HEAVYSIDE READY, SET, POUR
In its first three years, fibo Collect UK’s ready-to- collect concrete service now operates at builders’ merchants nationwide. With further growth planned throughout 2026, Oliver Stanley learns more.
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aunched in January 2023 by director Alex Atkinson and housebuilding managing director Stuart Cranfield, fibo Collect UK began with the idea to bring a better solution for supplying small volumes of concrete, mortar, and screed to the UK builders’ merchant market. From there, it has quickly evolved into a nationwide network of self-service batching systems within merchant yards. Atkinson explains: “I had an existing relationship with the Danish manufacturer, fibo Intercon, who launched the idea of self-service concrete in France and Germany. We, decided, with some help from one of our first customer our first customer Thorncliffe BS, that if we could get the machine to do mortar as well, it would be great for builders merchants in the UK. So, we went back to the manufacturer with that as the challenge.”
Recognizing the natural fit within builders’ merchants, where local trades already collect aggregates, cement, and building materials, Atkinson and Cranfield launched fibo Collect UK to the British market.
Having previously worked with the Danish manufacturer on international rollouts across mainland Europe, Atkinson had seen first-hand how the fibo Collect concept was transforming the markets overseas. Yet, despite its success, the system had not yet been introduced to the UK. “Our customers want to sell to landscapers, builders and bricklayers,” continues Atkinson, “so the machine had to be adapted with a cleaning system. Once we proved that we could deliver that, the UK market wrmed to the idea,”
Laying the foundations Three years on, the model has proven to be a strong addition to merchant operations, generating additional revenue from their existing footprint.
“There was a lot of interest in the concept from the beginning,” Atkinson says. “Within that
30
first six months we had at least 20 merchants showing interest, many of which are still looking into it. The difficulty was that, for many people, it was an unknown thing. No one had done it before, so people were just waiting to see the business model working. With the first customer to get a second machine, it gave people a reassurance they needed. Then we got the likes of Carvers in Wolverhampton and LBS in South Wales on board. It picked up pretty quickly after that.”
The first installation of 2026 saw builders’ merchant Turnbull Building Supplies install its second fibo Collect system in the Spalding branch, following the success of that at Newark- on-Trent. Locally branded Turnbull QuickMix, the Newark machine had quickly become popular with local trades, supplying floor screed, bricklaying mortar, and specialist concretes such as 10mm kerb mix.
Continued support
Alongside growing its network, fibo Collect UK aims to support its independent merchant partners long-term. An in-house technical team carries out routine maintenance visits across the country, ensuring that every machine operates reliably and remains in peak condition. Operator training and performance monitoring are also key to maintaining consistent output across the network. During each installation, the team spends two days on site with yard operatives, providing hands-on training to support what is often a new venture for the merchant and staff. Atkinson continues: “There are various ownership models and different sizes of machine. What I always say to people is start off by looking at the business you have already and cater to that, aiming for a return on your investment. We offer an ROI calculation tool so, if merchants are interested, they can have a 40-minute call with one of our team to go through the numbers, and then we will arrange to come and have a look at
the operation. We have sites all over the country now, and sometimes we like to take merchants out for visit days to fly over to Denmark and see the factory.”
‘Coming Soon’ campaigns are also launched ahead of each installation, helping the merchants build awareness locally, and generate early interest from their trade customers before the first batch is even produced. Once a machine is live, digital campaigns and local search strategies continue to drive traffic to each location, helping merchants maximize the visibility and commercial impact of their installation.
Commercial impact
Since the first installation in 2023, the network has expanded rapidly across England, Scotland, and Wales, highlighting the growing demand for accessible small-batch concrete solutions within the merchant sector.
As the fibo Collect network has expanded, usage data has provided insight into how local trades interact with the systems, C30 concrete, 4:1 mortar, and C20 concrete have consistently emerged as the most popular mix types. The average batch size is just 0.4cu m, and Usage patterns also show that collections are often made mid-morning, with the average collection time recorded at 10:31am, reinforcing the system’s role as a convenient stop for trades heading directly to site.
For merchant partners, the commercial benefits extend beyond concrete sales
alone.One merchant reported an 87% increase in associated product sales in the year following installation compared with its previous three-year average, while another attributed 18 new trade accounts directly to the arrival of its fibo Collect system within the first year.
Three years on fibo Collect UK’s expanding footprint demonstrates a clear shift in how small volumes of concrete are supplied, with builders’ merchants at the centre. BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net June 2026
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