Fox Brothers Engineering Ltd in Co Wexford is fast approaching 40 years since its inception and continues to be a leader in the fabrication and erection of agricultural buildings. Irish Tractor & Agri found out more from sales co-ordinator DJ Byrne.
Since the factory opened, Fox Brothers Engineering Ltd has grown vastly and now offers the following services to its customers: Farm and Industrial buildings, Agricultural equipment and Tubular products, Structural Steel and Cladding.
This past November marked 33 years since DJ Byrne began working with the business and he was able to give Irish Tractor & Agri the rundown on what the company is all about.
“We’re established since 1979 and we currently have 51 staff working here. There are three divisions to the business – Structural Steel, Farm Buildings and Farm Equipment – I’m the Sales Co-Ordinator in the company’s farm building division and I’ve been here since 1984. We have provided steady employment in the area in the 38 years of our existence though during the recession it was a bit quieter. For the last 18 months to two years business has picked up with the grants,” Byrne outlined.
Based in Ballycanew in Gorey, Co Wexford, Fox Brothers Engineering Ltd has grown from strength to strength since setting up in 1979 by four Fox brothers.
The company’s factory, erected on a 13-acre site consists of 8,000 m² of covered fabrication area and also 20,000 m² of uncovered concrete yard. The company boasts a modern automated plant in its workshop, including Kaltenbach Saw Drill Line, Peddinghaus Plate machine, Wheelabrator Schlick Shot-blast plant and Modern air-conditioned paint shop.
Strategically situated 75 km south of Dublin and 45 km north of Rosslare harbour the company covers the south east, most of Leinster and have completed contracts all over Ireland , (both North and South), England, Scotland, Wales and Isle of Man.
The company has a proven track record as a leader in the fabrication and erection of agricultural and structural steel buildings. It is recognised for its expertise and workmanship which it is ready and willing to impart to its customers.
All farm buildings constructed by the Wexford-based company are built and erected in accordance with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food grant specifications S101.
They operate to very high standard on a day-to-day basis, complying with all Health and Safety Legislation. All of the company’s personnel are fully insured on all sites and Fox Bros will produce Public Liability, Employers Liability and contractors, as well as all Risks Insurance Certificates on request. All of the company’s plant and machinery used on sites obtain current Test Certificate.
Offering an excellent service, the company’s list of clientele continues to grow stronger year on year and Fox Brothers Engineering Ltd manages to obtain a large amount of repeat business from clients due to the excellence of their work: “A lot of the business we get here would be repeat business,” explained Byrne. “Once you perform the first time you can get it back. The whole thing is about efficiency and here we endeavour to do that with every project we undertake.”
So what has been the secret to the company’s success over the past 38 years?
“I think it’s down to the quality of materials together with the skill of the erectors and the fabricators,” Byrne stated.
“Some of our erectors have up to 45 years’ experience – 38 with Fox Bros and seven with other contractors before joining our company. Our erectors, combined, hold up to 100 years’ experience in what they do.”
Along with Farm Buildings, Gates and Equipment, Fox Bros Engineering Ltd is one of the leading Fabricators and Erectors of Structural steel. All steel can be designed and detailed to customers’ satisfaction with their in house Steel computer system.
The scope of work could include supply of all materials, fabrication, protective treatment, delivery and erection. Fox Bros Engineering Ltd supply and fit all types of Cladding, Metal decking and are members of BCSA.
The company has achieved compliance with the requirements of I.S. EN1090-1:2009+A1:2011 for CE marking of Structural Steel up to Execution Class 2 (EXC 2), which covers the fabrication of most of the structural steel used in Ireland and the UK.
This achievement follows a significant program of investment by the company in a factory production control system which covers stock management, skilled personnel, fabrication equipment and consumables together with the implementation of a regime of continuous inspection and testing of welding and painting procedures. That allows them to provide their clients with the following; A Factory Production Control Certificate, A Welding Certificate and A project specific Declaration of Performance and CE Certificate.
Since July 1, 2014, it is a legal requirement for all fabricated structural steelwork delivered to site to be CE marked. In order to comply with the regulations, steelwork contractors must have an Execution Class equal to or greater than that required for a project.
Fox Brothers Engineering Ltd always makes every effort to ensure the proper procedures and certification are in place before breaking ground on each and every project.
Fox Brothers Engineering Ltd
Ballycanew,
Gorey,
Co. Wexford
Tel: 053 9421677
Fax: 053 9421733
Web: www.foxbros.ie
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 6 No 1, February 2018
