News

It’s that time of year again. The 2025 edition of BMJ’s Trailblazers will be published with the April edition. Once again, it will feature the top UK builders merchants, those turning over more than £30m or so in their last financial year. Trailblazers has long been used to benchmark the industry, comparing …

Risk expert Caspar Berry is the latest speaker confirmed for the BMF All Industry Conference in June. He studied Economics and Anthropology at Cambridge and forged an early career as a screenwriter, but his expertise comes from a life-changing decision he made at 25, when he became a professional poker …

Drainage and plumbing manufacturer, Wavin, is celebrating over thirteen years – 5,000 days – of no Loss Time Incidents (LTI) at its clay piping production facility Hazlehead, in South Yorkshire. An LTI is any work-related injury or illness which results in a member of staff being unable to perform duties.  …

NMBS’s CEO, Chris Hayward, has announced his plans to step down from his current role in early 2026, following a 47-year career at NMBS. Hayward started his career with NMBS in 1977 as an office junior – a position which at the time was the equivalent of a modern-day apprentice. …

Timber supplier, James Donaldson Timber has taken over a leasehold on a new, 110,000sq ft purpose-built manufacturing facility in Chorley, which will more than double current production capacity and improve operational efficiencies, supporting increased output to meet market demand. The size of the factory allows for a number of fully …

Plumbing, heating and electrical merchant City Plumbing has opened a new branch in Longwell Green, Bristol, featuring The Bathroom Showroom and a dedicated renewables area. The site, which replaces its former site in Brislington, is on the Longwell Green Trade Park off Aldermoor Way. The new branch features a bathroom …

There was a steep decline in both housing and civil engineering activity during February, according to the latest  S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index™. It was the fastest downturn in construction output since May 2020, with cost inflation accelerating to the highest since March 2023. Total industry activity registered …

An award celebrating 44 years in the industry was presented to Julie Chandler, managing director of Chandler Material Supplies by Marie Goldman, the MP for Chelmsford, when she visited the builders merchant to see how it helps her constituents to build new homes and improve existing properties. Goldman MP, former …

Superglass, the glass mineral wool insulation manufacturer, is officially joining pallet recovery, repair and reuse scheme, The Pallet LOOP. From early April, Superglass’ cured glass mineral wool insulation products will start to be distributed on The Pallet LOOP’s distinctive green pallets, which are designed to be collected and put back …

Roofing product supplier Cromar Building Products has been acquired by the listed Swiss company Sika AG. The acquisition strengthens Sika’s presence in the roofing sector and will enable Sika and Cromar to capitalise on market opportunities and compete within the roofing sector.   Cromar managing director Mike Marshall,  said: “We …