News

Builders merchants are among the companies employing more than 100,000 people that have signed up to support the Construction Leadership Council’s Talent Retention Scheme, launched on Friday (July 24). The Construction Talent Retention Scheme is a not-for-profit programme, backed by Government, business organisations, professional institutions and construction unions. The online portal …

Independent builders merchants buying group h&b, is offering to extend its existing 2020 trading agreements with the majority of suppliers for a further year. This backing of key suppliers will allow them to plan production and investment and help secure jobs as the UK continues to emerge from lockdown. h&b …

Following the launch of RGB Building Supplies’ Tools for Africa appeal in January, the builders merchant is thanking trades and the community for helping to donate 15 bulk bags full of preloved tools which have been passed to South West-based charity Amigos. Amigos works closely with another UK charity called Work Aid, which will now refurbish the donated items before sending …

Ironmongery company IronmongeryDirect has reported its most successful month in its history, with June seeing record figures for both order numbers and revenue. The company saw an 80% year-on-year increase in traffic to its website in June, leading to.   a 75% uplift in transactions. The surge of interest in home improvements …

Kate Tinsley has joined independent builders merchant group MKM as its new Chief Executive Officer.   Tinsely moves from Ibstock Plc where she was divisional managing director of Ibstock Clay; prior to this, she was with the Grafton Group for seven years where she held senior finance and operational roles, …

Independent merchant buying group h&b has published a Buying Guide exclusively for its merchant members, which breaks all approved h&b suppliers down into core product categories. The guide includes product information, contact details, order information and supplier status. With 192 pages, the h&b Buying Guide is intended to be a …

The government has published a draft of its Building Safety Bill which includes major regulatory changes to ensure that a tragedy such as Grenfell Tower can’t happen again. The Bill will introduce the role of a new Building Safety Regulator for towers blocks taller than 18 metres and will give …

A new report from the CBI and the University of Birmingham wants to see conventional gas boilers banned in all homes from 2025. The commission’s report Net Zero: The Road to Low-Carbon Heat also recommends that there is a programme of ‘substantial acceleration’ in decarbonising heat in buildings and industrial processes. …

Builders merchants trade association the Builders Merchants Federation has made the decision to postpone its  BMF Annual Conference & Awards, due to be held at the De Vere Beaumont Estate, Windsor until next year, due to the social distancing rules still being in place. Instead, the event will be held …

The latest figures from the Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) report for May 2020 show a sharp rise in sales as lockdown restrictions ease and trades return to work. Year-on-year, total builders merchants sales in May were down -39.9% by value compared with May 2019, reflecting the cautious reopening of …