NEWS EXTRA


IOBM SETS ITS STALL OUT FOR THE FUTURE


The Institute of Builders Merchants is set for growth as the guardian of merchant industry professionalism.


THE INSTITUTE OF BUILDERS Merchants held its second conference at the headquarters of the Builders Merchants Federation in Coventry last month. On the agenda was a history of the organisation, a look at its plans for development, a discussion on the mentoring options available, and keynote speeches from Shanker Patel, CEO of Lords Group, Amanda Pettit from the Chartered Institute of Building, and David Campion, a sports coach.


The Institute of Builders Merchants was set up in 1968 with the aim of promoting higher professionalism in the merchant industry, focussing specifically on individuals. The idea was to give them a badge, an acknowledgment of their training, and progress towards that increased professionalism. Conference moderator Kevin Parr said: “The Institute of Builders Merchants is rally something of a sleeping giant of a brand, and it is time that we got it back up to where it needs to be. Jeremy Daniels of John A Stephens, a director of the IOBM, talked about its set up and history.


“With the aim of promoting higher levels of service, the motto was Knowledge, Integrity,


Efficiency. There were educational grants and


bursaries to help individuals achieve their training


goals, training courses, and a regional branch network, where they could meet and collaborate with like-minded people in the industry.” Changes in the industry, including the growth of national merchants with their own training operations, meant that membership numbers declined, and by 2017, the idea of a merger with the BMF was mooted.


Individual excellence It took a few years, but. By 2021, the IOBM, had become part of the BMF, keeping its own identity and focus on building excellence in individuals.


“The IOBM is about


individuals, the BMF is about companies,” BMF CEO John Newcomb told the conference. The vison and roadmap for the IOBM, created in 2022 puts the organisation firmly part of the BMF’s learning and development strategy. “As the birthchild if the BMF and the Worshipful Company of Builders Merchants back in 1968, it’s fitting that it is coming back to the family, where it will very much be linked with our learning and development strategy. Three years ago, when the merger first happened, the IOBM membership stood at 150 members. Within a short period of time that had grown to 1893, the bulk of them Student members, Newcomb said, thanks to a huge boost from Travis Perkins, all of whose apprentices are members from day one. “There are now 800 Associate Members, 141 Fellows and 276 Corporate Supporters, who have offered


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pledges of support to help fund the IOBM’s future development. Newcomb said that the prime focus of the IOBM will be to help individuals build excellent careers in merchanting by “creating a framework of accelerated qualifications required by employees in the sector.”


There are four categories of Membership, Student (Career Starter), Associate (Focussed Achiever), Full (Ambitous Advancer, and Fellow


(Respected Contributor), with a rising level of fees, all reduced for BMF Members.


Young Merchant link Ed Parlato and Costas Marcou, the chair and vice-chair of the BMF’s Young Merchants Group, told the delegates how the IOBM will work together with the Young Merchants Group. The BMF’s Diploma will be rebranded as IOBM, as part of the drive to make the IOBM synonymous with professional progression through the merchant industry.


“It’s really important that we give people a reason and a structure to progress,” Parlato says.


The Diploma launch is this month, with a push on social media begining in January. “We want to be emphasising the clear benefits of the different membership levels,” Marcou said.


H&B commercial direcor Glenn Paddison and the BMF’s Apprenticeships manager Marianna Peet talked about their mutual mentring experiences, and how both have benefitted from the programme.


The industry keynote speaker was Shanker Patel, CEO of Lords Group who talked about his journey from “failed economist and lawyer” to CEO of a merchant group that turned over £500m in 2024. Some of the key lessons he shared were: “learn from your failures”, the benefit of ‘divine discontent’, and being happy but still hungry for more. “Without risk there is no reward. Learn to take risks and to seize the opportunities,” he said. BMJ


www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net December 2024


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