Irish International Trading Company: Founded in 1920, now bigger than ever!
Leading Ireland’s Materials, Of Steel, Of Distributors And Wire, Hardware, Pany Bathroom Plumbing The Is Equipment Supplies Gardening One
It’s great to find a business with a long history, and Irish International Trading Corporation (IITC) is hard to beat. Established back in 1920, over a century of trading has now made it one of Ireland’s leading distributors of hardware, wire, steel, plumbing materials, bathroom supplies, gardening equipment and salt.
Having established itself as a significant wholesaler in the South with a strong loyal customer base, IITC opened a distribution centre in Dublin in 1990 to service the Midlands, the West, and northern parts of the country. 2002 brought the biggest move — relocating from Rocksavage and Copley St. to a purpose-built facility at Tramore Road. Here, its head offices and main distribution centre are located on a spacious seven-acre site where business is conducted.
In 2018 IITC opened a new distribution centre in Naas, County Kildare comprising of 90,000 square feet of warehousing on a seven acre site. This facility caters for IITC’s growing business in Leinster, the Midlands, the West and the North. It’s good to see a Cork-founded and Cork-based company spreading its services far and wide across Ireland.
What sets IITC apart, says Director John Lyons sincerely, is its staff. “We currently employ over 120 people, and believe that the dedication, experience, and knowledge of our team has been the cornerstone of our success in the past and will be key to its success in the future. We have both a direct sales force and telesales covering all 32 counties, providing back up and expertise in all areas of our business. This in turn is supported by administration, warehousing, distribution and sectoral experts with decades of experience in their fields.”
Did you ever hear your parents or grandparents speak affectionately of shopping in the old days, when a kindly man in a brown overall would lean over a wooden counter and advise on the best solution to your job in hand? Well, says Lyons, that’s a tradition they have continued at IITC down through the years. “Come in here, tell us what you are in need of, or where you see a difficulty, and one of our staff will be delighted to help.”
It’s the old-fashioned way, he admits, but one that must be valued and treasured if you want to continue succeeding.
“It’s all about repeat business. We have different generations coming through here. We see grandparents bringing in their grandchildren, introducing them to the staff, and that’s a treat for us every time. We give back support. Our knowledgeable staff actively listen, and care about what customers needs are. Many staff have been here 20, 30, 40, 45 years, so we have an experience that maybe others don’t have. We value the loyalty and dedication of our staff above all.”
Retail customers as well as the trade are now using IITC on Tramore Road to purchase the best of products from top European manufacturers. The recently renovated bathroom showroom displays a wide variety of sanitary ware, showcasing top-quality products from leading brands such as Roca, Duravit, Ideal Standard, with the new addition of Laufen. A working display of Grohe and Hansgrohe showers can also be viewed. “The latest techniques for saving water, the best heat pumps, underfloor heating, you name it. We can design, we specify, we even commission for the builder, plumber or developer according to their needs.”
And cater for every customer’s needs they certainly do, particularly in the showroom where products specially designed for aged living, and those less able or living with dementia can be seen. You will be guided by qualified staff who know their products through and through. “We know that clients want something that is attractive and functional as well as affordable, and that is what we always try to supply.
They never take their success for granted at IITC, says John Lyons firmly, but work continuously to provide the best possible service. “We owe a lot of gratitude to our staff and to our long-established customer base down through the years. We listen to and care for our customer’s needs.”