CLEANING UP

CURRENT STATUS

Pat Ryan, Founder

Company Name: Ryans Event Cleaning Specialists Founders: Husband and wife Pat and Philomena Ryan Years in Business: 7 Employee Numbers: Currently 40 staff with numbers fluctuating depending on how many events are going on Turnover: 5 million this year

VITAL CONTACT

Company: Ryans Event Cleaning Specialists Key Contact: Pat Ryan T: +353 (0504) 51083 E: ryanscleanup@eircom.net

Pat Ryan’s business has been cleaning up in more than one way since its conception and he tells Linda Pearson how tidying up has evolved into a lucrative opportunity.

Ryans Cleaning Event Specialists was conceived by Pat Ryan in the small village of Borrisoleigh in Co. Tipperary seven years ago. Today it is Ireland’s leading business specialising in event cleanups such as music festivals, race meetings, sporting events and all large indoor or outdoor events.

Pat Ryan has over 30 years experience in event cleaning and in 1999 he saw a niche in the market and set up his own cleaning event specialist company. “I was in the contract cleaning business previously and had experience working with concerts in Tipperary. There was a definite opening for cleaning specialists and it was just a question of sticking at it once we started our own business. Our first major concert was Slane in 1999 and we pursued it from there,” says Ryan.

OBSTACLES FACED

Setting up your own business is never an easy ride, and although Ryan wasn’t daunted by the challenge, he had to overcome obstacles along the way. “It took two or three years to convince people that we could successfully run our business from here, and that we didn’t have to be based in Dublin to succeed. We also had to prove that we had the knowhow to do this because it was so new in Ireland,” said Ryan. Ryans Event Cleaning has had problems in the past with employing unsuitable staff but Ryan dealt with this by employing a steady regular Tipperary-based team who are willing to work long and often unsociable hours. The company today employs 40 permanent staff and at peak times this can rise to approximately five hundred.

“The success of our company boils down to sheer hard work and the dedication of our employees. Our staff and my own family work long hours in what can be an unsociable business. When everyone else is out enjoying themselves the staff are working, especially in summer when there are long hours at festivals and staff work the weekend from start to finish,” explained Ryan.

AIMING FOR PERFECTION

Ryan’s deploy their team before an event to ensure the premise and location meets their existing standards for cleanliness. They continue to deal with the developing waste and litter situation. After the event they ensure the premise and location is returned to at least its pre event state. According to Ryan, perfection is important in business as it leads to a healthy reputation. “You have no other choice but to achieve perfection in business. You’re only as good as your last gig, and word spreads like wildfire when you mess up,” explains the entrepreneur. “Our research is always ongoing so we can see how we can do it better. It’s reputation and not price that matters. You can have the best music out there on the field but the one thing people always remember is if the environment is not left right afterwards.”

DOUBLING TURNOVER

Over the last several years the business has experienced remarkable growth achieving year on year growth of around 35%. The business is doubling its turnover every two years with turnover now approaching €5m. Investment in equipment has been very significant and Ryan’s were the first business in Ireland to import “Trilo” machines. A ‘Trilo’ is like a giant tractor powered suction and blowing equipment. “We were the first to bring the ‘Trilo’ machine into Ireland after we saw them operating in the UK market. It’s like a massive vacuum cleaner, and they have substantially helped our business. We’re continuously looking at ways to reduce the labour end of our business. We’ve spent about €400,000 on equipment like that,” says Ryan.

EXPANSION

In 2005 Ryan’s expanded its business by establishing a foothold in the UK market. They secured the contract for cleaning and waste management for the V-Festival in Weston Park, Staffordshire in England. Other contracts have followed and Ryan’s opened their permanent UK office in Weston Park in July to enable them to cope with the growing demand for their services in the UK. Ryan tells of his expansion plans, “we were the only cleaning specialists at the largest concert in the UK last year and we intend to expand a lot in the UK market in the coming 12-24 months. We’re going to run it from the Irish side but also set up on a permanent basis in the UK.” Ryan concluded by disclosing what motivates the ambition in him to persist with his company, “the thing that drives my ambition is remembering the time when we had nothing and that’s incentive enough to keep you moving.”