Treaty County Trucking always gets the cream
18/10/2023
Established in 2001 by John O’Connell and based in Lisnagry, Co. Limerick, Treaty County Trucking provides a top-class milk collection and delivery service for the Kerry Group across Limerick and Tipperary.
The highly-regarded farm-to-factory bulk haulage specialist runs an 11-strong fleet which has been bolstered by the arrival of two new Volvo FH13 540 6x2s. Fourteen people are employed in the business which can also count Rearcross Quarries and O’Toole Transport among its valued customers.
Decked out in the blue, white and gold colours of the Kerry Group, the stunning new trucks were purchased from McCarthy Commercials in Clonlara, Co. Clare as part of an ongoing replenishment programme. Not one to rest on his laurels, John has three more new Volvo FH13 540s ordered along with two new Scania R540s from Nolan’s in Castleisland.
“We’re very happy with the new additions. They offer good payload, good miles to the gallon and low AdBlue consumption,” he enthuses.
“We got great support from McCarthy Commercials dealerpoint manager Micheál Walsh who sold and delivered them to us when he said he would. We’re currently running nine Scania and two Volvo, but will soon have seven new trucks on the road. It’s all about reliability with perishable goods. Milk tanks have to be emptied within a short time of collection.”
While John runs a number of his own trailers, including Freuhauf line haulers, tippers and reload trailers, the milk collection tankers are supplied by the Kerry Group. The tankers, which are predominantly Casey, are designed to reduce milk collection times on farms and automate the secure transfer of information needed to pay farmers for the milk collected. They boast state-of-the-art technologies such as GPS supplier recognition, data transfer by satellite and GSM. They are equipped to pump up to 60,000 litres of milk per hour and have a capacity to carry up to 30,000 litres. High-speed pumping has become a prerequisite since the milk quotas were lifted in 2015.
While the Kerry Group maintains the tankers themselves, the trucks are serviced and maintained by Brian and Stephen Murphy in Hospital, Co. Limerick. “They keep us on the road 24/7,” John says of the brothers. With the Kerry Group demanding the highest standards on safety and reliability, each truck undergoes voluntary CVRT testing every three months at West Auto Electrics in Newcastle West.
Treaty County Trucking collects milk from about 300 farms in an area stretching from Donohill in West Tipperary across to Kilmallock and Foynes in West Limerick. About 750,000 litres of ‘white gold’ is delivered to Kerry Group’s processing facilities in Charleville (skimmed milk), Newmarket (cheese) and Listowel (butter and casing) every day.
John is full of praise for his team of drivers and administration personnel. He stresses the importance of having a rota where drivers know when they start and finish.
“Our drivers are professional, dependable and always deliver on time. They are all ex-continental drivers who take tremendous pride in their work and look after the trucks as if they were their own. They also benefit from inhouse training from the Kerry Group and are supported by Willie Ryan and Caroline Howard in the office. Willie also acts as a relief driver,” the affable managing director explains.
“How you treat your drivers is key. Collecting milk has become a 24/7 operation. Christmas Day is the only day we’re closed. The sector has transformed in the last 10 years. It is now seen as a good, recession-proof industry to work in. Our drivers are CPC trained and receive top rates of pay. It’s a real team effort to keep the show on the road.”
He continues: “We’re all about quality, safety and reliability. These are so important when you’re travelling on narrow roads and laneways day in, day out.”
Also specialising in tipper work and cold chain supplies at quieter times of the year, Treaty County Trucking has earned an enviable reputation for top-quality work and customer satisfaction over the past 22 years. John initially provided transport solutions for Dell in Limerick before moving into the construction sector. One of the biggest projects he was involved in was the building of the Nenagh Bypass. When the recession hit, he decided to follow in his father Paddy’s footsteps by offering a milk collection service. He started out with one lorry in 2011 and hasn’t looked back since.
In summary, Treaty County Trucking prides itself on its professional, dependable, trustworthy, value-for-money and unrivalled service. The company’s location just 9km from Limerick City means it is within easy reach of its customer-base. John would like to take this opportunity to thank his clients and suppliers for their continued support as well as his drivers for their dedication, hard work and expertise.
Treaty County Trucking
Eyre Bridge,
Coolnahila (Palmer),
Lisnagry,
Co. Limerick.
Telephone: 086 855 0167
Email: [email protected]
First published in Irish Trucker magazine Vol 26 No 5, August/September 2023
