Last Friday, Westward Scania marked a major milestone with the opening of its newly extended and refurbished office building in Strokestown, while also celebrating 50 years in business.
The event was billed as the official opening of Scania Ireland’s new HQ offices. The ribbon-cutting event brought together around 100 people, including employees, public representatives, and well-wishers, to honour the company’s growth from humble beginnings to becoming a key player in Ireland’s Scania distribution network.
Managing Director Joe Crann thanked Pat Compton & Sons Contractors, led by Kieran Compton, for their work on the project. He also expressed gratitude to sub-contractors and consultants, whose contributions were acknowledged during the event.
Stefano Fidel, Executive Vice-President of sales and marketing at Scania, reinforced the company’s strong ties with Westward, highlighting the efforts of the Irish team in helping Scania maintain over 30% of the market share. He was joined by Özcan Bamoro, Startegic Director of Scania’s North European truck sales division.
Founder Jim Callery delivered an emotional speech, reflecting on the company’s journey from its early days on Church Street in the late 1960s. He quipped that if he had imagined this success back then, he wouldn’t have believed it. Callery also paid tribute to long-time employee Pat Kenny, who joined 40 years ago, and offered heartfelt thanks to his wife, Dr Adeline Callery, for her unwavering support. He also remembered those who helped build the company and who are now deceased.
Public representatives in attendance included MEP Ciarán Mullooly, Senator Eugene Murphy, and councillors Tom Crosby, Valerie Byrne, Sean Moylan, and Liam Callaghan.
The event carried a strong sense of optimism, with attendees expressing the hope that Westward Scania will continue to grow and thrive over the next 50 years.
