News

Cemco the independent merchant buying group added three lightside merchants to the membership on January 1.

Sales at landscaping products people Marshalls fell by 6% to £378m in the year to December 31 2008.

For the second year in a row, Welsh independent Huws Gray have topped the BMJ Index chart, according to BMJ's January issue, published today.

Insulation and specialist building products distribution group SIG have increased the number of branches they plan to close to 80.

JCB, the digger people, are to axe a further 684 jobs because of the lack of available credit and continuing low confidence.

Speculation is rising about the future for Heidleberg Cement following last week's suicide of majority shareholder Adolf Merkle.

Private housing starts are set to drop a further 32% this year, taking numbers down to 70,000 - their 1924 level, according to the Construction Products Association.

Peter Hindle, chief executive of Saint-Gobain Building Distribution and managing director of Jewson, has been awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours List for services to the building industry and to charity.

Stax Trade Centres are sponsoring the publication of this year's Rainy Day Trust's Annual Review. The Rainy Day Trust is the industry charity for the hardware and merchant trades.

TAPS, the plumbers merchant arm of builders merchants Thompson Building Supplies opened a new branch yesterday.