ODS (O’Dwyer Steel) is the leading supplier of fabricated steel and cladding to the agricultural sector in Ireland, covering projects for essential infrastructure such as farm buildings, modern structures for animal husbandry and equestrian facilities.
Also servicing the modular, industrial and offsite sectors across Ireland, the UK and Europe, the Co. Tipperary-headquartered specialist engineering company delivers high-quality, CE-certified structural steel, cladding and modular solutions, ensuring precision and innovation through advanced technology and expert craftsmanship.
With over 75 years’ experience, ODS Agricultural is Ireland’s most experienced company in the supply and erection of farm buildings. Its product range includes dairy units, beef units, calf housing, storage buildings (for grain, hay, straw and machinery), milking parlours, pig units and equestrian units which are tailored to the farmers’ needs.
ODS O’Dwyer Steel Agricultural offers a comprehensive service from initial design to complete construction. The service includes: comprehensive site survey before manufacture to ensure design accuracy; liaise with building contractors / other subcontractors to agree and finalise details; full 3D scan which can be uploaded onto TEKLA Structures for detailing, ensuring precision; high-quality fabrication drawings using TEKLA software; technical support from design to completion; grant approved building designed and erected in accordance with all relevant Department of Agriculture specifications.
Customers can choose from a full supply-and-erect service or opt for sheds in convenient kit form, giving flexibility to farmers who prefer to manage their own build.
“Kit form is more cost-effective, but supply-and-erect is more popular because it saves on time, which most farmers don’t have a lot of,” ODS Agricultural division manager Jerry Maher says.
“It also takes the hassle out of the build for them and they have the peace of mind of knowing that it is being carried out by fully-trained installers. Customers who opt for kit form get everything down to the nuts and bolts as well as a full set of drawings.”
ODS Agricultural supplies the most suitable fixings to ensure the buildings’ long, productive and strong life. Cladding products include Fibre Cement sheeting (ideal for dairy farming, milking parlours, piggeries and equestrian buildings), Agribild cladding (selection of corrugated and box profiles available), Condri anti-condensation cladding (ideal for storage buildings or workshops) and Translucent rooflights (high light transmission and impact resistance).
ODS has a quality branded image in the steel industry sector. This has been established by ensuring customers are fully satisfied with the product delivered and the service provided. The company sources its materials from long-established, quality suppliers and can assure long-product warranties to the customer. All fabricated structural steel work delivered to site is CE-marked.
Furthermore, ODS operates in compliance with the requirements of I.S. EN1090 for Structural Steel up to Execution Class 3 (EXC 3) and ensures the following:
High quality standards achieved through quality engineering; comprehensive quality control checks on all HRS elements prior to dispatch; CE-marked to BS EN 1090 standards; ISO 9001, ISO 45001 and ISO 14001; SCCS certified; fully-qualified CSWIP 3.0 Plus Visual Welding Inspector.
With Health & Safety being paramount, ODS Agricultural has strengthened on-site safety by using safety nets and edge protection systems during roof installations. The company strictly follows all HSA guidelines and acts as PSDS (Project Supervisor Design Stage) and PSCS (Project Supervisor Construction Stage) for steel and cladding erection, with proper client appointment documentation.
For every project, ODS Agricultural’s fully-insured erectors work under comprehensive Health & Safety Plans and Method Statements, taking into account site specific risk assessments. Safety nets and edge protection are installed before roof sheeting to prevent falls, absorb impact and protect people and property from falling tools and materials.
This system ensures safe movement for the installation team while maintaining high safety standards. ODS’s trained installers handle the set-up and remove once the roof is complete.
“We take Health & Safety very seriously and have a full-time Health and Safety Officer employed with the company. We take on the roles of PSDS and PSCS on every job and have forms for the farmer (the client) to sign, appointing us to these roles. This protects the farmer and gives them peace of mind that the job will be erected to the highest safety standards.
“We use teleporters and booms to stand the building and fit netting and edge protection when sheeting. No-one wants an accident on a farm, and we take every measure to ensure it doesn’t happen,” Jerry adds.
ODS has revolutionised its workflow using Trimble Tekla Structures software and a Trimble X7 3D Laser Scanner. Central to the company’s success is its ability to deliver high-quality steel fabrications, designed and fitted with millimetre precision. ODS rely on the highly accurate measurements collected on-site at the early stages of every project.
The key benefits of the ODS approach are: faster turnaround of jobs; total confidence that the steel structure will fit on-site; and the capacity to take on larger and more complex projects.
Founded in 1950 by John J O’Dwyer as O’Dwyer Steel, the company quickly established itself as a leader in structural steel fabrication, firstly delivering high-quality solutions for the agricultural sector and later for industrial, commercial, offsite and modular construction across Ireland and the UK.
Rebranded as ODS, its modern identity reflects growth, innovation and precision engineering in an evolving industry. While the company’s name has changed, its heritage, expertise and commitment to quality remain at its core.
“The company has evolved and grown over the past 75 years, but has never lost touch with its farming roots. It remains a very important and busy sector for us – we complete 150 farm building projects every year,” Jerry points out.
ODS operates from a modern 140,000 sq. ft. facility across a 14-acre site in Dundrum, Co. Tipperary consisting of offices and a state-of-the-art workshop. It also has a UK office in Stansted, Essex. Fronted by managing director Richard Walsh, the company employs 100 people directly and many more on a subcontract basis.
As ODS Agricultural continues to go from strength to strength, Jerry concludes by saying: “We specialise in agricultural steel fabrication and farm buildings, offering tailored solutions to meet the unique demands of your farm. With our advanced site scanning and versatile 3D modelling, we ensure precision and efficiency in every project.”
ODS O’Dwyer Steel
Main Street,
Garryduff East,
Dundrum,
Co. Tipperary,
E34 YW77.
Telephone: 085 720 6893 (Jerry Maher)
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.odseng.com
First published in Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 14 No 1, Spring 2026
