IN PERSON
PARKER FLIES IN AS LAKER CHAIRMAN
Fiona Russell Horne talks to Laker Builders Merchant and its new chairman W
hen Ady Laker, founder and operations director of Laker Builders Merchant, started the business, he always had another
builder’s merchant business at the back of his mind. There was another local independent merchant that he wanted Laker to emulate. He says: “Even before I started Laker, while I was still thinking about having my own business, I knew whatever merchant I did set up, if we could operate like this other merchant did, with their attitude to service and customer care, then we’d be on the right track.” That other builders’ merchant was Parker Building Supplies. So, there’s a pleasing symmetry to the fact that Parker’s founder, Tom Parker, has now joined Laker Builders Merchant as non-executive chairman. Laker managing director Steve Robinson says that the company’s plans for growth meant there was a need for someone in a chairman-type role. He explains: “I’m not from this industry. Ady is, but he is a timber specialist, that’s where his skills and expertise lie. We moved into offering heavyside this year, and that’s an area where we knew we needed guidance, mentoring and expertise. To our mind there really wasn’t anyone better to provide that than Tom. I approached him at one of the industry events last year, asked him if he’d like to come and have a look at our operation, see what we were up to, and what our ideas were. It started from there.” Laker continues: “When I started out, I got a lot of help from Parkers. The quality of
L to r: Julie Robinson, Director of People & Culture; Steve Robinson, Managing Director; Tom Parker, Chairman; Ady Laker, Founding Director
the staff there, especially from the Haywards Heath branch, which when we started out was the closest to our little branch in Lingfield, was amazing. They really helped us to get going and I always thought that’s how I want my business to run.”
Robinson adds: “That’s why when we knew we needed some mentoring help, my first thought was why don’t we talk to Tom. because I knew that Parkers had always been held up as one of the best in the business.” Parker, who sold his eponymous business in 2017, says: “It’s a great compliment, to me and to my old business. I understand where Ady and Steve are coming from, because there was an independent business that I looked up to when I set Parkers up myself.”
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www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net February 2023
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