Europlan Group, a Dublin-based engineering company, expects revenue to double this year.
Based in Clonskeagh, the firm was founded by Michael Campbell in 1977 and is now led by his three sons, Micheál, Donnchadh and Caoimhín.
In addition to its headquarters, the business has offices in Clonmel, the UK, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Philippines.
The company has 90 permanent staff and works with a large team of subcontractors and had revenue of €29 million last year.
“We’re a design-led programme management company,” Michéal Campbell told the Business Post. “That means we take over a client’s project and turn it over on a turn-key basis. Once the client gives us the concept, we give them the keys to the front door with it all as they had imagined it would be.”
“We cover every aspect, including commercial matters, engineering design and the actual construction of the property.”
Campbell developed the idea for Europlan Group while working at the Kentz group in Clonmel. The three Campbell brothers joined the business in the 2010s and 2020s.
Donnchadh Campbell had an engineering background while the other two brothers came in having previously worked as accountants.
“When he left Kentz, he started developing Europlan Group. Up until 2010 it was a very Ireland-focused business. As the first part of the succession plan, we decided to focus more on international clients,” Michéal Campbell said.
“It took a lot of time. It started off getting one customer at a time. There were small purchase orders coming in. Then, in 2020, we got our first big break in the Middle East doing a desalination project. From that, we attracted more clients including Sumitomo, and it has built up from there.”
Enterprise Ireland has supported the business as it expanded internationally and Campbell praised the agency for its assistance.
“They’ve been a great support in terms of local knowledge on the ground. We’ve been to many of their local offices overseas. That knowledge, where they give you the local market information, has been fantastic,” he said.
“Even when it comes to marketing the company, they have been a big help. We’ve been named as a finalist for EY Entrepreneur of the Year and that came about with the help of Enterprise Ireland.”
Campbell is, understandably, bullish on the prospects for Europlan Group. In addition to the major award nomination, the business is engaged in a project with Sumitomo for a sub-sea cable in Scotland. That being said, he is strategic in his approach to growth.
“We’ve had a lot of growth in the last two or three years. For the next four or five years, the focus is on making the company sustainable. Our focus last year was on getting the right people in the right positions so we can build upon the revenue pipeline that we’ve developed so far,” he said.
This Making it Work article was produced in partnership with Enterprise Ireland.