Street furniture is all around us, even if hardly noticed, and Wexford company Hartecast Street Furniture says sales are growing due to increasing demand for public space and amenities as a result of Covid-19 lockdowns and closures of premises.

Hartecast, based in Clonroche in Enniscorthy, manufactures public seating, litter bins (pictured below), bike racks and other street furniture which it supplies to local authorities and other entities, both in Ireland and Britain.

Clients in Ireland include Irish Rail, Luas, Dublin City Council and Limerick University while in Britain the firm has worked with Liverpool University, Wolverhampton City Centre Metro, Burnley Public Realm and the East and West Croydon Interchange in London.

Founder and managing director Harry Harte said: “We have followed the Enterprise Ireland guidelines on how to prepare for Brexit and have our EORI number in place. I went there with a mobile unit and visited cities like Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and London, where we got a great reception. At present we are working on the Metro in Wolverhampton and I believe the UK is a market which the company can grow.”

In Association with

The company, which began with a single bench design, now has 83 products in its range, including  litter bins, benches, bollards, retention sockets, planters and cycle stands.  

Harte says most are made from recycled metal, can have a lifespan of up to 50 years if properly maintained, and can then be fully recycled again. And the Covid effect could continue to work to his company’s advantage.

Fellow-director Anita Harte added: “I believe that the new post-Covid era, together with greater investments to deal with climate change, will create new opportunities, with ever more street space and public realm given over to pedestrians and cyclists and an increased demand for our products.”

Photo: Harry and Anita Harte