News

Builders merchants Thompson & Parkes celebrated the first anniversary of its Stourport branch today (September 14). The branch, which supplies DIY, decorating and gardening tools and accessories is complemented by the company’s other two branches in Kidderminster and Oreton branches, which offer building, timber, landscaping and plumbing products. There is …

North-east independent builders’ merchant James Burrell has just ordered a further six new-generation Mercedes-Benz Arocs six-wheeler trucks. The Gateshead-based company operates from a network of 10 branches located throughout the North-East and Yorkshire. Each day its 36 trucks – the majority of them 26-tonne Mercedes-Benz dropsiders with cranes – deliver …

Paving manufacturer Tobermore, based in Northern Ireland, is to invest £30million and create 95 jobs as part of its plans to rapidly grow its business over the next four years. Diane Dodds, NI Minister for the Economy made the announcement during a site visit this week. She said: “During such …

The UK Green Building Council has published a new report, ‘Building the case for net zero: A feasibility study into the design, delivery and cost of new net zero carbon buildings’. This new report takes a lucid look at the implications of designing for net zero today. The study looked …

Revenue at builders and plumbers merchant Travis Perkins plc dropped 20% in the first half of the year, pulling operating profits down 81%, leaving it with an operating loss of £92m, the group announced this morning (September 8). The merchanting division, which covers the brands Travis Perkins, Benchmarx, Keyline, CCF …

Builders merchants trade association the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) is encouraging Members to take advantage of the government’s £2 billion pound Kickstart scheme by providing full administrative support to simplify the engagement process and enable every BMF member to participate. Kickstart is the government’s post-Covid regeneration tool to enable employers …

North London-based independent merchant Fayers, a member of the Fortis independent merchant buying group, is the first independent merchant to take on the new online showroom platform from shower specialist Lakes Showering Spaces. to its trade customers. Lakes launched its virtual showroom concept in July as a pioneering selling tool …

British shower products manufacturer, Kudos, is continuing its £650,000 investment plan to expand its UK manufacturing capability. Earlier this year, the company moved its finished goods stock from its manufacturing site in Cumbria to a new 60,000 sq ft warehouse facility in Sandbach, Cheshire, a move that gives easier access …

A ‘wait and see’ approach amongst construction buyers held back output for the month of August, according to the monthly IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Total Activity Index, which registered 54.6 in August, down from 58.1 in July. Any figure above 50.0 indicates growth of total construction output. Survey respondents mostly suggested that …

Plumbing and heating installers could win a share of £25,000 in cash, thanks to a new competition launched by plumber and heating specialist merchant  Wolseley   Running from 1st September to 31st October 2020, installers simply need to spend £100 ex VAT in a single transaction in branch or online to be …