11 May 2019
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Expanding Cork-based Fehily Timoney takes over Carlow firm, AGEC and doubles its geotechnical team expertise
Consulting engineering and environmental scientists, Fehily Timoney and Company, (FT), has taken over Applied Ground Engineering Consultant’s (AGEC) services in Carlow, an investment which significantly increases the size of its geotechnical team.
FT and AGEC have worked together on major projects across Ireland and the UK for over 20 years. Their combined capabilities and experience offers a broad, competitive range of geotechnical and multi-disciplinary services to existing and new clients in Ireland, the UK and across the globe, FT MD, Eamon Timoney, says.
The new FT geotechnical team. Included are: Gerry Kane (Senior Geotechnical Engineer), Ian Higgins (Principal Geotechnical Engineer), Tanya Ruddy (Principal Scientist), Ray ODwyer (Director), Niamh Deehan (Human Resources Manager), Eamon Timoney (Managing Director), Beren de Hora (Director), Paul Jennings (Technical Director), Paul OReilly (Civil Engineering Technician), David McHugh (Director), Tom Clayton (Senior Geotechnical Engineer)
FT hired 21 staff last year alone. And as work progresses on its extensive portfolio and several of its larger projects, such as the €100 million Dunkettle Interchange in Cork and the €75 million N4 in Sligo, staff numbers at FT could increase from just over 70 to closer to 80 in the not too distant future, Mr Timoney anticipates.
“The AGEC take over doubles the size of our geotechnical team and complements FT’s specialised geotechnical engineering design and consultancy services and our expertise in the Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, Waste Management and Urban Development sectors.
“Our geotechnical team can now provide a full range of Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology services. This includes earthworks design for major infrastructure such as highways and railway; design of earthworks and structures on soft ground and shallow and deep foundations for buildings and structures – including deep basements. The expansion of our geotech team further enhances our export suitability for use in UK and abroad.
“We combine our Geotechnical capabilities with state of the art GIS data management software to effectively present geotechnical information. We have particular expertise in the provision of windfarm geotechnical services, including peat stability assessment and turbine foundation design,” Mr Timoney added.
Commenting on the take-over, AGEC MD, Turlough Johnston, said: “This development augurs well for the industry and will give our clients access to a greater range of services. Our staff have come together to offer an unrivalled, specialist service and an expert group of engineers and scientists. We have the up-to-date knowledge of best practice, latest technologies and industry trends, to guarantee an exceptionally high quality service throughout the lifecycle of a project from site investigation to feasibility and detailed design to on-site supervision and completion.”
AGEC Director Paul Jennings is excited about the range of geotechnical services that the combined team can now offer: “We now have capabilities to provide more complex solutions, including peat slope stability assessment and repair of slope failures; landfill geotechnics; numerical modelling and temporary works design. We routinely procure, manage and supervise site investigation works, prepare interpretative and design reports and provide geotechnical expert services.”
The firms previously worked together on projects such as the €420 million Kilgallioch Wind Farm in Scotland. FT were employed by Farrans Construction to act as Civil/Structural and Geotechnical designers on the works in Stranraer by Scottish Power Renewables, a unit of Iberdrola. AGEC supported the ground investigation and design of the turbine bases for the project http://www.fehilytimoney.ie//?s=kilgallioch&x=0&y=0
The teams also worked together on Ireland’s largest wind farm, Galway Wind Park. It was co-developed by SSE and Coillte in Connemara’s Cloosh Valley. FT carried out extensive environmental assessments, including ecology, hydrology, geotechnical and engineering fieldwork with AGEC. The project included detailed design, transformer bases, hard standing areas and wind monitoring mast bases. http://www.fehilytimoney.ie/wind-energy/#tabs1-Our-Projects
Through the extended expertise and experience of the additional personnel, FT now offers a comprehensive in-house service to clients for both public sector projects and private sector design/build/operate projects in all geotechnical aspects of any civil works, including the discipline of geotechnical engineering and engineering geology.
