MANUFACTURING
TEAMWOODCRAFT, Ballybrittas, Co Laois. Tel: 057 8626518.
www.teamwoodcraft.com
Joined-up
thinking
Acombinationofahighlevelofskills,
customisationandcarefulcost
managementhasledtospecialist
joineryfirmTeamwoodcraftgrowing
by30pcyearonyear
‘Even our exports have come
about through referrals. We
have a strong client base,
which has continued into the
US, Spain, the UK, France,
Switzerland and Tenerife’
Aisling Hurley
S
PECIALIST joinery firm Teamwoodcraft has the world to complete projects for clients. Its most recent Thefirmdoesonebigtradeshowayear—CatexandVin-
expanded its workshop four times to 10,000 sq internationalprojectintheconservationareaofHouston, traattheRDS—aimedatitscorecustomerbase.Eachyear
ft since it was founded in 1994 by Aisling and TexasintheUSwasviewedbyGeorgeBushseniorandhis Teamwoodcraftproducesaninnovativedesigntodemon-
Liam Hurley, with the belief that top-quality wife, Hurley notes. strateitstechnicalandcreativeskills.“Westrivetocreate
joinery could be manufactured at a fair price. “Wehaveextendedourproductrangefromjoineryonly somethingthatmakesthepotentialclientwonder,‘howdid
Employing26peopleinthevillageofBallybrittas,CoLaois, tocontractfurniture,anewkiddies’range,entirefitoutsand they construct that? it can’t be possible!’,” says Hurley.
the company serves the hospitality and leisure sectors, haveasysteminplacewherewecanofferturnkeyprojects.” Most of the marketing budget goes towards the
suchasbars,hotels,jewellersandbeauticiansaswellasdoing There have never been two projects the same in 14 company’sbrochureandwebsite,whichitupdatesconstantly,
period-houserestorationandonce-offcommissionedpieces. years, and Hurley says Teamwoodcraft can create and basedonclientresearch.However,Hurleysaysthebestthing
“Tokeepmanufacturing atafairpriceforourclients,we manufacture anything a client could want from any type from a marketing point of view has been the number of
have tried to keep our cost base low and so invested our of wood, whether it’s a staircase, a jewellery display cabi- awardsthefirmhaswon—sevensince2004fromenterprise
moneywiselywithsecond-handmachineryatfirst,which net, a pub or an entire hotel. awardstocustomerserviceaccoladestoBusinessPersonof
wereplacedwithnewmachineryaswestartedtoexpand,” “Clientscanalsopickandchooseastowhethertheywant the Year (Laois) 2009.
explains Aisling Hurley. ustodesign,manufactureandfit,ormanufactureonly.We “Marketing is a hugely expensive part of your business,
This careful monitoring of costs has been consistent can supply the product and send it with step-by-step soyouhavetobecreativeintryingtogetourproductout
from the outset. “We are currently going through our sup- instructions—thisoptioncansaveclientsasmuchas50pc there. For example, we were approached by RTÉ for a fly-
plierlistand,wherenecessary,willchangesupplier.Bychang- on the project cost. on-the-wall documentary to be aired in April.”
ing supplier with one component alone, we have recently “We are also flexible onsite, so if the client changes Since 2004, the company’s turnover has grown by 30pc
reducedcostsby¤600amonth—asavingof¤7,200ayear. their mind about something, we have no problem adapt- eachyear,anditachievedatargetof100pcgrowthin2008.
“We have set ourselves a target to reduce costs by ingtosuittheirneeds.” “Teamwoodcraft has a strong sales pipeline with 30
¤100,000 by the end of 2009. In recessionary times, you Hurley reckons this level of customer service combined prospects at all times of varying project size and location.
havetostayfocusedandconcentrateonhowyoucanturn withtechnicalskillandcraftisararecombinationandhas We have three hunters on our staff who aggressively pur-
eachnegativeintoapositive.Myattitudeisyouwillnever turned out to be the company’s best, unique selling point. sueleadsandtherebyincreasemarketshare,”saysHurley.
find a bargain when everything is booming.” “This strength has led to between 90pc and 95pc of our “Weareplanningtoexpandintoanotherlocation,which
Teamwoodcraft takes particular pride in unusual proj- sales resulting from word-of-mouth referral. Even our will allow us to have a complete working showroom com-
ectsandhasbuiltupsuchahighlevelofexpertiseintech- exports have come about through referrals. We have a bined with a visitor centre. Thanks to the downturn I can
nicalskills,IT,design,manufacturing,fittingandcustomer strongclientbase,whichhascontinuedintotheUS,Spain, now afford this, which will facilitate growth by a further
relationships that the team will fly and sail anywhere in the UK, France, Switzerland and Tenerife.” 35pc and create five more full-time jobs in a rural area.”
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