News

Crown Paints has hosted a golf day fundraiser in support of its official charity partner, Mind, with around £20,000 going towards mental health initiatives across England and Wales.  The event took place at the Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire, where guests, colleagues and partners came together for a day of friendly …

More than half (55%) of plumbers are struggling to hire apprentices due to wage costs and national insurance contributions, according to new research from plumbing and drainage manufacturer Wavin. Whilst wages and national insurance contributions was the most common difficulty cited by plumbers, half also find it difficult to find …

Breedon, the construction materials group, has expanded its south west operations with the acquisition of Somerset-based Tor Multimix. Founded in Glastonbury in 2004, Tor Multimix, a family-run construction materials supplier, specialises in concrete, aggregates, screed and other products. General manager for South Wales & South West England at Breedon, Ian …

Sister BSW Group companies The Pallet LOOP and Scott Pallets are both in the running for the Sustainable Materials Award at the 2025 Supply Chain Excellence Awards. The Supply Chain Excellence Awards recognise and reward organisations that demonstrate best practice in supply chain operations across the UK and Europe. Being …

City Plumbing has launched dedicated solar hubs across England and Scotland to help its installer customers get what they need for solar projects. The hubs offer a same-day collection point and a next-day national delivery service. The first solar hub opened in St Albans, with additional hubs in Salford, Sheffield, …

Wolseley Group welcomed Matt Western, MP for Warwick and Leamington, to its head office at Kingmaker Court in Warwick last week. During the visit, Western met with senior leaders and toured key departments, including Marketing, Digital, HR, and Health & Safety. The discussions focused on how Wolseley is evolving to …

Drayton, manufacturer of heating controls in the UK, has unveiled its new mobile training van that will embark on a tour across the country this year. The purpose-built van will offer training on Drayton’s range of products, including the Digistat range, valves range and Wiser smart heating control on board …

Toolstation has partnered with cancer support charity Macmillan for a new campaign that aims to raise awareness of skin cancer among tradespeople.    The campaign, ‘Sunburn Swatch’, is designed to raise awareness of sun protection for tradespeople when working outdoors. It features images of different sun swatches to represent skin …

Plumbers merchant Plumb Centre, part of the Wolseley Group, has opened a new branch in Paycocke Way, Basildon. The new branch is the 14th Plumb Centre location in Essex, opened to the public in a ribbon cutting by the Mayor of Basildon, Councillor Allan Davies. Attendees included local customers and …

Revenue at brick maker Ibstock rose for the six months to June 30 2025 to £193m from £178m but pre-tax profits were down to £8m from £12m. The half-year results report shows material growth in the key markets, especially the new-build residential market, with UK brick deliveries in the period …