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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 Deputy Leader of Chelmsford City Council, was welcomed by Chandler and finance director Ben Chandler who showed her examples of the everyday trade essentials and value-added products available to Chandler’s customers in Chelmsford and Southend. She also heard how merchants and their SME customers have managed in recent times with higher prices and rising fuel, labour and other costs.
Goldman said: “It was a pleasure to visit Chandler Material Supplies who have been serving the Chelmsford community so well for decades. I want to thank Julie, Ben and their team for providing such a valuable, friendly and knowledgeable service to the building trade across Chelmsford and beyond and for taking the time to explain to me the challenges they face. I was keen to learn about how they are supporting new apprentices to learn the vital skills that we need in the building industry. I wish the apprentices every success for the future.”
Chandler, who retires at the end of this month, explained that the business, founded in the 1950’s, wants to invest and grow. But the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s changes in her Autumn Budget do not encourage that anymore. Changes to Employers’ National Insurance Contributions, National Minimum Wage rates and Inheritance Tax Business Property Relief all come into force in 4 weeks’ time. Consequently, Chandler’s and some of its trade customers are contemplating curtailing opening hours, altering shift patterns and freezing recruitment – including not taking on new apprentices.
Chandler said: “We were pleased to welcome Marie today and show her how Chandler Materials has evolved since we began in the 1950’s. It is great to have our MP take an interest in local firms like ours and offering her insight and support to help Essex businesses to keep going. Running a successful business is far harder than it was back then. The burden of regulation and taxation on today’s owners makes it more difficult and time-consuming to be a financially stable business, offering good jobs, and paying our way as a good local employer”.
The visit was another arranged by the Builders Merchants Federation as part of its industry and parliament programme. The aim is to show MPs the role, value and importance of merchants in delivering for their customers and communities.
