REHAU UK’s building solutions division has appointed Jack Trivett as area sales manager for the Southwest of England and the South of Wales, focused on their pre-insulated pipe systems in a move to support the growing district heating market. Trivett joined REHAU in September 2020 as a product management assistant, …

For last year’s words belong to last year’s language And next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning. When you’re in a hole, the saying goes, you should stop digging. So far, so sensible. But what do you do when you’ve stopped …

Decorative aggregate supplier Long Rake Spar has announced the appointment of Shane McCormick as national sales director, a promotion from his current role as national sales manager. In his new role, McCormick will lead the company’s sales strategy, set key business objectives and build strong, collaborative relationships with both new …

Builders merchant group Independent Builders Merchant Group, is initiating a financial and operational restructuring programme across 13 of its merchant brands, which will recapitalise the group, compromising certain liabilities, including leases across its branch network, alongside a significant reduction in debt owed to the banks. Assuming court approval of the …

Gavin Slark is to join builders merchant group Travis Perkins from the beginning of next year. He is currently CEO of  SIG, a role he moved to from Grafton Group, where he spent 11 years. Between 2006 and 2011, Slark was chief executive of plumbers’ merchant BSS Group before its …

Talasey has appointed Lisa Young to the newly created role of managing director. Young brings more than ten years’ experience in the merchant industry, having previously had a five-year spell as commercial director at Jewson, and, most recently, serving as European group category director at Stark Group. Young said: “I …

Häfele UK has launched Utensio, its first-ever own-brand collection of storage solutions, featuring larder pull-outs, corner and base storage and, now, the UK’s largest integrated bin solution. All Utensio interior storage solutions are designed to fit a 490mm deep kitchen cabinet. As a result, the majority of kitchen cabinets in …

Independent builders merchant group Lawsons has successfully maintained its Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) Silver Accreditation. One of the earliest adopters of the FORS standard, Lawsons has consistently invested in the safety and quality of its extensive fleet and recruitment, training and development of its current team of over 150 …

City Plumbing, part of Highbourne Group, has appointed Liz Taylor as its new Chief Commercial Officer, as part of the senior leadership team. Taylor joins Highbourne Group with more than 20 years of commercial experience, bringing a retail perspective to the merchanting industry from her different roles including, most recently, commercial …

Rising business uncertainty led UK construction activity to decrease for the fourth consecutive month, according to the latest S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index™ (PMI®), which showed further declines in total order books and cutbacks to staffing numbers. At 46.6 in April, activity remained below the 50.0 no-change value, …