Coming up on 10 years in business, Hernon Plant & Civils Ltd in Milltown, Co Galway, has carved a strong reputation in land reclamation, land drainage, civil engineering, road construction and pipeline work. Irish Tractor Agri & Plant recently caught up with Managing Director Stephen Hernon to explore the story behind the company, its journey over the last decade and ambitions for the future.
When Stephen Hernon set-up his plant and civils business close to a decade ago, he did so with the intention of one day running an operation renowned for its quality and innovation.
The company’s continued commitment to those two traits has not only made it a respected name in Ireland but also helped it establish a thriving UK operation under the banner of ‘Hernon Municipal Engineering’.
“Milltown, Co Galway is our Irish base. I set it up in the UK originally and moved home then,” Stephen explained.
“I still have both companies. I do contracting work in Ireland and do civil engineering and contracting over in Leeds,” he added, highlighting the dual operation that keeps Hernon Plant & Civils agile and competitive.
The Irish branch of the company has been established nine years now and employs 50 staff. Family ties are strong within the business, with Stephen’s brother Ivan and nephew Matthew actively involved in day-to-day operations.
It’s growth since its inception now sees Hernon Plant & Civils offering a broad spectrum of services.
“We do full lorry and agricultural services at home. We do an awful of sludge transportation in the UK – that’s the biggest part of the business really,” Stephen shared.
Sludge transport, often overlooked in discussions of civil engineering, has proven to be a major growth area, particularly in the UK.
Innovation is a constant, with the company branching into new sectors.
“We’ve got a contract with a biogas company in Mayo, so we’re pushing into that market as much as possible,” he said.
As renewable energy projects gain momentum in Ireland, Stephen is positioning itself as a key player in providing specialised services to the sector.
Stephen’s journey into plant and civil contracting began with a single tractor back in 2017.
“I suppose, how it all started really was I was working for an Irish company in the UK and they were looking for tractors, low loaders and dump trailers on site,” he explained.
“So I bought the first tractor that time in 2017, hired it into the site and took on my nephew Matthew who was driving it at the time.”
From humble beginnings, the business quickly grew.
“It kind of grew all from there,” he said. “They wanted another tractor and I bought another tractor. It went quiet after a while and we went to Germany then and cut 2,000 hectares of maize in Germany. We done that for one year and went back to the UK and grew from there then working for Yorkshire Water and construction companies to build the business up.”
The Covid-19 pandemic brought challenges, forcing the company to pause some operations. But resilience is built into Stephen’s DNA.
“We went quiet then after Covid and had big tankards over the UK, so I said I’d come home and do some hauling for the dairy men. So I got into piping and hauling slurry for them and that’s kind of all where it took off from home,” Stephen recounted.
At present, Hernon Plant & Civils is operating at full capacity, with the UK business keeping the company financially robust.
“Business is pretty good at the minute. The UK is keeping things afloat in Ireland at the moment to tell you the truth. We’re absolutely flat out in the UK, I think there’s 12 John Deere tractors at the minute on sites and for Yorkshire Water. They’re flat-out drawing sludge and they’re doing a good bit of site work at the minute,” the Managing Director said.
This dual-country approach ensures stability and growth, allowing the company to invest in its fleet, its workforce and future opportunities.
Investment in cutting-edge machinery is a hallmark of Hernon Plant & Civils. Stephen recently acquired a groundbreaking harvester: “I’m after buying a brand-new harvester. It’s the first John Deere F9 1000 in Europe,” he revealed. “I bought it from Ripon Farm Services in the UK and they have to bring it to a few shows before they bring it here. It’s pretty exciting though.”
He continued: “We probably have one of the best John Deere fleets in the west of Ireland anyway. I’ve bought seven 6250Rs in the last five years and we’d have 14 John Deeres here total in the fleet.
This focus on quality machinery allows the company to deliver projects efficiently, safely and to the very highest standard.
When asked why clients select Hernon Plant & Civils over competitors, Stephen was candid.
“We try to give the best service that we can at the lowest price we can,” he said. “The way costs are going at the moment, it’s hard to do that but that’s what we try to do. We try to have the best machinery that we can afford or have to do the job right.”
This combination of affordability, reliability and technical excellence has been a cornerstone of the company’s reputation.
Clients know they can trust Hernon Plant & Civils for projects ranging from large-scale land drainage schemes to the precise installation of pipelines and civil infrastructure.
As the company nears its 10-year milestone, Stephen remains focused on steady growth and sustainable operations.
“I just hope for it to keep growing a little bit and that we keep getting good work,” he concluded.
With a decade of experience, a family-oriented approach and a commitment to cutting-edge machinery, Hernon Plant & Civils is well-positioned for the future.
From Milltown to Leeds and beyond, the business is proving that with vision, hard work and a willingness to innovate, small beginnings can lead to big achievements.
Hernon Plant & Civils’ story is a testament to the resilience of Irish enterprise, the benefits of international experience and the impact of combining family values with professional ambition. Whether it’s transporting sludge across the UK or reclaiming land in Galway, the company’s name is now synonymous with reliability, expertise and forward-thinking civil engineering.
Hernon Plant & Civils
Milltown,
Co Galway
Mobile: 087 411 8105
Email: [email protected]
First published in Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 14 No 1, Spring 2026
Featured, Hernon Plant & Civils
