It was a moment of serendipity back in 1996 when Roadmaster founder Liam McNamee spotted a first-generation American spray patcher repairing roads in Cavan. As an avid engineer, he was fascinated by the machine, which filled potholes quickly with minimal manual labour.
McNamee immediately recognised the benefit the technology could bring to the country’s ailing road infrastructure.
“The roads in Ireland were in very poor condition in the 90s, particularly in rural areas. I knew these spray patchers could help and could see the potential for further technological development” he said.
The Leitrim native was no stranger to innovation, having run a successful farm machinery manufacturing and modification business since the early 90s. After seeing the spray patcher in action, he turned his attention to building one of his own, and three decades of relentless engineering followed.
Today, Roadmaster manufactures the world’s most advanced spray patchers, enabling one operator to repair road defects in under three minutes from the safety of the cab.
The machines are designed, engineered and assembled at company headquarters in Jamestown, where 32 people are employed. Currently at the helm is Liam McNamee’s son Donal, though the former still takes an active role in the company.
The efficiency of the spray patchers is impressive. An automated system delivers a calibrated mix of bitumen and emulsion to the road surface, eliminating material wastage and ensuring a durable finish. Patches can last for years, compared to a few months for conventional pothole repair, making it a more sustainable and cost-effective repair method.
According to Donal McNamee, these factors have accelerated the uptake of Roadmaster machines in Ireland, where they are currently in operation across 23 counties.
“The benefits for county councils and local authorities are phenomenal”, he said.
“The Roadmaster allows them to achieve stronger repairs that last four times longer, at a lower cost and carbon output than conventional repair.”
He believes that the Roadmaster’s capability to go beyond pothole repair is also a gamechanger.
“Our spray patching technology isn’t limited to pothole repair. Roadmasters are ideally suited to carry out preventative maintenance of road surfaces, something which isn’t easily done by traditional maintenance crews as it is labour and cost intensive. This early intervention prevents potholes from forming in the first place, prolonging the life of the road.”
There are 77 Roadmaster machines in operation across Ireland, which he believes have played a significant role in the improvement of road conditions nationwide.
“A lot can be learned from Ireland’s adoption of spray patching internationally”, he said.
Following years of growth domestically and in the UK, McNamee is now hoping to replicate this success across Europe and beyond. This expansion is already underway, with Iceland recently taking delivery of their first Roadmaster machine. The company also completed an extensive rebrand including the launch of a new website in late 2024 to support their ambitious growth plans.
McNamee is confident that Roadmaster will continue to expand in Carrick-on-Shannon on the back of this momentum.
“We are excited to embark on this new chapter with Roadmaster. From the beginning, our mission has been to make safe, high-quality, affordable roads accessible to all users. Road surface conditions have been declining across Europe in recent years, so now is the perfect time for local authorities to consider a more efficient maintenance approach.”
“We’re ready for the challenge!”
*This story originally appeared in the Leitrim Observer in January 2025