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BMF recognised for excellence with three Memcom award nominations
The BMF is celebrating industry-wide recognition after being shortlisted in three categories at this year’s Memcom Excellence Awards; an annual celebration of innovation, leadership, and impact within the UK’s trade associations and professional membership bodies. The BMF is in the running for the coveted Best Trade Association award, alongside nominations for Best Membership Support and Best Public Awareness Campaign—the latter recognising the success of its Building Materials Sector Awareness programme and the launch of BMCareers. The Memcom Awards, now a mainstay in the membership sector calendar, are organised by Memcom, a senior leadership network that has supported the development of purpose-driven organisations for over 25 years.
Government announces depot charging grant
The Department for Transport has launched a UK-wide Depot Charging Scheme offering grants of up to £1 million to help you install electric vehicle charging on your premises.
The scheme covers up to 75% of eligible costs, including buying the charge points (of any type or speed) and ancillary equipment - and associated installation, engineering & contractors’ costs. To qualify, you must meet several requirements, including:
The awards shine a spotlight on forward- thinking initiatives that deliver genuine value to members and make a measurable impact across their industries.
BMF CEO John Newcomb commented: “We are once again honoured and delighted to see the BMF’s work recognised by our peers in the membership community. We strive to ensure members derive real value from their membership, so it is extremely pleasing to be shortlisted both for Membership Support and for the Public Awareness campaign designed to support recruitment across the sector. I am also delighted that the work of the entire BMF team has been recognised through our nomination as Best Trade Association.”
The winners will be announced later this year at a ceremony in London on 25 September.
• owning, leasing, or ordering at least 1 battery electric van or HGV; • completing the installation of charge points by 31 March 2026; • ensuring sufficient electricity supply is available to you on site by the same date.
At the latest BMF Transport & Distribution Forum, inadequate depot charging infrastructure was highlighted by members as one of the biggest barriers to the wider adoption of electric commercial vehicles. This new scheme can be used alongside the existing Plug-in Van and Truck Grant. Applications close on 28 November 2025 or until funding runs out. Bids will be assessed on a first come, first served basis.
August 2025
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BMF expands national network with three new Regional Centres of Excellence
The BMF is continuing to strengthen its regional presence with the addition of new Regional Centres of Excellence (RCOEs). These dedicated hubs are designed to bring training, events, and engagement closer to members across the UK.
The most recent centres to join the expanding national network include Rawlplug in Reading and Forgefix in Greater Manchester, with a third location to be announced shortly. These new additions reflect the BMF’s strategic focus on localisation, making it easier for members to access resources and connect with peers in their area. Commenting on the initiative, BMF Chief Executive John Newcomb said: “We have been working with members to identify appropriate spaces as regional hubs where local groups can come together for meetings and training. Localisation is an important strategy for the BMF going forward. With a network of Regional Centres of Excellence alongside our Regional Management team, we are in an excellent position to engage with our growing membership on their home ground.”
The Centres of Excellence programme plays a vital role in the BMF’s commitment to providing accessible, high-quality support for merchants and suppliers alike. Each centre is equipped to host regional training, forums, and networking events, making it easier for members to participate without the need for long-distance travel. As the BMF continues to grow its national footprint, these regional hubs will be key in fostering stronger local connections, deeper engagement, and broader access to the Federation’s expanding range of services.
Proposed landfill tax changes cause alarm
Proposals from HM Treasury and the HMRC to raise and harmonise the rates of Landfill Tax in England & Northern Ireland have caused alarm to quarrying businesses and housebuilders & developers.
A government consultation that closed on 21 July proposes to: move to a single tax rate by 2030, and review existing exemptions & reliefs that may, as a result, see some of them ended. There are currently two tax rates of landfill tax: (a) the standard rate at £126.15 per tonne; (b) the lower rate, broadly applying to inert, less polluting materials, at £4.05 per tonne. The Whitehall government proposes to remove the lower rate by steadily raising it until it
becomes a single (higher) rate in 2030.
The tax authorities believe there is scope for tax avoidance by unscrupulous operators who wrongly classify waste as being less polluting - and therefore claim the lower rate to pay less tax. The Mineral Products
Association, British Aggregates Association and Ceramics UK are lobbying against these proposals. They argue that working quarries that are currently open will become ‘stranded assets’ as it will be too expensive to obtain waste to complete end- of-use restoration, as well as higher prices for aggregates, sand & cement for BMF members to cover the increased cost of land remediation.
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