AR Engineering Services, best-known for manufacturing the ArboCut range of hedge cutters, is based in Kilkenny, close to the Waterford border. In business since the early 1980s, the firm remains one of the few Irish manufacturers of such machines.

While serving his time with an engineering firm in the UK, AR Engineering Services managing director Anthony Roche attended college in the evenings, securing a degree in mechanical engineering.

After accumulating over a decade of experience, Anthony opened his own general engineering shop in 1983. One day, a local hedge-cutting contractor approached Anthony about designing and building a rotor for his machine. Soon after, other contractors approached him with similar enquiries.

80% of what AR Engineering manufacture is for the Irish market. /Philip Doyle

He began designing and manufacturing his own parts for all brands of hedge cutters, some of which he later patented, including his rotor design.

“I felt there was a niche in the market for a well-designed hedge cutter, so I built my first very own complete machine in 1992. Roll the clock forward to the present day and we have manufactured over 400 of these units,” explains Anthony.

Today, the business employs seven full-time staff.

Anthony Roche, MD of AR Engineering Services Ltd. (right)

“I’m like a gopher. I collect components, deliver machines and organise the day-to-day running of the operation. However, we work a strict 39-hour week from Monday to Friday, closing the gates at 1pm. I think it’s important to look after and not to overwork staff. If lads are working 10- and 12-hour shifts, they won’t be long getting sick of it and moving on. I also like to get away from the business myself. I like to travel. Otherwise, the business would easily take over your life. I’m happy making a comfortable living from the business as it is, I never wanted to employ 50 or so staff,” says Anthony.

Products

“Our business is very specialised, yet diverse. We don’t just manufacture hedge cutters; we build mulchers alongside flail and saw heads for both excavators and for retrofitting to other brands of hedge cutters. We also carry out a lot of repairs and rebuild many hedge cutters each year, often for well-known Irish dealerships.

AR Engineering manufacture hedge-cutters, mulchers and flail and saw heads for both excavators and to retrofit to other brands of hedge-cutters. /Philip Doyle

“We decided to name our range the ArboCut 2000. Arbo is Latin for timber, and in 1992 we were looking forward to the year 2000. Nowadays, we build approximately 10 to 15 hedge cutters each year. It takes us around four days to build such a machine. We subcontract the laser-cutting and folding, with all other process taking place in house. All components are sourced locally here in Ireland.

“We introduced mulchers to our range about 10 years ago. However, over the course of the past two years, we have seen a huge demand for these machines. We have built and sold in excess of 160 mulchers in Ireland over the past two years. We have the capacity to build and turn out three mulchers each week,” says Anthony.

Although I’m 73, I have no plans to change what I’m doing any time soon

“Ireland is our main market. We sell direct to customers and have seven or eight dealers around the country. We have one dealer in the UK and one in Germany. We also sell some machines into Australia and Canada. Our flail and saw heads for excavators are the most popular export products. We have built over 800 saw heads to date. However, 80% of what we manufacture would stay in Ireland. We don’t employ any sales people. New customers come to us based on both word of mouth and our reputation,” explains Anthony.

Future

“It’s funny. A lot of people have recently asked me what my plans are in the near future. Although I’m 73, I have no plans to change what I’m doing any time soon. An uncle of mine ran his business until he was 106, so I still have many years ahead of me yet,” laughs Anthony.

“I enjoy what I do. I’ve recently received an offer for the business but I’ve turned it down. I’ve no interest in selling it. What would I do if I sold up? I’m going to keep on doing what I’m doing for as long as I can,” Anthony says.

Profile

  • Business: AR Engineering Services.
  • Established: 1983.
  • Managing director: Anthony Roche.
  • Number of employees: Seven.
  • Markets to date: three.