COMPANY NEWS
Eamonn McCarthy, Regional Director, PTS/City Plumbing Ireland.
HAVING RETURNED TO PTS AND CITY PLUMBING IRELAND AFTER A DECADE, REGIONAL DIRECTOR EAMONN MCCARTHY HAS PLANS TO STRENGTHEN ITS BRANCH NETWORK AND RENEWABLES TRADE… Building resilience at PTS
In a full circle moment, Plumbing Trade Supplies (PTS) has welcomed a familiar face back on board. Ten years after he left the business, Eamonn McCarthy says his return as regional director of PTS and its affiliate City Plumbing Ireland feels like “coming home”. “After nine months back, it feels like I’ve never been away,” says Eamonn. “A lot of the staff are still here from my first time with the company, and I’ve enjoyed rekindling those strong working relationships. “My new role of regional director has me looking after the branch network in Ireland. I feel my strongest skills are either buying or selling and, since I have returned to PTS, I am enjoying both elements of the business.” With the plumbing and heating industry continuing to face pricing and supply challenges related to global economic issues, Eamonn says his priority is to help build resilience into PTS and City Plumbing’s operations across Ireland. Opportunities for the trade, meanwhile, include renewables with PTS offering an extensive range of products from heat pumps to solar PV and all associated accessories. Eamonn is hopeful of legislative change allowing Northern
Ireland to catch up with decarbonisation progress in the Republic of Ireland and GB. “I am now 31 years in the industry and have witnessed many changes,” says Eamonn. “Northern Ireland is a large village, and I think the contacts I have built and developed over my time are invaluable for any merchant business.” His career was predestined, with Eamonn’s late father running a large plumbing contract business in Belfast back in the day. Often accompanying his father and brothers to pick up plumbing materials from Central Merchants or Glenhill, Eamonn was initially shocked by - but soon became a willing participant in - the ‘Belfast banter’ he heard on trade counters. Eamonn started in the stores at MacNaughton Blair, now MacBlair, in 1996 and then joined Spendlove C Jebb as an internal sales coordinator in 1998. Working closely alongside Business Development Manager Ken Kinkead, the duo remained with the plumbing and heating supplier throughout acquisitions by PTS and Travis Perkins. PTS and City Plumbing Ireland are now owned by the Highbourne Group. In 2015, Eamonn stepped away from the business to take a director role at
Haldane Fisher. Praising the guidance of Ian Haldane and David Haldane, he was instrumental in developing the Plumbmaster and Bathline brands and growing sector business for the merchant group. Despite fierce competition between the suppliers, Eamonn maintained a good relationship with his former boss throughout his years at Haldane Fisher and cites Ken as playing a key role in his decision to return. “I have spent my whole career in this trade because of the people in it,” he says. “It’s good to be back at PTS, and I’m looking forward to working with our team to make our branches even stronger for the customers who rely on us.” “I think the contacts I have built and developed over my time are invaluable for any merchant business.” T: +44 (0)28 9027 1600 E: ptsirelandbelfast@ptsplumbing.co.uk www.ptsireland.co.uk Want to know more?
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