We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts. A former colleague of mine, an ex-Fleet Street subeditor, would probably sum-up last week’s Autumn Statement thus: Ouch. What’s worse than the worst single year for household  disposable income? The worst TWO years …

Colin Wilson has joined the independent builders merchant buying group h&b as development group membership manager. The h&b Development Group is h&b’s initiative created to bring smaller merchants into the group, giving them the opportunity to grow and develop their business through h&b’s great buying deals before progressing through to …

Irish paving and walling manufacturer, Tobermore, has donated Secura Grand retaining wall blocks for DIY SOS: The Big Build for Children in Need. The Big Build for Children in Need saw a new home for the Getaway Girls built from the ground up in just 13 days. Getaway Girls is …

While welcoming the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s inclusion of economic growth as one of his three key priorities of today’s Autumn Statement, the Construction Products Association believes that more could be done more quickly. Key announcements that the CPA has welcomed  include: New funding for a further £6.6bn for retrofitting buildings …

We light it up, we won’t come down And the sun can’t stop us now Watching it come true, it’s taking over you Oh, this is the greatest show They say that the measure of true fellowship is how long it takes you to pick up as though no time …

Independent builders merchant buying group NBG celebrated its first full Conference and Exhibition for three years with a glittering awards ceremony  with the theme of NBG’s Greatest Show  at the International Convention Centre Wales in Newport today (Tuesday November 15th) The winners were: BRICK & BLOCK SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR …

Wood-based panels manufacturer Norbord, part of  Canadian group West Fraser, has been fined £2.15m for health and safety failings leading to the death of an employee. Perth Sheriff Court found Norbord Europe Limited guilty of two charges under health and safety legislation for the accident on July 12 2016 at …

PaintWell Limited, the North West’s largest independent paint distributor and decorators merchant, has bought Kent Blaxill Group Limited (Kent Blaxill), the independent decorating, glass and builders merchant, based in Colchester. The acquisition of the 184 year old merchant means the enlarged group will have 46 branches stretching from Cumbria to …

People of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things. Seriously, is it so hard for politicians to act like normal human beings? Normal human beings with thoughts and feelings and empathy for others? We’re onto our third Prime Minister in …

Insulation supplier ROCKWOOL has launched Thermal Insulation Cavity Slab 32 and Thermal Frame Slab 32, two dual-purpose products that are the most thermally efficient stone wool insulation currently available in the UK and Ireland. Made using Rockwool’s patented NyRock® technology, the new products have a more efficient fibre structure that is …