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Travis Perkins plc managed a resilient first quarter trading performance, despite challenging market conditions. Total sales were down 2.8%.  Weak new build housing and domestic repair, maintenance and improvement markets especially impacted the Merchanting sector, although the commercial, industrial and public sector markets, accounting for just under half of the …

The latest figures from the Plumbing & Heating Merchant Index (PHMI) report show total value sales for February 2023 through specialist plumbing and heating merchants were +8.6% higher than February last year. Growth came exclusively from increasing prices (+9.6%) as volumes fell slightly (-0.9%) during the period. Month-on-month, February value …

The latest Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) report reveals that builders’ merchants’ value sales were up +0.8% in February compared to the same month in 2022. This growth was driven exclusively by price inflation (+14.9%) as volume sales fell -12.2%. There was no difference in trading days. Nine of the …

Without a change in attitudes and government action the UK could face a building retrofit crisis, warns a new report. The Role of Retrofitting our Non-Domestic Buildings in the Race to Net Zero, by Ridge and Partners LLP, the multi-discipline property and construction consultancy, shows that fewer than one in …

Marking another step towards achieving their sustainability goals, specifically their target of zero waste disposal by 2032, Knauf have changed the pallet hoods used on their laminated boards to use 30% more recycled content. The move to 30% recycled content in their pallet hoods represents a real win at scale …

Four BMF members are amongst the latest cohort of companies to become Zero Carbon Business Champions within the Construction Leadership Council’s CO2nstruct Zero programme. Cemex, Harlow Timber Group, Robert Price and Saint Gobain Interior Solutions, join 27 other BMF members as Business Champions, part of a total group of over …

North East and Yorkshire independent builders’ merchant James Burrell has reported continued progress during a year in which they announced their largest investment to date. A multi-million-pound outlay in their 11th branch at Billingham has been instrumental in seeing the family owned and managed business leverage further operational and logistical …

The 2023 BMJ Industry Awards is the only merchant industry awards where the winners are decided by the industry itself. To ensure that everyone gets a chance to enter, we have extended the deadline for entries until the middle of May. It’s really easy to enter. Simply go to the …

Forest Garden, the UK’s leading manufacturer of wooden garden products, have been honoured with the first ever King’s Award for Enterprise – for Innovation. The highest and most prestigious award possible for UK businesses. Forest Garden received the honour in recognition of a world-leading fully automated manufacturing process they created …

The Construction Products Association’s latest State of Trade Survey – 2023 Q1.pdf highlighted the continued mix of fortunes in the construction product manufacturing industry. For a third consecutive quarter a fall in sales for heavy side producers contrasted with continued growth for manufacturers on the light side. Forward-looking sales expectations …