30 years ago, Laydex was founded with a clear purpose: to deliver quality, innovation, and service in everything we do. During these years we have seen how important our people have become in defining who we are.
This anniversary is about honouring the individuals who helped shape the way we work, lead, support one another, and serve our customers. We’re reflecting on the people who’ve been with us through it all: the product launches, the restructures, the growth.
We’ve invited some of the people who’ve been part of Laydex for many years to share their stories. This article brings their voices together, join us!
Meet Declan Murphy, our Roofing Director
To kick off our anniversary series, we sat down with someone who’s seen Laydex grow from the inside. Declan Murphy has seen the company evolve through change, growth, and everything in between. He’s one of the people who has helped shape Laydex through leadership and values.
As we begin this special anniversary series, Declan offers a glimpse into the culture, advice, and moments that have made his time at Laydex truly meaningful.
1. How did you first start out at Laydex?
It was 23 years ago when I met with Tony Kirby at the airport hotel in Cork for a job interview, and I just knew it felt right. Sometimes when you meet somebody, you immediately get a sense that the job is the right fit for you.
I was with Tony for over two hours and only discussed the job during the last 15 minutes. We spent most of the time talking hurling and golf, the best golf courses and the greatest hurlers that had played for Cork and Tipperary, and the many great clashes over the years.
2. Do you remember a memorable piece of advice you’ve ever received at Laydex?
Two of the most memorable pieces of advice came from Ian Woods. The first was: life is too short to drink cheap wine. The second: always buy a decent tonic to go with your gin.
On a more serious note, around 2013 when Tony retired (Tony was one of the best people anyone could work with). All of a sudden, I was taking over as the manager of the Roofing Division. And after that, Ian always said to me: Develop to your own unique style. Build a team that aligns with your beliefs, your values, build that type of team around you, and always be an innovator, never be a laggard. Always strive to have that unique style within your division or within Laydex that makes you stand out from your competitors. Align yourself with the right type of people, the right type of suppliers and the right type of customers that align with your values and the values of our business. And I think that’s a piece of advice that I think anybody in business should take.
3. What makes Laydex special?
It’s a great place to work. When anybody joins, we always say “welcome to the Laydex family”, not welcome to the company. That’s the thing we want to make people feel in Laydex, that employees are not just someone who clocks in and clocks out every day, that they are part of the family.
