Meath brothers are building beyond parts

From clutch kits and flywheels to automatic transmission training, corrosion protection, vehicle solutions, and premium trailer sales, brothers Darragh and Enda McKiernan are building one of Ireland’s most progressive independent automotive business groups.

What began as a small parts operation has evolved into a diversified group of businesses including Express Spares, DriveTrain, FMK Vehicle Solutions, and FMK Trailers. While each business serves a different part of the automotive and transport sector, they all share one common philosophy: solve problems properly, listen to customers, and deliver long-term value.

For Darragh McKiernan, now Business Development Director across the businesses, the foundations were laid long before the companies existed. “Vehicles were always part of our lives growing up,” he explains. “We spent years around Irish and UK oval racing circuits.”

Their upbringing combined motorsport, engineering, and entrepreneurship. Their father operated a metal furniture manufacturing business, exposing the brothers to self-employment and business ownership from an early age. The oval racing and dirt track scenes were popular at this time locally, and with the construction of a karting track nearby it seemed likely they would end up working in the automotive industry.

During his Engineering studies in Cork IT (now MTU) Darragh immersed himself further into automotive culture. He founded DriftIreland.com during the rise of drifting in Ireland, imported cars from Japan, and dismantled Nissan S-body cars for parts as a side business while in college. “That combination of engineering, cars, motorsport, and business naturally pushed me toward the motor trade industry.”

For Enda, the journey developed from a different angle. With a strong interest in branding, customer experience, marketing, and operations, he became heavily focused on how businesses communicate with customers and build long-term trust.

“My background in marketing has grounded me in making sure we listen to customers and always try to put their needs before our own wherever possible,” Enda explains. “If customers feel listened to and properly supported, they stay loyal. That philosophy influences everything we do across the businesses today.”

Starting Small
Like many successful independent businesses, the early years involved long hours, limited resources, and constant pressure. “I’ve worked across almost every role imaginable,” Darragh says. “Van driver, sales executive, account manager, accounts receivable, sales manager, technical sales — that’s the reality of building a business from scratch.”

Axos Auto Parts launched in 2012 with a strategic focus on clutch and flywheel kits. Rather than trying to compete across every category immediately, the brothers focused on becoming specialists within a technical niche.

“We saw an opportunity to build strong expertise in a specific product category,” Darragh explains. “At the time, there were a lot of issues in the market around poor-quality parts, incorrect applications, and weak technical support.”

That focus on technical knowledge, reliability, and customer support helped the business stand out quickly.

“We always believed competing purely on price wasn’t sustainable,” he says. “We wanted customers to trust us because we solved problems properly.”
That philosophy became the foundation for long-term relationships with workshops and garages throughout Ireland.

Adapting with the industry
As vehicle technology evolved, so did the businesses.One of the most significant developments came with the launch of DriveTrain around 2021–2022. The move reflected the growing complexity of modern vehicles, particularly around automatic transmissions and specialised drivetrain systems.

“We recognised a growing skills shortage within the industry while vehicles themselves were becoming far more technical,” Darragh says. “Workshops needed better support, better tooling, and better training.”

The business expanded into specialist drivetrain components, workshop tooling, efficiency solutions, and technical training. The response from the industry was extremely positive, with workshops increasingly looking for suppliers that could offer knowledge and support alongside products.

Between 2022 and 2024, turnover across the businesses doubled as the company positioned itself around the future direction of the automotive market.
Solving problems before they happen. A recurring theme throughout the businesses is preventative thinking and problem-solving.

That mindset helped drive the growth of FMK Vehicle Solutions, which evolved into a specialist corrosion protection and vehicle preservation company.

Today, FMK Vehicle Solutions focuses heavily on rustproofing, corrosion prevention, commercial vehicle preparation, van fit-outs, and 4×4 upgrades.

“We believe preventative protection should play a much bigger role within the market,” Darragh says. “Very often, customers only notice corrosion issues once damage has already occurred.”

The business works with tradespeople, commercial operators, fleet customers, and vehicle enthusiasts who value long-term ownership and preventative maintenance.

A focus on people
Despite the growth across multiple businesses, Darragh believes the biggest factor behind their success has been people.

“Building the right team has been one of the most important factors in our company’s successes,” he says. “The businesses only function because of the people behind the scenes — warehouse staff, drivers, customer service teams, sales support, accounts, and operations.”

The brothers themselves naturally focus on different areas of the businesses. “Enda is very operationally focused and strong on day-to-day execution,” Darragh explains. “I naturally focus more on strategy, business development, and future opportunities.”

That balance has allowed the businesses to continue adapting within an industry that is constantly evolving.

Expansion into premium trailers
The latest addition to the group came through FMK Trailers and a partnership with Brian James Trailers. The decision was driven by both customer demand and the brothers’ own experience using premium transport equipment within the automotive and motorsport sectors.

“We felt there was strong alignment between their philosophy and ours,” Darragh explains. “The focus on engineering quality, durability, reliability, and long-term value made it a natural fit.”