Micheál O’Connor
Group Managing Director of Dornan Engineering
Innovation / Ireland
“Employee wellbeing is central to our culture”
Dornan Engineering, a leader in delivering complex mechanical, electrical, and HVAC solutions to blue-chip clients across Ireland, the UK, Europe, and the Nordics, is entering a transformative phase. Recently acquired by Turner Construction, North America’s largest building contractor with €17 billion in annual revenue, Dornan is poised to enhance its services and leverage complementary strengths to meet evolving client needs in sectors such as biopharma and data centers. Committed to being an employer of choice, Dornan fosters a culture of excellence and innovation among its 1,000 employees. Micheál O’Connor, Group Managing Director, discusses the company’s trajectory and leadership position in Ireland and Europe.
How does Dornan Engineering reflect Ireland’s global competitiveness?
Dornan Engineering specializes in mechanical and electrical contracting, primarily serving the data center and life sciences sectors. Ireland, a long-standing hub for the pharmaceutical industry since the 1960s, has fostered a deep pool of expertise that helped Dornan grow alongside it. For decades, pharma was our foundation.
In the mid-2000s, the rise of data centers provided a natural extension of our skill set. During the late-2000s recession, we expanded internationally, delivering projects across the UK and Europe by following a simple principle: follow the client. Today, 90% of our business is repeat work with blue-chip clients like Novo Nordisk. Our focus on exceptional service and trust ensures that when clients relocate or expand, we meet their needs wherever they go.
What advantages will the Turner acquisition bring to Dornan Engineering and its clients?
This partnership combines the best of both worlds: Dornan retains its identity and expertise while gaining access to the resources of a global powerhouse. It creates a significant business scale in Europe, enabling us to deliver an expanded portfolio of work and a broader range of services. For clients, this means enhanced capacity to meet growing demands, especially in data centers, green technologies, and semiconductors.
Turner shares our people-centric values, emphasizing safety and quality. The acquisition offers our employees greater career prospects and opportunities to work on groundbreaking projects in life sciences, data centers, green technologies, and battery development. We actively recruit individuals eager to work in Ireland or Europe, offering career growth in a company committed to delivering innovative solutions for global clients.
How does Dornan look after its employees?
Employee wellbeing is at the heart of our culture. During COVID, we launched a robust virtual wellness program to keep staff active and connected. Internal surveys reveal that over 75% of employees feel safe discussing mental health issues—a testament to our efforts.
On diversity, we invest in STEM education to encourage more women to pursue careers in engineering and construction. We aim to improve gender balance by widening our recruitment pool and fostering inclusivity. Actively hiring across engineering, construction, quality, and planning, we remain dedicated to providing an optimal work environment.
Why do clients stay loyal to Dornan?
Several factors set us apart. Ireland’s legacy in pharma provides a unique skills base, but our operational model is equally important. Our flat, autonomous leadership structure enables quick decision-making and agility in seizing opportunities.
Client trust is paramount in a model that relies on repeat business. We invest significantly in innovation, including an offsite manufacturing facility that enhances efficiency and quality. Our commitment to safety, quality, and engineering excellence ensures clients’ stringent standards are consistently met.
What are some of your recent projects and expansion plans?
For a major life sciences client in County Meath, we executed their largest vendor package, combining mechanical, electrical, and engineering services. Offsite manufacturing delivered 380 prefabricated assets, reducing timelines and increasing efficiency. The client described the project as a benchmark in speed and success.
In the data center sector, we’ve expanded to include general contracting. For a leading client in Belgium, we managed mechanical and electrical work alongside flooring, partitions, and finishes. This adaptability strengthens relationships and meets evolving client needs.
Geographically, data center technology improvements enable expansion into Southern Europe, including Spain, Portugal, and Italy. Sectorally, we anticipate growth in green technologies like hydrogen and green steel, as well as battery and semiconductor manufacturing. These align with our expertise, and we’re excited to support these emerging industries.
