Farmers nationwide benefit from the superior products and services of Clonearl Engineering – an industry-leading metal fabrication business located in Daingean, County Offaly. We headed to the midlands and interrupted hands-on owner Jack Pilkington’s busy schedule to find out more.
Clonearl Engineering is an award-winning County Offaly headquartered steel fabrication company that specialises in sheds, trailers, gates and agri-tech solutions. Founder / proprietor Jack Pilkington and his trusty team take pride in quality craftsmanship, innovation and maintaining a strong, supportive workplace culture.
One of Clonearl Engineering’s most in-demand products amongst the farming community is their efficient and cost-effective high-quality bespoke kit sheds made to order for farm and industrial use. Every building comes with a full CAD drawing package, ensuring accuracy, strength, and an easy build process on site.
Where required, erection services are also available. Customers can avail of steel only kits or a full package including sheeting, flashings and fixings.
Synonymous with the precise and professional delivery of a wide range of steel fabrication products and services, from agri shed construction to agri equipment manufacturing (one of their primary products is bespoke trailers for specialised testing equipment used by agri research bodies such as ICBF and Teagasc), and machinery repair, Clonearl Engineering is going from strength to strength at the present time.
Key to the very-evident appeal is the quality, versatility and value-added nature of the products and services provided.
An in-house 3D design service is provided for all buildings and equipment, while trailblazing young entrepreneur Jack understands implicitly the needs and expectations of farmers as he hails from an agri background himself.
Always improving and expanding the product range, Clonearl Engineering has recently diversified into fabricating and supplying steel-frames houses to the construction sector.
Winner of the Midlands 103 Engineering Firm of the Year Award in 2025, Clonearl Engineering was shortlisted for three 2026 Midlands 103 Customer Service Awards: namely Agricultural Supplier of the Year, Workplace of the Year and Tradesperson of the Year (James O’Connor). On the night the firm was named Agricultural Supplier of the Year 2026.
The genesis of Clonearl Engineering goes back six years to a time and place in human history that none of us are likely to forget: “In 2020, at the start of Covid, I left my job and set up my own steel fabrication company,” Jack reflects. “In the early days, we were focused on piggeries, smaller agri equipment and general maintenance. We’ve done a lot of piggery maintenance work and sheep handling equipment. One thing led to another and it grew from there, developing more and more into the structural steel side of things – sheds, gates and railings.”
Jack never rests on his laurels and a very discernible trait of Clonearl Engineering is that the company continues to evolve and move with the times. “Over the last year, we’ve revolutionised what we are doing by introducing 3D CAD drawings and design, which has really improved the products and service.
“Our latest venture is CE-certified steel-framed homes, which is a very topical area at the moment with the housing crisis. That’s going extremely well and is going to potentially be a big growth market going forward. The country needs more homes, built quickly, and steel-frame is the ideal solution.”
Agriculture will always be at the heart of what Clonearl Engineering is all about, however, and Jack continues to look after a growing number of farmers not just across the midlands but from the length and breadth of the country.
“In agri, we are mainly focused on the kit sheds, which we can design and fabricate in any shape or size, tailored exactly to the farmer’s specific needs. A lot of farmers will put them up themselves, but we do have subbies on the road who can look after installation if needed, although that’s an area that I’m trying to get away from.
“We’d prefer to focus on what we do best, which is the workshop – design and fabrication. That’s my area of expertise and what we’re all about.”
Coming from a farming background himself, Jack has an insight into what farmers expect from a shed: “I grew up on a small suckler farm, with 20 cows,” says the Offaly man. “My dad is a farmer and I’d have massive respect for farmers – it’s a real honour to work for them and give them a product they are happy with.”
Regular repeat business and a steady stream of new clients secured on the basis of completed works and / or positive referrals mean that Clonearl Engineering is in big demand. “We’re busier than ever,” confirms Jack, who was only 21 when he set out on this path just over six years ago. “The last year has been the busiest year we’ve experience to date and this past month has also been our busiest month since I started.
“The only concern is that costs have gone up by 25 per cent since January and obviously that is not sustainable. Carbon tax and fuel surcharges have further driven up the price of materials and that puts unwanted pressure on everybody.”
The key to the success thus far of Clonearl Engineering? “Having a quality product going out to customers. I feel that we understand what people are doing and where they want to go with their projects. We can talk to customers from the start of the project, provide site surveys, and use our experience to advise them on what they should and shouldn’t do.
“We cover all of Ireland and already in 2026 have been in every county in the Republic bar Leitrim. So, if you are in Leitrim and looking for a steel shed, don’t hesitate to give us a shout! We have an in-house fleet of two rigids and an artic on the road to handle deliveries, so we are keeping complete control of everything ourselves, which ensures a quality service from start to finish.”
Currently generating employment for a brilliant crew of 14, between full-time and part-time employees, Clonearl Engineering has come a long way in a short space of time and the future is looking bright for this progressive structural steel fabrication company:
“Steel-framed homes are going to be the big thing going forward and we’re gearing towards that,” Jack concludes. “On the agri side, we are always thinking about how can we produce sheds more efficiently. By designing and fabricating them ourselves, we are giving customers exactly what they want – solutions that are both high on quality and also cost-effective.”
Clonearl Engineering,
Clonearl,
Daingean,
County Offaly.
Tel: 085 1325876
Email: [email protected]
First published in Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 14 No 2, Summer 2026
Clonearl Engineering, Featured
