New addition to Meaney Plant & Civil fleet
02/04/2024
Leading plant hire and groundworks contracting firm Meaney Plant & Civil recently added a brand new Scania S660 80-tonne twin wheel tag to its impressive fleet.
Supplied by Delaney Commercials in Naas, the stunning new 660hp monster truck is spec’d to the hilt with extras, including factory catwalk, TV, durabrite lights, bull bar, perimeter kit and roof bar. The finishing touches were carried out by Kildare Auto and Vision Signs in Limerick. It’s the latest addition to Meaney Plant & Civil’s 12-strong Scania fleet of artics and tippers which are a familiar site on the roads on Laois, Kildare and Dublin where most of its work is concentrated.
Based in Wolfhill, Co. Laois, Meaney Plant & Civil specialises in all aspects of civil and groundworks, including deep drainage, foul, storm and water main works, site development, bulk excavation works, farm reclamation works and landscaping. In addition, its water mains crew can carry out electrofusion and butt-fusion welding as well as pressure testing and chlorinating. The contractor also boasts a large fleet of self-drive machines, including excavators, site dumpers, telehandlers, compaction equipment, bulldozers, generators, road-tows, concrete equipment, haulage, attachments and fuel bowsers.
The family business has been trading since 1985 when Joe Meaney began offering a farm reclamation and land drainage service after returning from the UK. It remained a small operation until 2018 when his son Kevin took over the reins and took it to the next level.
“My father instilled a passion for groundworks and machinery in me. He drives a bulldozer now and it’s great to have him still involved,” explains Kevin, who played midfield for the Laois senior footballers for over a decade and continues to line out for his club Arles/Kilcruise.
Meaney Plant & Civil has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years and now employs a team of 50 highly-skilled operatives who are supported by the same tried and trusted subcontractors. The company places a strong emphasis on Health & Safety and is fully committed to maintaining a safe working environment for all employees and personnel involved in each project.
“We’re a one-stop shop for all your groundworks and plant hire needs,” the affable managing director says.
“Our greatest asset is our people. We have a top-class team which is supplemented by subcontractors who do everything from carpentry, shuttering and kerbing to pipelaying, groundworks and general labouring. We pride ourselves on our workmanship and ability to complete projects on time and within budget. We're always looking to expand and improve our service.”
Meaney Plant & Civil has an array of plant and equipment to cater for any civil groundworks project, including 40 diggers ranging from 1 tonne to 50 tonne. All machines are maintained and upgraded on a regular basis to ensure there is no such thing as downtime.
“We have two new CAT 302.7 CR mini-diggers which came from Finning. We also have a fresh fleet of Kubota U27-4s from FJS Plant and new Hitachi machines from TBF Thompson,” Kevin continues.
“Furthermore, we have dumpers ranging from 1 to 30 tonnes, including six Volvo 825s. Our dozers are a Komatsu Px65 and a CAT D6N. We hire out rollers, generators and teleporters, including teleporters which are on long-term rental. We currently have up to 20 self-hire machines, including mini-diggers, breakers and plant trailers, with utility company Ruatech who are working on the NIB (National Broadband Ireland) rollout.
“By investing in the latest technology, we’re able to provide our customers with a more efficient service.”
Central to the Co. Laois contractor’s success has been the strong relationships and partnerships it has forged with clients, subcontractors, suppliers, engineers and consultants. Clients know that whatever the scale or scope of the project, the family business can provide a professional, efficient, reliable and value-for-money service. The company is renowned for its top-quality work which is delivered in a timely manner, and to the client’s exact specifications.
Lagan Homes, The Westar Group and Codd Mushrooms are just some of the clients Meaney Plant & Hire are currently collaborating with.
“We’re carrying out a couple of projects for Lagan Homes in Co. Kildare. One is in Hillfort, Kill where Lagan are building 150 new homes and the other is An Lumann in Straffan which consists of 70 units and a creche,” Kevin explains.
“We’re working on an industrial unit and Hamilton Park, which is three blocks of 60 apartments, for The Westar Group in Clane. We’re also doing bulk excavation for Codd Mushrooms in Tullamore. One of our most high-profile jobs was the demolition of Magee Barracks in Kildare for Formation Homes last year. We have our own screener which allows us to crush up the rubble and materials for recycling.
“We have plenty of work to keep us busy.”
Some other recent projects included the demolition of Laois Sawmills, a 70-unit development for Formation Homes in Kiltipper, Castle Park seafront apartments for Twinlite in Dalkey and another housing scheme for Lagan Homes in Celbridge.
As Meaney Plant & Civil continues to go from strength to strength, Kevin would like to take this opportunity to thank his clients and suppliers for their continued support as well as his team and subcontractors for their hard work, dedication and expertise.
Meaney Plant & Civil
Wolfhill,
Co. Laois.
Telephone: +353 (0)87 279 2255
Email: [email protected]
First published in Irish Trucker magazine March/April 2024, Vol 27-1
