Southern Brick, the brick factors and builders merchants, have gone into administration.

The Construction Products Association's State of Trade Survey for predicts that GDP growth will halve in 2008, with sales of heavyside building materials slowing up at a faster rate than those of lightside building materials.

Anyone hoping to sell timber or timber products to government bodies or their contractors from April 1 next year will need to prove that it is from a legal and sustainable source.

The new ceramic lined chimney system from Specflue is suitable for appliance burning a range of fuels from wood pellets and solid fuels to biofuels.

Vicaima have enhanced their popular Classic range of panel doors by the addition of a flat plant-on-panel effect as well as the traditional raised and fielded panel design to give a wider choice of interior door finish.

Hard landscaping suppliers Marshalls are increasing marketing support for their approved landscaping contractors to boost business for installers and, therefore, sales through builders merchants.

The SureCav Cavity Spacer System has been developed to take the place of a backing block when building stone, brick and flint or slate walls.

Saint Gobain's Building Distribution Sector, parent company of builders merchants Jewson, have bought the third largest builders merchants in Denmark and are looking to buy the largest merchant in Estonia.

Lafarge Cement have taken delivery of 48 bespoke, 'environmentally-focused' rail wagons for their Hope Works, in Derbyshire, as part of a £15 million rail expansion programme to supply builders merchants in the south east.

The Carbon Monoxide Consumer Awareness Alliance has welcomed last month's prosecution of Wates Construction for putting residents at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and is urging builders merchants and other industry players raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide.