The Story Behind Kilsaran’s New Precast Concrete Facility Capable of Producing Nearly 4,000 Apartments Every Year  

The final Skillnet MMC Accelerate business support event of 2025 gathered professionals from 20+ different organisations working in the Modern Methods of Construction space to Ireland's newest prefabrication production facility. Kilsaran, a leading national manufacturer of concrete products, opened their facility in Arthurstown, Co. Kildare in a ceremony led by Minister for Housing James Browne on 21 November. The Skillnet MMC Accelerate team was delighted to follow this opening with presentations from Kilsaran’s senior management team and an exclusive site tour. 

The senior management team of Kilsaran presenting included: Derek Duffy, Managing Director of Kilsaran’s Precast division, Niall Traynor, Contracts Manager at Kilsaran Precast, and Ken Mulkerrins, Group Head of Innovation & Sustainability. Dr. Alan Hore, Director of CitA and Co-Lead of Skillnet MMC Accelerate, also presented. 

Dr. Alan Hore opened proceedings with an address on the importance of upskilling in MMC. He later elaborated on this address with details on the aims of the Skillnet MMC Accelerate initiative: to manage a national platform supporting construction sector upskilling, and host business support events with Irish companies to demonstrate the increased production capacity and operational efficiencies possible through MMC. Details on the event series for 2026 were also shared with the excited audience, building anticipation for what should be an exciting next phase of the national initiative. 

Derek Duffy, Managing Director of Kilsaran Precast, started with a short journey through Kilsaran’s corporate history and the company’s diversification into precast concrete products including walls, floors, stairs, columns, and beams. He also touched on the numerous sectors that Kilsaran Precast serves and recent residential development projects in Sandyford Central and Castleforbes, Co. Dublin. Lastly, he discussed the prominent impact that AI stands to have on construction projects. Derek noted that roles in the industry, while amongst the least susceptible to replacement by AI, will still be augmented by AI through smarter data collection and the ability to visual designs. 

Ken Mulkerrins, Kilsaran’s Group Head of Innovation & Sustainability, was next up. He presented on the future of concrete use in Ireland and how the development of more sustainable concrete could massively transform the sector’s carbon output. 

He discussed national policy changes, including the Climate Action Plan 2025, which stands to impact concrete production in Ireland and puts the likes of Kilsaran, which invests in R&D around developing low-carbon concrete, in a strong position. 

Lastly, Contracts Manager Niall Traynor discussed how Kilsaran Precast is developing a skilled workforce to meet the needs for a higher output of quality concrete products. After touching on his own career (including completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management at Trinity College Dublin), he broke down the skills requirements for each area of precast concrete production. From design to manufacture and on to supply and installation, identified 16 career roles pivotal to producing precast concrete products. He discussed how Kilsaran Precast identifies and trains these skillsets to maximise the potential of its workforce in Kilsaran Head Office and in Arthurstown. 

After the speaker presentations, the audience participated in an extended Q&A drawing in several riveting topics of conversation. This included potential changes to how construction vocations are taught in Ireland, the application of AI to the mass production of building materials, and the feasibility of truly sustainable concrete. To close the event, attendees went on a tour of the precast concrete facility to see how Kilsaran prefabricates concrete walls and other products for residential building.