News

Building materials distributor SIG saw sales fall 13% to £1,974m for the year to December 31 2020, taking it into a pre-tax loss of £76.3m from a £17.7m profit last time. That said, the group reported a strong finish to 2020, ahead of expectations, with like-for-like sales up 4% in …

A chartered surveyor who was left paralysed after a fall has had his home transformed by industry charity Band of Builders and a range of manufacturers, merchants and volunteer tradesmen. Rob Lamb, 58, suffered a severe spinal cord injury when he fainted due to low blood pressure at home in …

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 …

The Builders Merchants Federation has confirmed that the 2021 BMF MasterMerchant competition will take place with the support of a new headline sponsor, Natural Cement. After a year off due to Covid-19, this year’s competition will be held in Ambleside in the Lake District from 9-11 July. Open to all …