Case Studies

Drogheda Port

Drogheda Port is a regional multi-modal port located on the northeast coast of Ireland. Captain Laurence Kirwan, harbour master at the port company, is responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of the harbour area.

“We handle around 1.5 million tonnes of cargo each year, so we have a busy port here. We’re mainly handling the import of feed and fertiliser for the agricultural industry, steel and chipboard products, as well as fencing posts and timber for the construction industry. We also export a lot of cement and cement products such as clinker, so it’s quite varied in terms of material.”

The Port operates under a licence from the EPA, the Irish Environmental Protection Agency, which means that its waste-handling yard must be swept on a daily basis. Up until the summer of 2023, this work was contracted out to a third party supplier, who was paid according to the number of cargo tonnes moving through the yard. As the Port’s operations have been growing year on year, so too were the maintenance bills for the sweeping contractor.

“When I reviewed our maintenance budget for the year, I realised that we had reached the point in our growth where was cheaper for us to bring the sweeping work back in-house. I did some online research, and found out that the Multihog factory was just 20 minutes away from us, which was a major plus point in my opinion. I did look at other sweeper brands, but one of them seemed quite flimsy, and the other one shipped its parts from Germany. With our licence conditions, I knew I needed something reliable that could operate every day, and in the event of a problem or breakdown, I needed fairly immediate access to parts. I visited the factory in August 2023, and having seen the size of the operation, I was reassured that we could call on them should we need help with parts or service.”

Having visited the manufacturing plant, and driven a Multihog sweeper, Laurence was convinced by its robust build and comfortable operator cabin, which was spacious enough for any operator. He also felt it would be able to cope with the intense dust and industrial nature of a port environment.

As it happened, Multihog had a sweeper available for delivery within a few weeks, and, having gone to the Port’s board of directors for approval (and received a thumbs up based on its multifunctionality), it was delivered in September 2023.

Seven months in, Laurence feels that his decision has paid off. “All of the reasons we chose the Multihog have become apparent since it was delivered. For example, we broke the glass on one of the doors, and we had a replacement the next day. Our on-site fitter went up to the factory for technical training, which helps to reduce any issues that come up. We have 7-8 stevedores trained to operate it, so we’re never without a driver – and that’s because it’s really easy and enjoyable to use. All of these points add up to smoother operations at the Port, which is beneficial for everyone.”

Captain Laurence forecasts continued growth at the Port and is happy with his decision to bring sweeping in-house from a financial perspective. “On busy days when we’re unloading ships, the Multihog really pays its way. We handle around 2500-3000 cargo tonnes per shipment, and that creates a lot of dust and debris. The Multihog makes it an easy task to keep the Port clean and tidy.”