Search Workshop Supplies keeps your wheels moving
19/06/2023
Trading for nearly half a century, Search Workshop Supplies Ltd in Derry / Londonderry is recognised as one of Ireland’s leading suppliers of garage equipment and workshop consumables, both instore and online. Supplying the heavy commercial transport industries, and specialising in complete garage fitouts, the company has the knowledge and experience to provide for all your requirements.
With over 6,000 products in stock, the family-run business has a full range of workshop equipment and consumables at hand to keep you on the road. Search Workshop Supplies also has a fully-qualified service team with dedicated service vans to ensure your operation and compliance is always in order.
Transport and logistics companies running their own routine servicing and maintenance operations are increasingly turning to Search Workshop Supplies to fit out their workshops with heavy duty equipment such as brake testers, two and four-post commercial lifts and other specialist vehicle equipment which removes the need to use third-party garages for further major repairs, thereby keeping downtime to a minimum.
“With six and 12-week checks now an integral part of a transport operation, and more stringent and frequent DVA roadside inspections, workshops are finding it makes more sense to be in a position to carry out all the required servicing, repairs and maintenance to keep their vehicles on the road,” says Simon Glass, who runs the company along with his brother Lawrence.
Search Workshop Supplies was established in 1976 by the now-retired Gerald Glass, father of Simon and Lawrence. In 1995, it changed its name from Search to Search Workshop Supplies and relocated to a purpose-built premises at Altnagelvin Industrial Estate in Derry / Londonderry, close to Altnagelvin Area Hospital. The premises, which consists of office and warehousing facilities, has grown from 3,000 sq. ft. to over 30,000 sq. ft. in floor space. Sixteen people are employed, including Simon’s children Gavin, Fiona and Barry who are involved in sales, finance and service respectively. Lawrence, meanwhile, is focused on workshop installations.
The company boasts a nationwide customer-base which includes Irish Commercials, Murphy Commercials, Bus Eireann, Dublin Bus, Aircoach, Mullen Coaches, Translink, James Kernohan & Sons, Dan O’Hare Commercials, Mulgrew Haulage, Manfreight, Wilson McCurdy Haulage, Blair Transport and several local authorities in Northern Ireland.
One of the largest contracts it has carried out in recent times was the complete fitting out of a new six-bay workshop for Dan O’Hare Commercials in Newry. At the time of writing, Search Workshop Supplies was installing a new GTEC air compressor for Irish Commercials in Naas. It has also completed major fitouts for Mulgrew Haulage, Manfreight and Translink at its new Belfast hub.
The third-generation family business represents all the leading brands, including VL Brake Test Systems, Steril Koni, Majorlift and Mazzola. It has quality procedures in place to ensure customers receive the best possible service. A vast product range, which includes everything from consumables to heavy duty equipment, enables Search Workshop Supplies to provide a unique service, including an in-house repair facility and on-site service engineers. Training is also provided for equipment supplied to any personnel requiring Safe Use and Operation of Machinery. Its mission statement is to be “a vital support key to our customer’s prosperity, through a team committed to achieving excellence in our industry.”
Simon Glass explains: “We carry a large range of products and are possibly the only supplier in Ireland to carry ex-stock column lifts and pit jacks.
“Our father was the first Irish dealer to secure the franchise for Snap-on tools back in 1976, something we held until 1997. We’ve become main Ireland and UK distributors for several other top brands since then.”
Stertil Koni are the market leaders for heavy duty commercial vehicle lifts. Mazzola’s hydraulic floor presses are available in various manual, pedal, hydro-pneumatic and motorised versions. Search Workshop Supplies also flies the flag for Majorlift hydraulic equipment who recently launched a new hub and disc separator product geared towards Volvo and DAF operators.
As a leading supplier of commercial workshop equipment, the company strives to provide a quality product that will last. The majority of its products are EU or UK-made and are of the highest quality. It also supplies economy brands such as Launch lifts, which come with a three-year warranty.
Search Workshop Supplies’ friendly and energetic team are committed to offering complete customer satisfaction and products are available for immediate dispatch.
When it comes to garage fit-outs, the Search team provides a reliable and flexible service from initial site survey to project completion. Their back-up service is second to none with two of their service engineers based in Newry and another in Derry / Londonderry, which means they are perfectly positioned to cover the whole country.
The large range of products from Search Workshop Supplies can be viewed on the company’s easy-to-navigate website www.swsni.com which features a fully interactive brochure of its equipment as well as sections dedicated to commercial vehicle equipment, car and van equipment, workshop tools and consumables in addition to special offers and its range of bespoke merchandising pre-pac stands.
“We have an energetic and highly-qualified team who adopt an industrious approach to provide a reliable and flexible service – from initial site survey to project completion – to meet the demands of busy commercial workshops.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank our customers and suppliers for their loyalty and support down through the years. We look forward to working with them for many more years to come,” Simon concludes.
Search Workshop Supplies Ltd
Search Workshop Supplies
Altnagelvin Industrial Estate,
Trench Road,
Derry / Londonderry,
BT47 2ED
Telephone: +44 (0)28 71312225
Web: www.swsni.com
First published in Irish Trucker magazine Vol 26 No 3, May/June 2023
