the floor which is made from hardox to the low suspension axle right through to the Donkey engine, which is a Lombardini 1600 LWD. All of our ejector trailers are fitted with a full ’Edbro’ approved hydraulic system.”

However, this is just not all that sets Jimmy Kelly ejector trailers apart from its competitors as it is operated by a remote control that can be used from either the cab of the truck or from a safe distance away from the vehicle. The remote control operation removes the responsibility of the operator, while a built in warning system is in place when in use.

“We know that our customers are pleased with this health and safety system. We are currently in discussion with other waste management companies here and the U.K about the trailers.

“We are a customer driven company and we take pride in our ability to always meet and satisfy customer requirements through the combination of a highly motivated and experienced workforce coupled with modern technology and a commitment to quality.”

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