By the pricking of my thumbs Something (amazing) this way comes As of today, a year and a day since the UK entered its first pandemic lockdown, the country has vaccinated over 29,000,001 adults (that one on the end is me). We are a year into this mess and so …

Specialist independent distributors Encon Insulation and Nevill Long have opened a new Nevill Long branch in Thetford, Norfolk. The Burrell Way Trade Park branch offers a complete range of leading interior brands available through Nevill Long including British Gypsum, Ecophon, Fermacell, Knauf, Knauf Ceiling Solutions, Rockfon, Siniat and Zentia | …

  John George, the family-run wholesale distributor that’s been going since 1725, has joined forces formally with fellow long-running distributor Henry Shaw & Sons. Having worked closely together for more than two decades, the two companies are now coming together under common ownership, reversing a demerger that took place in …

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a further event to be cancelled. Independent builders merchant buying group NMBS has announced the cancellation of its 2021 Dinner Dance. The event is regarded as one of the best social events in the industry, and usually sees 1200 guests come together at the Grosvenor …

Specialist plumbing & heating merchants’ sales in January were down 5.0% on January 2020 according to the second Plumbing & Heating Merchant Index report. Month-on-month sales were positive with sales up 18.5% in January compared with December 2020. This was helped by three more trading days in January, but after …

Builders merchants’ sales remained strong as the country went through the third lockdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the latest Builders Merchants Building Index report. Year-on-year growth was driven primarily by three product categories: Timber & Joinery sales were up 7.7% on January 2020, while Landscaping rose 3.7% …

Specialist building products distributor, SIG UK, is re-opening its branch in Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire. The 30,000sq ft premises, just outside Glasgow, has been completely refurbished and will hold up to £1 million in stock and have 30 permanent members of staff when it opens on March 29, 2021. David Hope, …

The Builders Merchants Federation is urging its members in England to take advantage of the Government’s temporary boost to apprenticeship funding, with incentive grants for employers increasing to £3,000 for apprentices of any age.   The £3,000 grant will be paid to any employer hiring a new apprentice between 1 April …

Radiator manufacturer Stelrad has joined the Inspired Energy’s Carbon Sequester Woodland Partnership through Forest Carbon. This mean that instead of taking a small energy rebate it accumulates each year due to energy profile smoothing, it will calculate the equivalent number of tonnes of carbon and convert this into carbon offsetting, …

Independent builders merchant buying group, National Buying Group expanded further with the addition of three new partners. Sovini Trade Supplies is a North West-based builders merchant, which recently opened a 2.4-acre flagship store and distribution centre in Bootle, Merseyside, on top of its three existing regional branches. Also joining the …