McKee Engineering’s first 18 months in business has surpassed all expectations as orders for their standard and bespoke trailers come in from far and wide.
Based in Coalisland, Co. Tyrone, McKee Engineering design, engineer and manufacture trailers to the highest quality. While low loaders and dump trailers are their core business, they also manufacture general purpose tipping trailers, bale trailers and mobile cattle crushes to name but a few.
“We can design and build any trailer to suit a customer’s specification,” McKee Engineering sales manager Joe Mulgrew says.
“Our main aim is to build a core range of trailers and to concentrate on that. We’re in the process of building up a dealer network and already have dealers in Scotland, Wales and Scandinavia. We handle all Irish enquiries ourselves and have been blown away by the interest shown in our trailers so far. We’ve been flat out with enquiries and orders since day one.
“The vast majority of our orders come through referrals and word of mouth. We’re building up a good customer-base in the areas where our dealers are based. While our range of trailers are aimed at the agri and construction sectors, we have many customers involved in other sectors. If someone is looking for a trailer or container to move their goods in, we have the product to suit their needs.”
McKee Engineering was established in January 2018 by uncle-and-nephew Hugh and Poraic McKee. The business evolved from them manufacturing mobile cattle crushes and forklift tipping skips on the family farm.
“We come from a farming and engineering background, while Joe (Mulgrew) also has many years’ experience in sales and engineering,” Poraic explains.
“We have six staff in total and complement each other with our skills. Having Joe to look after the sales side of things is great because it allows Hugh and I to concentrate on our bread and butter business, which is manufacturing trailers. I look after quality control and transport while Hugh looks after the welding workshop.”
Only the very best materials and components go into making a McKee Trailer. The raw steel comes from McGeary Metals in Cookstown and Thompson Butler Steel in Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon. C&S Precision Engineering in Coalisland supply the hydraulic rams, Distag QCS Ltd in Dungannon supply the axles, suspensions, hydraulic hoses etc, while IJ Trailerspares in Fintona supply the wheels, lights etc. All trailers are CE approved and meet the requirements set out by the RSA (Road Safety Authority) in the Republic of Ireland.
The state-of-the-art workshop is fully equipped to manufacture and service all trailer types. No other manufacturer will give you the same level of service and manufacturing quality that this exceptional family-run business provides.
McKee Engineering’s overseas dealers are Marshall’s Farm Machinery in Scotland, CWM Agri in Wales and Damco in Scandinavia. As part of their growth strategy, they are focused on expanding their dealer network over the next 12 months.
“We have generated a lot of business outside Ireland through our dealers in Scotland, Wales and Scandinavia,” Joe Mulgrew informs us.
“Kenny Marshall of Marshall’s Farm Machinery in Aberdeen has sold a lot of trailers for us and so too has David Atkin in CWM Agri in Gwynedd, North Wales. David has many contacts in Wales and England and that’s a market we’re looking to break into. Damco, which is an Irish company, is our dealer in Scandinavia. We’re currently working on an order of four trailers (low loaders and dump trailers) for them in Denmark.
“It’s all about trying to get your name out there and providing a good product and service at a competitive price.”
Joe says the majority of enquiries and sales are coming from the agri and construction sector.
“Most of our orders are coming from farmers, agri contractors and building contractors. These sectors are where it’s happening for us at the moment. In saying that, our customer-base is wide and varied, and we have trailers to suit all requirements.”
McKee Engineering are grateful for the support and business they’ve received to date and look forward to dealing with many new customers in the future.
“We’ve got off to a great start and the business is going from strength to strength. Hopefully that will continue to be the case for many years to come,” Joe concludes.
McKee Engineering
181 Washingbay Road,
Coalisland,
Co. Tyrone
BT715EG.
Telephone (Sales): 0044 (0)78 71640548
Email: [email protected]
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 7 No 4, August 2019
