HEAVYSIDE
THE HEAVYSIDE OF BREXIT T
Andrew Simpson, national commercial director, packed products for Hanson Cement, tells BMJ about some of the challenges the sector is facing.
here is no doubt that Brexit has had a big impact on new construction projects, particularly those that require large, upfront investment, and the longer-term expectation is that housebuilding and infrastructure projects will continue to be the main growth areas.
However, the building materials industry received some good news in the autumn Budget: aggregate tax was frozen at £2 per tonne, which will save £11.3 million in 2019/20, and allow our customers and contractors to benefit from greater stability in pricing. Around a tenth of all construction materials are imported from the EU, which could be affected in the event of a no-deal outcome, but we have made significant investment to improve efficiency at our cement plants to help secure customer supply. Clitheroe, Ketton and Padeswood have all benefitted from mill upgrades and a new state of the art packing plant has also been installed at Padeswood. We have also reopened our Teesport Regen plant which produces ground granulated blast furnace slag. Regen is a cement replacement used in ready-mixed and precast concrete – as well as a number of our packed cement products – which helps to reduce the embodied CO2 in concrete.
Customers First
As well as improving plant efficiencies, we continue to invest in our people and processes to ensure our customers are always placed first. All our ordering, sales administration and distribution teams are now under one roof at our new national customer service centre in Syston, Leicestershire, to ensure service excellence is delivered at every stage of our customers’ interaction with the business. In addition, we have made significant investment in our nationwide sales team so they can work more closely with our customers to understand their strategy and add value to the service they receive. The enlarged team makes regular visits to merchants, spending time in branches to ensure the correct products are being stocked in the right place and with maximum visibility.
Research we have carried out among end-users indicates there is still a substantial knowledge gap among small contractors and the DIY market when it comes to picking the right product for the job. This is where merchants and their staff can really add value and stand out from digital and online supply options.
To help merchants and their staff improve 28 “
There is no doubt that Brexit has had a big impact on new construction projects, particularly those that require large, upfront investment.
”
sell the right product for the job. It is easy to use and also allows merchants to track the performance of their learners. It’s all about helping our customers provide a better, more knowledgeable service to their customers. We also provide our customers with the choice and flexibility to adapt to changing conditions. Our core range of packed products – including Multicem, Fastset PostFix, PostFix and 40N high strength concrete – for example, are all now available in weatherproof plastic
their knowledge of our products, we offer a free online training portal. The Hanson Merchant Academy (www.hanson-academy.
co.uk) provides an understanding of the company’s core cement and ready-to-use product range to ensure merchant teams
packaging to help merchants benefit from storing products outdoors and enhance floorspace efficiency.
No Plastic Premium In addition, we have introduced Hanson Multicem in the toughest paper bag on the market. This offers customers a durable, option without having to pay the premium for plastic when its added benefits are not required. This provides increased convenience while giving merchants the chance to tailor pricing for the two options at different times of the year, so they can flex margins and increase profits. We also provide merchants with mixed load deliveries from our core lines through to base aggregates, which can be supplied ready- bagged in various pack sizes or as a bulk load. A strong merchant base remains a key part of the supply chain so it is important, even in tough and unpredictable market conditions, for suppliers to ensure customers have access to the right products at the right time and that steps are taken to add value at every stage of the customer journey. BMJ
HANSON CEMENT IS A SPONSOR OF THE 2019 BMJ INDUSTRY AWARDS
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net March 2019
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