News

BMF welcomes Government’ trade credit

The Government has today announced Trade Credit Insurance will receive up to £10 billion of government guarantees, a move that has been welcomed by John Newcomb, Chief Executive of the Builders Merchants Federation, who is Chair of the Insurance and Surety Working Group for CLC Covid-19 Task Force.   Trade …

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Timber two to brave the shave

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Two employees from National Timber Group are having their heads shaved for charity. Richard Jarvis and Peter Howarth have pledged to shave their luscious locks in aid of Cancer Research UK and Timber Trade Benevolent Society (TTBS) in the hope of raising £5,000. With such an ambitious fundraising target, the …

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HSBC helps out Turnbull & Co

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Turnbull & Co, the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire independent builders’ and plumbers’ merchants secured help from HSBC UK to manage supplier payments and wider business liquidity during the Covid-19 pandemic. The funding from HSBC UK has not only supported the business, which is 125 years old this year,  in continuing to …

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NEW MEMBER JOINS H&B COMMUNITY

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h&b, the independent merchants’ buying group, has welcomed its latest member, Rugby-based Melbros Building Supplies who joined the h&b group on Monday (June 1). Melbros is a “proudly independent” mixed builders merchant, established in 1985 after evolving from first a small contractor, through a small hardware store. It serves local …

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Brick jobs to go as Covid-19 close-down bites

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Brick manufacterers Ibstock and Forterra are to lose 600 jobs as a result of lower forecast demand following the Covid-19 pandemic. With despatches around half what they were this time last year both businesses said selective sites may close and the size and structure of support functions will change. Forterra …

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Bradfords provides Sanctuary

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Independent south west builders merchant Bradfords has won a four-year contract with Sanctuary Housing Group to supply plumbing and building materials in the South West. Sanctuary Housing Group manages more than 11,500 households across 12 counties in the South West and is committed to providing quality homes and services that …

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Construction puts recovery plans in place

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9Plans for a post-Covid-19 revival of the UK construction sector have been published by the Construction Leadership Council’s Covid-19 Task Force. The proposals include recommendations to: Get industry back to work wherever it is safe to do so Maximise employment and retain key skills Ensure a pipeline of future workload for …

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Investment in construction can kick start the UK economy say experts

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An £11.27bn investment in construction and a series of strategic decisions around new home building can kick start the UK’s economic recovery and deliver a £33bn return for the Government, according to experts at Birmingham City University. The Build Back Better: Covid-19 Economy Recovery Plan features a blueprint for a …

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Ibstock welcomes safe return to work for construction

Ibstock Bricks Leicestershire headquarters

Brick maker Ibstock has welcomed the government’s three-step ‘road map to recover’ plan to get Britain back to work, safely. Joe Hudson, CEO of Ibstock Plc siad: “Among the industries most keenly affected by this announcement is, undoubtedly, the construction sector. Indeed, a study by the Centre for Economics and …

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Baxi works with MENtalk on back to work playlist

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With the plumbing and heating industry beginning to return to work, boiler maker Baxi and MENTalk have launched a charity playlist challenge to raise money for The OLLIE Foundation and help motivate tradespeople as they get back to working life. The #TradesTopTunes playlist challenge has been created to encourage installers …

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