News

Building materials supplier Holcim UK is to be a headline sponsor of Super Trowel 2026, the UK masonry event and bricklaying competition. The supplier will provide its Masterlite aggregate blocks for competitive heats taking place at colleges across the country, with any remaining materials left on site to support apprentices’ …

Building materials supplier Huws Gray has announced the launch of Pitch in, a new community initiative designed to support the grassroots football clubs in local communities. Huws Gray will award one local grassroots football club with £5,000 worth of building materials to fund a meaningful facility upgrade, helping to create …

Lighthouse Charity, Willmott Dixon and artist Rob Fenton have unveiled a mural at Staffordshire’s new Student Village in support of men’s mental health. The mural depicts a lighthouse, shining a beacon of hope and a positive message for the construction community. The unveiling was part of a site wide Safety …

Total UK timber and panel product imports reached 9.1 million m³ in 2025, representing a 2.2% decline compared with 2024, according to the latest Timber Development UK (TDUK) figures. While the figure indicates an overall reduction in volumes, the data also highlights a number of areas where imports grew during the year. …

Howdens, the trade kitchen supplier, has launched a new sponsorship with darts player Charlie Manby. Charlie “Champagne” Manby, from Huddersfield, has found success in the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, and until recently combined playing darts with his work in the trade as a bricklayer. In 2025 recorded the highest …

Cemex UK has reopened its Dove Holes Building Products facility in Derbyshire following the completion of a significant investment programme. The investment at Dove Holes was carried out in two phases. The first, concluded in February 2025, focused on the introduction of void packing systems, providing an easier-to-handle solution for …

Soha Housing and Huws Gray Partnership Solutions have joined forces to improve the social housing association’s repairs service. Soha serves 8000 homes in and around South Oxfordshire and neighbouring districts and counties, and in 2025 the organisation launched Soha Response – its first fully ‘in-house’ repairs service – directly employing …

Polypipe Building Services has enhanced manufacturing through a programme of automation investment at its Aylesford production facility. Recent investment include £1.5 million in automation technology, alongside further investment of £3 million in moulding machinery and £2.5 million in extrusion technology. The manufacturer has implemented automated systems using six-axis and Cartesian robots, …

Selco Builders Warehouse has renewed its partnership with title-winning tem ‘Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’ in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship for a second consecutive season following its debut in 2025.  The renewed collaboration will feature prominent Selco branding on the race cars and team suits, as …

Builders’ merchant, MKM Building Supplies, is set to open its 142nd branch, at Edinburgh Fort Kinnaird, on March 9 2026, creating 17 new jobs and continuing the company’s expansion across the UK in 2026. The new branch, led by branch directors James Douglas and Scott Fowler, will stock leading brands …