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Merchant industry speakers confirmed for BMF all-industry conference forum


BMF HAS ANNOUNCED the final line up of speakers for the popular Industry Forum session at the 2021 All Industry Conference, taking place in Harrogate in June. Nick Roberts, CEO of Travis Perkins plc and Paul Bence, MD of George Bence Group complete the four-person panel and will each present their merchant industry view. They join the previously announced duo, Andy Mitchell Chair of the Construction Leadership Council and Peter Hallitt, Group Trading Director at Marshalls plc.


The Industry Forum brings together industry leaders from across the building materials and wider construction industry to address key issues of the day and lead the discussion with delegates.


Nick and Paul represent different ends of the merchant spectrum. While Nick leads the UK’s largest supplier of building


materials to the construction industry, Paul heads one of the country’s most successful independents, a family-run sixth generation business based in Gloucestershire.


They also came to merchanting via very different routes. Nick is a geologist by profession with over 25 years of international engineering consulting experience, and an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He joined Travis Perkins in 2019 from design, engineering and project management consultancy, Atkins, where he was CEO. He is now responsible for a £7bn market leading business including Travis


Perkins Builders’ Merchants, Toolstation and Wickes. Nick is a passionate advocate of safety and wellbeing, and of working collaboratively to improve productivity and diversity in the construction industry. He also supports the Travis Perkins’ Armed Forces Covenant programme, and is Deputy Chair, Trustee and Director of the Forces in Mind Trust in the UK, whose mission is to help servicemen and women transition to successful civilian lives.


Paul’s first role within the family business transformed their struggling Obsidian Kitchens & Bathroom brand. The Group’s lightside business now encompasses multiple retail and trade showrooms. He took over as MD in 2010 and has directed similar growth across product sectors in heavyside, roofing and decorating. He is also Trading Director of K&B Showrooms


within the Fortis independent merchant buying group, chairman of the BMF Kitchen & Bathroom Forum. A former BMF Young Merchant, he became the youngest member of the Worshipful Company of Builders Merchants when he joined in 2006.


Paul will draw on his experience of taking a single independent branch and delivering a multifaceted builders merchant with a clear product segmentation plan over the last decade. The BMF’s sold-out, dual-centre All Industry Conference takes place in Harrogate and York from 17-20 June 2021. Further details are available on the Conference website, www.bmfconference.co.uk The headline sponsor for the second year is the Crystal Group. Other key sponsors include ACO, BMN, Kerridge Commercial Systems, Knauf Insulation, Marshalls, Marsh Industries, Rockwool, SIG and Xtratherm.


BMF opens 32nd Regional Centre of Excellence at SIG Valor Park


THE BMF HAS created its 32nd Regional Centre of Excellence (RCoE) with the support of SIG Distribution.


The latest RCoE will be hosted at SIG Distribution’s state of the art, warehouse at Valor Park, West London which opened in May 2020.


The 169,000 sq.ft. site holds over £3m worth of stock across all product areas, with over 30 delivery vehicles to support the sales network across London and the Home Counties. It also provides excellent meeting facilities which can now be used by BMF members for training courses and regional meetings.


John Newcomb, BMF Chief Executive said: “We may be in the midst of the country’s third national lockdown, but the BMF is looking ahead to the time when industry colleagues can meet in person once more. SIG Valor Park will provide a superb facility for our members for many years to come.”


Andy Williamson, Commercial Director, SIG UK said: “The new SIG Valor Park site is an extremely well-connected location for transport which makes it an ideal space for regional meetings. We are delighted that our new centre will be supporting BMF members and look forward to welcoming them later in the year.”


February 2021 www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net 33


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