Following ten years of sustained success in business, Mullan Lighting this morning announced the expansion of its operation in Mullan Village, Co Monaghan which will see the lighting design and manufacture business double in size with the estimated creation of 30 jobs over the next two years through construction phase and ongoing in the development of business innovation.
Mullan Lighting was set up by Mike Treanor in 2009 to create custom-made lighting for the commercial, hospitality, retail and residential sectors and this exciting development will allow them the opportunity to create new product lines, speed up manufacturing, develop new processes and target new global markets.
A true Irish business success story, Treanor initially set up as a one-man operation in an abandoned mill in Monaghan close to the border, and the company currently employs 65 people from the locality, sells to over 55 countries worldwide and has revenues of €5m. Their focus is on product quality, innovative design and flexibility of manufacture.
Heather Humphreys, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation who was at the announcement commented; “Congratulations to Mullan Lighting on this wonderful achievement. They are a great example of an indigenous business that started with just one employee and have since gone global thanks to hard work and dedication. Above all, they are proof that you don’t have to be based in a big city to make a big impact. I am delighted that the expansion will allow them to increase production and reach out to new markets. I look forward to tracking their progress in the exciting period ahead and wish them continued success.”
According to Managing Director Mike Treanor; “We are really excited to announce this further development of the business and look forward to what 2020 will bring. The key to our success to date is that we have always adopted a customer-centric approach, with bespoke solutions for different customers. We also control the entire manufacturing process from start to finish where other businesses often outsource some or all processes to other countries or suppliers. And, we are of course inspired by the talented people who work with us, who constantly think outside the box to explore new designs, new possibilities and new products which seek to continually push the boundaries.”
BUSINESS
A request to make church chandeliers proved a big break for Mullan Lighting. Within six years their product quality and speed of manufacture became recognised more and more and they became the lighting supplier for Google, Legoland, Superdry and even the Royal Family. Mullan Lighting was also getting approaches from the hotel and restaurant sector and has worked with many establishments including the refurbished Café en Seine, the Guinness Storehouse, Costa Coffee, Jamie Oliver restaurants and the Hard Rock Café. Mullan lights also adorn the Titanic Hotel in Belfast and interior designers throughout the country regularly use their lights in their show stopping interiors.
In 2017, Mullan won a huge game-changing project at Le Mer in Dubai where they were the supplier for all the outdoor lighting, with each piece being custom designed and manufactured with the ability to withstand 50-degree temperatures and potential sandstorms! It was a dream project for Mullan Lighting as it is one of the largest outdoor decorative lighting projects in the world. Over 1,500 customised pieces were manufactured to very tight deadlines over eight weeks for this project.
DESIGN
Their design credentials are second to none. Everything is created, designed and hand crafted on site in Mullan Mill and each item is custom made, even the inhouse carpenter makes all the boxes for packaging onsite. Each Mullan light is hand finished and painted, making all their lights individual and unique with their range varying from vintage luminaires to timeless classics.
Chief Executive of Enterprise Ireland, Julie Sinnamon added, “A key element of Enterprise Ireland’s ‘Powering the Regions’ strategy is about enhancing the reach of our supports to encourage companies to build on their capacity in rural towns and villages across Ireland. Mullan Lighting is a fitting example of how indigenous business can contribute to the growth of local economy and regional development.
“Mullan Lighting has equally demonstrated that stepping into new global markets and diversifying its export strategy can build scale while also mitigating the risk of Brexit. The company has not only taken markets such as France by storm, but has now set its sights on even further afield. Enterprise Ireland are delighted to support the business’s continued success.”
This is a real and honest success story of rural enterprise in a village which has seen many ups and downs. Mullan Lighting is now the heartbeat of this picturesque village with many of the lighting engineers, designers and craftspeople now living in the restored mill houses in the village. Conditional planning has been granted for the project, with work expected to begin in early 2020.
Mullan, Co. Monaghan is lighting up in more ways than one! www.mullanlighting.com
