Timber panel products supplier West Fraser (Europe) Ltd, formerly known as Norbord, has pleaded guilty to several health and safety breaches related to two incidents that took place at its plant in Cowie within six months of each other in 2020. In the first event, Sean Gallagher, 29, a Utility …
Read More »Bad company
A man is known by the company he keeps Judge a man, not by what he says, but by what he does, by how he treats others. When Trump was named the Republican party candidate for the US Presidency, when it became clear that Joe Biden wasn’t a shoo-in for …
Read More »Duftons moves in on north east sales
Plumbers merchant Duftons has opened its 13th and 14th branches this year, expanding into the North East with a branch in Durham and one in Stockton-on-Tees. The new Durham branch is one of Duftons largest facilities, with an area of 7,000 sq ft. It features a renewable energy centre, dedicated …
Read More »You need to stand up to stand out
Steven Hallmark, B2B News Editor at Smoking Gun PR, tells BMJ that ‘brave beats beige’ when businesses are fighting for market share There are more than two million businesses in the UK competing for attention – and the way to get that attention is creating meaningful, distinctive communication. Generic messaging …
Read More »NMBS steps forward to support Troy community
Following the news that Troy (UK) Limited, the network and distributor of tools and maintenance supplies, is in administration, buying group NMBS is offering immediate support to both independent merchants and suppliers within Troy’s member community. Chris Hayward, NMBS CEO explained: “With almost 40 years of trading and a strong heritage …
Read More »Playing the long game
Home life ceases to be free and beautiful as soon as it is founded on borrowing and debt. It is a truth, universally, accepted, that a journalist in want of a story, must be attracted by tales of bad news as well as good. Bad news is good news when …
Read More »Brewers picks Paintwell out of administration
Paintwell, the deorators’ merchant that bought Kent Blaxill in November 2022, has been bought out of administration by the family-owned decorators merchant chain Brewers Group. The company had been owned by private equity firm Cairngorm Capital, which also owns builders merchant group IBMG, and National Timber Group. The deal with …
Read More »Sign the pledge
Always two there are, a master and an apprentice. It’s National Apprenticeships Week, so it’s fitting that I begin this with a congratulatory slap on the back for the Builders Merchants Federation, which has hit its target of 15,000 by 2030 five years early. With target management like that, there’s …
Read More »NBG appoints Stephen Harrison as non-executive chair
National Buying Group has appointed Stephen Harrison, formerly CEO of Forterra plc, as its new Non-Executive Chair, succeeding David Szymanski, who retired at the end of last year. Harrison has over 22 years’ experience in the building products sector, having having led Forterra from 2012, steering it through a divestment …
Read More »Keyline marks 2000th TP apprentice graduate
Keyline Civils Specialist, part of Travis Perkins plc, has announced that Michael Dixon, branch operations manager is the Group’s 2,000th apprentice graduate, earning a distinction in the Level 3 First Line Manager Programme. “Travis Perkins plc is a leading provider of apprenticeships so the fact that Michael is the Group’s …
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