COMMENT B BMJ.


So, it seemed an opportune moment to have a rambling look back at some of the things that have changed, and some that haven’t. To clarify, where I refer to a year, I’m using the figures and details from BMJ’s January issues. Spot the odd ones out in this list of names: Harcros, Wolseley, Jewson, Graham, Travis Perkins, Keyline, Hall & Co, Heatek/Labone/ Cadel, Aah, Erith. 30 years ago, this was the order of the top 10 builders merchants operating in the UK sector. Only five are still operating today, and one of those does so as part of one of the others. Even when you go down to the next six, you get Tricom, Jackson Shipley, Sharpe & Fisher, EH Smith and Bradfords; only two of these remain in the same hands as 30 years ago. The sum of all those businesses’ turnover comes to £2.6bn, so getting on for just over half of what one of them – Travis of course - raked in in 2022. In 1993, of course, the industry was slowing starting to emerge from the recession of the early 90s, and several of the larger – and smaller companies, had the scent of acquisition in their nostrils. Hence, 10 years down the line, the 2003 list ran thus: Jewson, Wolseley, Travis Perkins, Grafton, BSS, PTS, WT Burden, Jacksons, Tricom and Ridgeons. A further 10 years on, at the beginning of this year, the top 10 are now: Travis Perkins, Stark Building Materials (obviously when we published this it was still Saint Gobain Building Distribution), Grafton, Wolseley, Grafton/ HuwsGray branches, MKM, UK Plumbing Supplies, Huws Gray (the bit without the


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wmcgill@datateam.co.uk July 2023 www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net 3


y a quirk of timing, I realised that the day this issue goes to press is exactly 30 years to the day that I started work on


Don’t go changing “


former Grafton branches), Lords, IBMG and Bradfords. Between them they turned over in the region of £14bn, nearly six times what the top 10 had managed 30 years earlier. Inflation, growth, expansion, contraction, acquisition, private equity buying, private equity selling: the last 30 years have seen it all. So many of the names that were prominent when I joined have gone with the wind, along with, at times, the old ways of doing business. How nice is it when someone actually picks up the phone to discuss something with you instead of sending it in an overly-complicated email? Text messages, Whats App groups, endless emails have all made the pace at which we do business faster and more urgent. Another thing that has changed is the make-up of the sector. We are a far more diverse sector than we were 30 years ago, no longer do I attend events wondering if I’ll be the only girl in the village.


What hasn’t changed is that it is an industry made up of people. They’re what makes the difference. People who will go out of their way to make sure the order is completed on time, that the price is right for the whole supply chain, that there’s communication about issues when they occur. People who ring you up just to check you’re OK when they’ve not seen you for a while. People who drive miles out of their way to show their support. People who rise to meet the challenges presented, not on their own, but as part of a team with colleagues, customers and suppliers. Communication, support, negotiation, relationships, people dealing with people they like dealing with. That hasn’t changed in 30 years. Thank goodness. BMJ


Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the gardeners who make our souls blossom.


Marcel Proust ”


CONTENTS 4 Newsround


The news from around the industry


8 News Extra: BMF All Industry Conference A round-up of key speakers from the conference


19 BMJ Industry Awards 2023 Check out the nominations for this year’s event


22 Business Helpdesk We cover the BMF’s annual Remuneration Survey


23 People


Who’s moved where and 10 Minutes With… 24 Viewpoint


Comment and thought leadership 27 Sustainability


Reducing carbon emissions remains a priority 30 Roofing


Trends and developments in the roofing sector


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34 Sealants and Adhesives News from the sticky sector


38 BMF Industry Voice The BMF’s own pages bring you all their news


40 Product News


Latest products and developments from suppliers


42 And Finally News and the prize crossword


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