Surviving fires, recessions and Brexit - Mid Cork Pallets & Packaging celebrates 45 years in business
Mid-Cork Pallets & Packaging (Clondrohid Co Cork) is celebrating 45 years in business and had a celebration on site on Friday 26th May 2023. "We have overcome many challenges over our 45 year history including a devasting fire nearly 12 years ago" Pictured is Mary Lehane (5th from left) who has 42 years service to the company, pictured with female colleagues at the celebration. Pic Larry Cummins
Having become specialists in the pallet repair industry, MCP quickly expanded into pallet manufacturing and were one of the first companies in Ireland to commission an automated pallet manufacturing machine.
In 1992, MCP diversified their operations, expanding steadily into the supply of customised packaging solutions for the drinks, food, e-commerce, and medical packaging industries.
Today, MCP produce more than two-and-a-half million pallets per annum and boast one of the largest pallet offerings in Ireland with their extensive range of timber, euro, heat- treated pallets, and custom pallets and crates.
MCP are also one of Ireland’s leading packaging companies and offer a complete service to their customers, from hands-on design, prototyping, and expert advice through to producing engaging, unique packaging, and currently supply more than 10,000 different packaging products.
As a complementary service, MCP also offer storage solutions to both new and existing customers from their two strategically located sites in Clondrohid and Dunboyne, Co Meath, and offer fast, efficient delivery throughout Ireland, both north and south.
The innovations at MCP don’t just stop with pallets, packaging or storage; this multi-faceted company is also a green energy manufacturer, not only for its own operations on-site but also to power the energy of more than 1,200 homes.
A sister company to MCP and built on the grounds of their Clondrohid site, Cork Green Energy was commissioned back in 2019 as a combined heat and power plant (CHP). Powered by biomass, which is a carbon-neutral green energy, Cork Green Energy produces 1.3 megawatts of green electricity per hour, which is supplied directly to the national grid. This ingenious closed loop system is invaluable for its sister company MCP, as the heat generated by this process is supplied back to MCP to heat-treat and kiln dry pallets in their 10-plus kilns.
MCP operate from over 700,000 square feet, spread over 60 acres of production and storage facilities, and employ 100 staff across two strategically located sites.
Both sites ensure MCP are ideally placed to deliver their customers pallet and packaging products throughout Ireland.
The company is currently expanding its production and storage and distribution facilities even further with the commissioning of a third custom-built, leading-edge pallet manufacturing machine later this summer, along with the addition of two new warehouses at their Clondrohid and Dunboyne facilities, with an additional capacity of 20,000 pallet spaces.
Reflecting on the MCP’s 45th anniversary, the company’s founder Johnny Lehane said: “Nowadays, companies need something special to survive, and here at MCP we have that in bucket-loads.
“I still remember the first pallet repaired or the first pallet manufactured, and now we have become Ireland’s leading manufacturer and distributor of kiln dried and heat-treated pallets, EPAL pallets, secondhand pallets, and custom crates for the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, medical devices, dairy, and general manufacturing industries.”
Managing director at MCP, Aidan Harty added: “Being in business for 45 years doesn’t just take luck, it takes a lot of hard work, determination, and surrounding yourself with the best staff and loyal customers.
“Our experienced staff engage with our customers’ evolving needs to provide them with expert advice, quality products, and reliable delivery, all combined with excellent customer service.
“Whether they need new or second-hand pallets, shipping crates or corrugated packaging, or even storage solutions, we’re always here to help,” Mr Harty said.
Like many companies that have survived so long, MCP has seen its fair share of challenges, including recessions, Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, MCP was dealt its hardest blow in late 2011, on a Sunday just before Christmas, when the company suffered a devastating fire, which destroyed over half of its factory and stocks, both pallets and packaging.
“Fortunately, our main pallet manufacturing machine was saved, thanks in no small part to the fire-fighters and our staff trying to contain and break the fire,” Johnny recalled.
“As a result, we were back up and running and manufacturing on the Tuesday morning again and haven’t looked back since.”
As well as challenges, MCP has also seen its fair share of highlights over the past 45 years, including the launch of the company’s second pallet manufacturing machine and its massive growth as a packaging supplier, particularly in the last 10 years.
Another highlight for the company came in the form of its expansion into the production of green electricity in 2019, a move which was 10 years in the making, and more recently the commissioning of a third pallet manufacturing machine, due for installation later this summer.
However, MCP stated that its main highlight has been working with its staff, some of whom have been with the company since the very beginning “and still have many years left”.
MCP has capitalised on growing trends and demands in Ireland over the course of 45 years, thanks to strategic planning and agile management.
“One thing remains the same in 2023 as it did back in 1978 — the customer is always at the forefront of everything that we do and always will be,” Johnny smiled.
“For the future, we plan to continue on the same trajectory of being Ireland’s leading manufacturer of pallets and supplier of packaging and storage solutions,” he concluded.
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