BUILDERS MERCHANTS: A-Z HUWS GRAY H Huws Gray
HUWS GRAY THE NUMBERS
2019 Turnover £m Gross profit £m
Operating profit £k Net profit £k Staff
THE RATIOS 2019 Stockturn Gross margin %
Operating margin % Net margin % Sales/head £k Profit/head £
Return on capital % BMJ INDEX
3.7
34.3 8.2 7.2
228
18,744 19.3
2020 3.5
36.4 11.7 10.9 226
26,593 22.2
2021 3.2
38.0 12.6 11.8 278
35,081 26.0 1564
378.6 129.7
31,134 27,380 1,661
2020
356.2 129.8
41,857 38,912 1,574
2021
493.9 187.9
62,304 58,391 1,776
% CHANGE
2020 (6) 0
34 42 (5)
% CHANGE
2020 (6) 6
43 51 (1) 42 15
2021 (8) 4 7 8
23 32 17
2021 39 45 49 50 13
Founded in 1990 from a single branch in Gaerwen, Anglesey, Huws Gray has rapidly expanded over the past 30+ years through a mixture of organic growth and acquisitions, doubling in turnover every five years.
Huws Gray is now the UK’s largest independent builders’ merchant, supplying building materials to trade and DIY customers from over 400 locations across Wales, England and Scotland.
BUILDING MATERIALS DISTRIBUTION EX GRAFTON MERCHANTING GB BRANCHES THE NUMBERS
% CHANGE 2019 Turnover £m Gross profit £m
Operating profit £k Net profit £k Staff
THE RATIOS 2019 Stockturn Gross margin %
Operating margin % Net margin % Sales/head £k Profit/head £
Return on capital % BMJ INDEX
7.8
25.3 1.3 1.7
235
6,441 7.1
2020 7.0
25.1 0.3
(0.1) 237
1,739 (0.5)
2021 5.9
26.6 1.9
3.8 312
12,575 14.2 298
932.9 236.1
25,595 15,413 3,974
2020
768.9 193.2 5,639 (969) 3,242
2021
968.8 257.3
39,097 36,654 3,109
2020 (18) (18) (78) n/a (18)
% CHANGE
2020 (10) (1)
(78) n/a 1
(73) n/a
2021 (16) 6
593 n/a 31
623 n/a
2021 26 33
593 n/a (4)
Having made a huge acquisiton in 2021, the company slowed down a bit in 2022, adding, in March, the West Lothian based merchant Brick and Stone (Scotland) Ltd.
Established in 1999, Brick and Stone (Scotland) Ltd is based at a single location in Broxburn, West Lothian, it supplies a range of facing and reclaimed bricks, blocks, and walling. The branch will join the Huws Gray Group’s established network of specialist brick centres in Llay and Warrington.
In July 2021, Huws Gray doubled in size with the purchase of the Traditonal Merchanting businesses of Grafton Group. Operating as Grafton Merchanting GB until June 2022 when the name was changed to Building Materials Distribution, the accounts are currently filed separately at Companies House. We have used two tables to illustrate what the purchase brings to the wider Huws Gray Group.
Eddie Hernon, managing director of PDM Buildbase, a Huws Gray Group company, said: “We are delighted to add our first specialist brick centre in Scotland and are truly optimistic for what the future holds.” Mark Findlay, director of Brick and Stone (Scotland) Ltd, added: “We are excited for the future and, along with fellow director, Ian White, we look forward to remaining with the business and supporting the next phase of growth. It’s very much business as usual as we look to improve
HUWS GRAY
Llangefni Industrial Estate Llangefni Anglesey LL77 7JA Tel: 03456854467
www.huwsgray.co.uk
Brands & Branches: Huws Gray 250+ Hirebase 90 Electricbase 41 Civils & Lintels 18 PDM 10 Tool Centre 5 The Timber Group 5
Huws Gray Supply Chain Solutions @Home Kitchens & Bathrooms
Employees: 5477 Turnover for 2022 (est) £1.11 bn
Chairman: Terry Owen CEO: Ian Northern
Managing Directors: Ben Giddings, Chris Joyce Members of: BMF
TRAILBLAZERS
stock levels with the support of the group.”
From January 2023, Ridgeon’s Forest Products in Herringswell has become part of The Timber Group. The Timber Group (six
branches) was originally formed from the merger of three of the leading timber importers, merchants and distributors in London and the South of England – Beaumont Forest Products, T. Brewer and L&G Forest Products.
24
A supplement to builders merchants journal April 2023
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