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developed as the needs of members and suppliers have grown, and it will continue to evolve. Our intention is to invest further in OnePlace so that it becomes not just a transactional platform, but a central information and connectivity portal, particularly for smaller members.”
Even when members don’t transact directly through OnePlace, it can still act as a product information system and a means of giving them scale quickly. Williams says that NMBS’s role is to make the back office simpler, easier, and more efficient. “If we can create value through systems and processes, it allows members to focus on what they do best: serving customers and trading successfully.
Data future
“Looking ahead, OnePlace needs to continue improving in terms of user experience, functionality, and access to meaningful, usable data. Over time, that may include smarter decision-making tools and potentially incorporating AI to improve speed and insight.” Alongside OnePlace, Data Yard is a key development for the whole sector. A joint venture developed between NMBS and the BMF, Data Yard is about creating sector-wide value. It will act as a shared product information foundation that feeds into multiple systems, including NMBS’s own.
“Data, more broadly, represents a huge opportunity,” Williams says. “Through our systems, we have visibility across a significant portion of the market. Turning that into useful insights can help both suppliers and members make better, faster, more informed decisions. “Another increasingly important area is cyber security. By using our invoicing systems and portals, members and suppliers benefit from increased cyber resilience. No system is foolproof, but centralised, controlled processes are inherently more secure than fragmented email-based workflows. Cyber security has always been relevant, but it is now critical. “Our systems are designed so that invoices and orders are processed, re-created, and delivered in a way that reduces the risk of fraud or malicious interference. That has always been the case, but the value of that protection is far more widely understood now than it was even five years ago. This is an area where NMBS can increasingly position itself as the safest and most resilient route for transactions across the sector.
“We have invested heavily in accreditation and best practice, including ISO 27001 and other recognised cyber and process standards. While we are careful not to overstate this publicly, it underpins our commitment to resilience and trust.”
Williams adds that financial resilience is another core pillar. As market conditions remain uncertain, NMBS’s ability to stand behind payment guarantees, provide credit, and absorb shocks gives confidence to suppliers and stability to members. That role will only become
more important if the market becomes more volatile.
“At the same time, it’s important to be clear about what NMBS is – and isn’t. We are a buying society. While we still have buying deals, we do not aim to compete with established buying groups. Instead, we collaborate with them and supplement what they do,” he says. “A significant proportion of our revenue comes via buying groups and their members, but the majority of our membership is not part of those larger groups. Many smaller merchants either don’t wish to join a buying group or are not a good fit for one. For them, NMBS provides access to benefits, connectivity, and support without the structure of a larger group.”
Williams says that, for members who are in buying groups, NMBS adds further value by complementing those arrangements rather than replacing them. Its collaborative approach has been carefully built over many years, and maintaining it is a priority. There is no intention to change direction or start competing with buying groups.
“Continuity and stability are critical themes. NMBS has been led extremely well by Chris over many years, and Chris and the team have built enormous trust across the sector. One of my first responsibilities has been to reassure members and suppliers that there are no sudden changes coming. The organisation is on solid foundations.
“I’m particularly pleased that Chris has chosen to stay on as an advisor. That means we retain his knowledge, experience, and relationships, including his extensive work representing NMBS and the UK sector within European buying organisations such as EURO- MAT and Eurocraft. Through that involvement, we have shared best practices, gained insights, and opened up opportunities for UK suppliers to access European markets.
“This European engagement is not always visible, but it is valuable. You can’t influence outcomes if you’re not at the table, and Chris’s continued involvement ensures NMBS – and the UK merchant sector more broadly – remains represented.”
Another important aspect of NMBS is its role as a community builder, Williams adds. “We have a strong internal team and a membership that genuinely feels part of something. Many members are proud to be part of NMBS and see it as giving them credibility in the marketplace, particularly smaller merchants. Our events – the exhibitions, conferences, dinners, and networking opportunities – play a significant role in breaking down silos across the sector. Because we work with many buying groups and different types of merchants, NMBS events bring together people who might not otherwise interact. That informal networking, sharing of best practice, and sense of collective identity is a real strength.”
NMBS works closely with the BMF; the roles are very complementary. The BMF represents
January 2026
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
the sector in terms of lobbying, standards, training, and engagement with government. NMBS focuses on commercial solutions: financial resilience, systems, connectivity, and helping members and suppliers grow their businesses. The joint investment in Data Yard is a good example of that collaboration in action. Looking forward, Williams says there are clear areas of focus. These include continued investment in cyber security and resilience, strengthening our financial model, expanding the use of automation and AI within our workflows, and providing better data and insight to members and suppliers. “We also need to broaden our category expertise. Historically, NMBS has been strongest in heavy-side building materials, with some light-side coverage. However, our membership includes many mixed merchants, and there is an opportunity to build deeper capability in areas such as timber, sheet materials, plumbing and heating, engineering and industrial and renewables.”
Inclusion initiatives
That wider, sector-facing mindset also shows up in NMBS’s work on inclusion. NMBS is one of the organisations that helped establish the Construction Inclusion Coalition in 2023 and has signed up to its Built on Better Pledge, which includes seven practical commitments ranging from listening to colleagues and sharing resources, to benchmarking progress and publishing an annual report. The Coalition’s early focus has been gender inclusion, including encouraging more family-friendly policies. This same sense of responsibility also shows up in the way NMBS brings the sector together to support charities close to the merchant industry through its Gala Dinners and Dinner Dances. Each year, NMBS encourages members, suppliers and guests to support sector charities including CRASH, which is tackling homelessness and supporting hospice projects, the Rainy Day Trust, which helps people who have worked in the UK’s home improvement and enhancement industry and the Maddie Rose Foundation, which helps young people take their first steps into the merchanting industry. At the latest Dinner Dance, guests raised £10,000 for CRASH and the Maddie Rose Foundation, while the Gala Dinner generated a further £4,000 for CRASH and the Rainy Day Trust.
“At the heart of all this is evolution rather than revolution. NMBS is a strong, trusted organisation with a clear role in the sector.” Willaims continues. “The focus is on building on that foundation – enhancing systems, expanding expertise, strengthening resilience, and continuing to support a collaborative, connected merchant community. “There are no major changes planned, but there is a clear direction of travel: to evolve with the market, provide greater value through data and systems, and help both members and suppliers navigate whatever comes next.” BMJ
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