Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Builders merchant buying group NBG LLP held its annual supplier awards on Monday at the Hilton Hotel in Manchester.
In a change to previous formats, and with a nod to the economic conditions, the event was a lunch rather than a two-day conference.
Executive chairman Allan Durning said: “Let’s hope that the new year brings an improvement in trading environment.
“Housing sales are on the up, mortgage approvals are on the up, housebuilders’s stocks are rising again. The housebuilding market is making confident statements, the FTSE is doing well, the snow has gone and the banks are paying big bonuses again.”
Durning highlighted the group’s change to a category management structure which he said went through with “full partner approval”.
“We have three section, divided into nine categories with a clear structure and succession plan. We mean business with this and the response and behavioural change from suppliers has been encouraging.”
Deal compliance will be the key to NBG’s success, Durning emphasised. “Deal compliance is a major issue for us. Too often the independent sector has been criticized for not doing what it says it will do. We have 77 members and 254 locations throughout the UK. We need to think and act like a national.”
The Supplier of the year awards were:
