News

The NMBS 2026 Conference opened in Spain today (June 12) with the message to independent merchants that navigating today’s challenging market requires leadership, resilience and a willingness to push beyond traditional expectations. It was hosted by TV preseter and podcast host Jake Humphrey, who introduced NMBS CEO Kevin Williams, to …

Kitchen supplier, Benchmarx Kitchens & Joinery, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Travis Perkins launched its dedicated kitchen offering with the opening of its first Benchmarx showroom in Croydon, South London in 2006. In the two decades since, the kitchen supplier has gone through a huge expansion, with an extensive 134-branch …

Ariel Plastics has launched a new 20-page Overview Guide to showcase the company’s products, services and support. The brochure is organised into key product areas: Roof Ventilation & Drainage, Roofline, various types of Roofing Sheets, Flat Glazing, Rooflights and Hygienic Cladding, making it easy to view the full Ariel Plastics …

SR Timber is once again supporting Skillbuild, the annual multi-trade competition. The Skillbuild 2026 regional qualifying heats for roofing started at the end of March and finished early June, and brought apprentices across the country together to compete at six different colleges. Heat winners will be attending the SkillBuild UK …

Winners have been announced for the Big Build Competition,  a community initiative launched by builders merchant National Plastics. The Competition invited schools, charities and community groups across several UK regions to apply for a fully managed refurbishment project worth up to £10,000, with National Plastics supplying all materials and overseeing delivery …

The Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) has published a new Best Practice Guide to help members understand and comply with the requirements of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 (PSTI).  Developed in response to growing concerns around cyber security and the increasing use of connected technologies within the …

Bathroom retailers could be missing sales opportunities by overlooking flush performance according to new research from Bathroom and plumbing product manufacturer Geberit. A survey of more than 2,000 UK consumers conducted in March 2026 found that 85% of consumers have felt frustrated by a toilet that didn’t flush properly, while …

Building materials supplier Huws Gray has named Rocklands Youth Football Club as the winner of its inaugural Pitch in competition, awarding £5,000 worth of building materials to help transform the club’s facilities. Huws Gray launched Pitch in to support community hubs that face growing financial pressures and struggling with outdated …

Branch staff from Tippers Builders Merchants have praised a bespoke training day at manufacturer Setcrete’s Centre of Excellence training facility, located in Cheddleton, Staffordshire. The training day was designed for merchants to build confidence in recommending the right products to customers and to highlight when complimentary product recommendations can help …

Doorset manufacturer JELD-WEN has supported the rescue and rehoming of a group of stray cats found at its Retford Road manufacturing site, in partnership with local animal welfare charity Save A Stray. As preparations began for the relocation of manufacturing operations to Bessemer Park, concerns grew over what would happen …