History of MJ Flood

In 1935 Michael John Flood, then in his mid-forties, left his steady job at Underwood where he was a typewriter engineer, riding around Dublin on a bicycle repairing typewriters. He set up his own company in a small premises on Pearse Street. In 1939, just before the outbreak of World War II, MJ had the foresight to buy in a large consignment of typewriters, thus ensuring that his business thrived during the “emergency”. In 1940 Bob Blake joined the company, at the age of 15. Bob was to work for the company for 48 years.

The company grew slowly until MJ’s grandson, Michael Power, took over the business in 1964. At this stage the company employed six people. In 1968 the Facit Typewriter Agency was secured and secured the backbone of the company for some years. The following year, 1969, saw the achievement of a turnover of £50,000. By 1971 sales had grown to £200,000 and the first branch was opened in Sligo.

In 1971 the company entered the photocopier market. In 1974 distribution rights were acquired for Mitsubishi (now Konica) photocopiers. This formed another key element in the company’s growth. In 1975 MJ Flood moved from Pearse Street to Walkinstown and the following year, 1976, turnover reached the figure of £1,000,000.

In 1979 the company moved to Sandyford. The company head count had now reached eighty. Another move was made in 1983 to larger premises in Sandyford. In 1985 the Athlone branch was opened and in 1996 the Belfast branch opened thus completing the network of nine branches including Dublin.

The company left Sandyford in 2001 for larger offices and warehouse space in Citywest.

Another move was made in 2007 due to the continued requirement for increased warehouse space, this time to Baldonnell Business Park, Dublin 22.

In 2020 the company entered the security industry through the purchase of a majority shareholding in AlertWatch Ltd.

We are now the leading provider of Managed Print Services in Ireland. Security in the form of CCTV and access control is driving further growth within the business with turnover doubling in that division since 2020.