News

Marshalls accelerates sustainability plans with new projects

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Leading hard landscaping and building materials supplier Marshalls plc has announced details of two innovative projects helping it accelerate sustainability plans. Locking captured carbon into concrete facing bricks Following announcements of a trial last summer, Marshalls has become the first precast concrete manufacturer in the UK to use CarbonCure technology, …

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Lords posts record turnover rise

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Builders merchant group Lords plc saw revenues rise 23.9% to £450m for the year ended December 31 2023, it was revealed to investors this morning. The merchanting division in particular did well, posting revenues up 69.2% at £220.8m, with strong like-for-like growth of 17.4%. Plumbing and heating revenues were -1.5% …

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BMF calls up Special Forces for All Industry Conference

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Ollie Ollerton, one of the first former members of the UK Special Forces to talk about their experiences and turn them into a positive force for good, is the final speaker to be announced for the BMF All Industry  Conference, taking place in Istanbul in June. Ollie joined the Royal …

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Selco arrives in Peterborough

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Selco Builders Warehouse has continued its UK expansion by opening a new branch in Peterborough. The builders merchant has officially cut the ribbon on its premises on Padholme Road East to take its total number of UK branches to 75. Howard Luft, Selco’s chief executive, said: “This is our first …

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Laker launches new indoor paving showroom

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Laker Builders Merchant has launched a new indoor showroom for porcelain and natural stone paving at its Crawley branch, now the largest dedicated indoor paving showroom at a builders merchant within a 20-mile radius. Laker chose to feature Pavestone due to the quality of the product, the huge range of …

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Forterra dispatches first bricks from new Desford factory

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Brick maker Forterra has dispatched the first load of bricks from its new Desford factory in Leicestershire, the biggest and most efficient manufacturing plant in Europe. The company has invested £95 million into future-proofing the factory to achieve outstanding overall equipment effectiveness while upgrading production capacity to 185 million bricks …

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James Burrell to further invest in Yorkshire with branch renovation

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Independent Merchant, James Burrell is continuing its investment into Yorkshire with a six-figure renovation of its York branch. The purpose of the renovation is to further evolve the high levels of customer service, improve the customer facilities and increase the stock range available. The branch, which opened in 1997 serves …

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Increasing demand for merchants to sell energy efficient products

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New research from Direct Line business insurance has found that three quarters (74 per cent) of tradespeople have upskilled themselves, enabling them to install green technology for clients. This comes as eight-in-ten (79 per cent) have seen increasing demand from people to install greener technology in their homes. As a …

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NMBS celebrates 60th year with record-breaking exhibition attendance

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More than 280 exhibitors at this year’s National Merchant Buying Society exhibition welcomed 558 independent merchant member companies and 1,084 visitors through the Coventry Building Society Arena doors on 19 and 20 April. Chris Hayward, chief executive officer at NMBS, said: “The 55th NMBS Exhibition was our most successful show yet, …

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UFEMAT focuses on sustainability at Dublin Conference

UFEMAT Award presentation

Sustainability and the reduction of packaging waste was high on the agenda of UFEMAT’s 63rd European Building Materials Conference, attended by over 100 builders’ merchants, building materials manufacturers delegates representing from 12 different countries. This year’s Conference took the theme “A Vision for Success” and John Newcomb, the current UFEMAT …

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