The bolts and nuts of online business growing in strength
By Maurice Garvey
BALDONNELL business Bolts and Nuts.ie are a leading supplier of fasteners and fixings.
Some of their main clients are mechanical engineering companies, who buy specialised parts to assemble pipe work on big pharmaceutical sites
Michael Bradshaw
In 1983, Michael Bradshaw, owner of Bolts and Nuts.ie, started RFS – The Fastener Company.
This was based at a one room unit at Kylemore Industrial Estate – supplying products to companies like Glen Dimplex and parts to CIE “used to hold the busses together.”
That was a significant year for Me Bradshaw as he also got married to his wife Margaret, and started to build his own house in Dublin, based on the advice of his late brother and former carpenter Syl, who passed away in January.
“It was hectic but thank God we got through it,” said Michael.
“I grew up in Drimnagh, left school at 17 after completing my Leaving Cert and then studied at night after work in The College of Commerce in Rathmines. I got married to Margaret and started to build a house with my brother in 1983. Due to the recession I also became redundant. As a result, I started my new business.
“After a while we decided to start selling different types of fasteners and screws.”
Over the years, the name evolved to RSS The Fastener Company, the business scaled up to a larger premises in Baldonnell ten years ago, which contains warehouse, office and a trade counter.
“I survived two recessions and during the last one, we changed the name to Bolts and Nuts.ie and that saved us,” said Bradshaw of the adaption to selling products online.
In December, they launched an online shop with the idea of being able to sell in small quantities, albeit based on a minimum customer purchase of €20.
Sean Bradshaw
“We are open with a skeleton staff at the moment, but it is deliveries only. People can ring up to order or make enquiries. We are offering a 20 per cent discount at the moment.
“Our most popular parts are stainless steel range and bolts that people find exorbitant at other providers. We have competitive prices for small part and the facility to buy small parts.”
He continued: “We sell other things, associated products, drilling screws, cutting and grinding disks, hole saws.
“My son Sean is involved in the business and started up a branded equipment section. So if you wanted jackets and t-shirts for your business, we can do that, plus a lot of safety gear.”
Bradshaw is proud of the fact the Bolts and Nuts.ie are a “100 per cent Irish company.”
“A lot of people are buying more products online to avoid social interaction and lack of availability in stores due to the lockdown.
We are asking that they should consider www.boltsandnuts.ie and Irish companies first who employ people locally and putting much needed money back into the Irish economy.”
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