Flanagan Fittings – direct by design
Flanagan Fittings stays true to its direct, service-first model as Ireland’s kitchen trade evolves rapidly.
The office and warehouse facility in Dublin
Paul Flanagan is a practical man who speaks in practical terms. “The kitchen industry in Ireland is very different from anywhere in Europe, the average kitchen business is a small to medium sized company – sometimes no showroom, sometimes the van is the showroom,” he says. “They deal straight with the end users rather than having large manufacturers that sell through studios. That’s who we serve – the people manufacturing the furniture and selling it directly to end users.”
Founded in 1974 by Frank and Phyllis Flanagan, the company has grown from a small Dublin operation to the country’s largest independent fittings distributor, supplying more than 2500 active trade customers across the Republic and Northern Ireland. “Active means they’ve bought within six weeks,” Paul says. “We’re not counting people we sold to a couple of years ago.”
Paul Flanagan, managing director Flanagan Fittings
From family start to national scale
Paul took over the business in 2000 after a turbulent period that saw him move from rep to managing director. “I’d been on the road for years – I could see what worked and what didn’t,” he says. “When I got the chance, I just put in place everything I’d wanted to do. Between 2000 and 2008, we had growth of 25% each year.”
Then came the crash. “We’d just bought this building and turnover dropped 47% in two years,” Paul says. “That was hard, but we came through it – by sticking to what we’re good at.”
“We’re one of the largest fittings company in the country – and it’s still all direct. No distributors. That’s how we keep control of service and standards.”
Service and structure
Flanagan Fittings employs around 52 people, 44 of them at the Dublin headquarters and warehouse. “We run 10 trucks ourselves – that’s how we do next-day service across the island,” Paul says. Staff turnover is minimal. “We pay properly, we offer healthcare, pensions, and flexi time”.
That stability feeds straight through to customers. “The people in our office and warehouse know their stuff – they can sort an order on instinct. That’s not something you can buy in.”
Flanagan Fittings has recently installed three optimised vertical warehouses to store a myriad of smaller items. The capacious high-bay storage enables the company to maintain a comprehensive stockholding of its product ranges
Strategy: focus and flexibility
The business has refined its product mix over the years, investing in product categories that suit its model. “Appliances were a nightmare,” Paul says. “Low margin, high hassle. We got out at the right time – six months before Covid – and it was the best decision we ever made.”
Instead, Flanagan Fittings has doubled down on its core divisions – hinge, drawer, lift and slide systems, sinks and taps, handles, lighting and accessories. The company’s in-house marketing and design team produce catalogues, brochures and digital assets, cutting supplier videos down to useful size and giving customers branded versions to use with their own clients. “We make it easier for them to sell – that’s what matters,” Paul says.
Furnipart has been an important supplier for Flanagan Fittings: “They’ve got style and they care about detail,” says Paul
Product partnerships and potential
Some of the firm’s closest relationships are with European brands that value design and responsiveness. “Our Danish handle agency, Furnipart, has been brilliant,” Paul says. “They’ve got style and they care about detail – that’s why we’ve done so well with them.”
They constantly review their product range. “We’ve clear plans for the next 12 – 18 months,” he says. “We think there’s some great potential for extra turnover if we get it right.”
He’s even had offers to expand into the UK. “We’ve been asked a few times,” Paul says. “Maybe someday – but there’s still plenty to do here.”
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Mindset and people
Despite running one of the largest fittings companies in the country, Paul keeps a level tone. “We get on with our competitors. It’s a small industry, and there’s no need for fights. We’re all connected one way or another.”
He credits his success to his team’s consistency. “You can buy product anywhere, but service is people. Our people know the customers by name. That’s where the trust comes from.”
Succession is already in view. “We have a plan for when my COO and I step back,” Paul says. “It’ll take five people to do what two of us do now, but that’s fine – they’ll learn. We’ve a great bunch coming through,” says Paul.
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The view ahead
Flanagan Fittings’ optimism is grounded rather than grand. “We’re not chasing size for its own sake,” Paul says. “We just want to be the best at what we do – stock what matters, deliver on time, look after our people and our customers. That’s enough.”
After 51 years in business, that formula seems to be working. “Keep it direct, keep it simple, and look after the makers – that’s always been it,” he says. “It still works.”
