Home Secretary Visits Selco


Sajid Javid, the MP for Bromsgrove and current Home Secretary, was a special guest at the head office of Selco Builders Warehouse. Gavin Slark and Howard Luft - chief executives of Grafton Group and Selco respectively - both met with Javid with a variety of topics on the agenda.


Luft said: “It was an


encouraging meeting. Mr Javid was interested in finding out more about our ambitious growth plans. It was a chance to raise our concerns about being able to


TTF starts New Year with New Members and New Format


attract and recruit enough new colleagues to fill vacancies in the building products distribution


sector, and it was pleasing to hear Mr Javid commit to maintaining open dialogue with businesses in the coming months.”


Javid said: “I was delighted to visit Selco and witness the work of a significant success story for the UK economy.


“I enjoyed a wide-ranging discussion with Gavin and Howard and it’s important as a government that we continue to have open lines of communication with businesses such as Selco during what is a vital period for the UK’s long-term future.”


W. Howard increases investment


W.Howard Group has made a sig- nificant investment in a new ware- housing facility in Glazebury, near Warrington in Cheshire. The 4.5-acre site on Albion Park was purchased in October 2018, and was previously a manufacturing facility. W.Howard has spent the last few months reno- vating it, and transforming it ready for use as a storage facility for the company’s wide range of quality MDF profiles.W.Howard Group made the investment to improve its storage capacity, which means it can hold more stock on the ground and will be able to fulfil its customer orders faster and more efficiently.


A new action-focused structure and new Timber Trade Federation members mark the start of a significant year for the UK’s timber trading sector with Brexit just two months away.


Two new Federations – the American Hardwood Export Council and the Institute of Carpenters – have joined the Timber Trade Federation, alongside four company members: Belarusian Forest Company JSC; Timberlink International; PDS Forest Products, and Composite Prime.


The Federation is also adapting its structure placing added impetus behind market-facing activities to improve opportunities for members: “We want 2019 to be a positive year for our members, industry partners, and the end users of wood,” says TTF managing director David Hopkins.


Norbord to add new factory


Wood panel manufacturer, Norbord, is ploughing £35m into the second phase of development of its Inverness factory in Scotland – taking overall investment in the past two years to £145m. Almost one year on from a £110m expansion programme to significantly increase capacity, the company will now invest in a second wood room, heat plant and a dryer at the Morayhill mill. The


NBG adds new


member Alloway Timber & Putney Builders Merchants (PBM) has joined NBG. Founded in 1971, Alloway Timber supplies traders in London and Surrey from its locations


in Putney, Fulham, Kingston, Cheam, Mitcham and Byfleet with premium timber products. In 2003, PBM Builders Merchants was launched from a single depot in Putney. Since then, the business has grown to 3 depots across London and Surrey.


Williams & Co get listed


Williams & Co made it into the London Stock Exchange’s top 1000 companies to inspire Europe list and the Sunday Times “100 Best Companies to work for”


development, due for completion by 2021, will enable the mill to meet increased consumer demand for oriented strand board (OSB) across the UK.


Lord Mayor of Leeds steels up at Pland


Sink manufacturer Pland Stainless welcomed The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Graham Latty, to its Leeds to mark the start of the company’s centenary celebrations. The Lord Mayor toured the factory watching each process of a stainless steel kitchen sink being made. He also presented long service awards to David Spencer, John Stephenson and Jack Priestly.


March 2019 www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net 7


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