NEWS IN BRIEF
VAT: Shadow Chancellor reassures the BMF
“Don’t worry, we want to protect and safeguard investment in renewable energy and green infrastructure to help insulate homes and fit solar panels” was the message from John McDonnell MP to the Builders Merchants’ Federation (BMF).
The Shadow Chancellor was answering a question from Brett Amphlett, who represented the BMF at a major Labour Party event. Mr McDonnell gave a keynote televised speech to set out his Party’s key demands from the Autumn Budget next week. The BMF wants politicians to understand that leaving the EU
throws in question the future of Value-Added Tax because it is a European tax. News is awaited on whether a replacement
purchase tax is being hatched by the Treasury and HMRC if the UK leaves on a ‘no deal’ basis.
Brett Amphlett, BMF Policy and Public Affairs’ Manager, asked John McDonnell MP if Labour will fight to retain or revamp
existing categories of reduced VAT on the supply and professional installation of energy-efficient and water-saving materials. He said yes – for home energy efficiency and for female sanitary products – and Labour will want to talk to
NBG Partners celebrate growth The expansion is massive for our
National Buying Group (NBG) partners from across the UK, are expanding their offerings with new sites, branches and showrooms.
Oxford-based Heavyside
merchants, Adrian White Building Supplies, has recently acquired a 1.5-acre yard and warehouse. This follows the addition of a freehold Wyevale garden centre to its portfolio.
Managing director, Adrian
White said: “We’ve outgrown our two sites in Oxfordshire, so the new site will be our distribution centre as of January 2019 and our head office the year after.
business as it will allow staff to focus on selling, while becoming more customer friendly with less vehicle movement.”
Browns Builders Merchants will also be opening a second branch in Derby later this month, as the current size of its premises is too small to cater for the growing business.
The company is also set to expand their current product ranges in the hope of future
proofing the business, allowing for continued growth and improved service.
County Building Supplies has the BMF in due course.
The Shadow Chancellor added that Labour believes in clean energy and cited a 95% decline in renewables in recent years due to cuts in government subsidies to transform the market. His Shadow Cabinet colleague, Rebecca Long Bailey MP, was onstage with Mr McDonnell. She leads Labour’s efforts for a change in business rates applicable to solar panels on commercial buildings. This is widely seen as a major factor for corporate businesses in deciding on rooftop solar PV.
Birchwood Price Tools has been sold by Travis Perkins PLC to tools
supplier and distributor Toolstream Limited. The company, which
employs 85 people at its Nottingham offices, will continue to operate as a stand alone business, with the same teams .
opened a new branch in Tetbury. Joint owner, Martyn Rees
said: “The opening of our new branch went really well and was even attended by rugby legend, Mike Tindall. We also have a new branch manager, Tom West, who has been fast-tracked from within the business after completing a BMF management training course.”
The new branch completes the Malvern-based merchants’ ten-branch portfolio with future plans to open a further stand- alone Kitchen & Bathroom Showroom in the next few months in Evesham.
BMJ Industry Awards 2019 Nominate Now!! Year is a new category alongside
Nominations are open for the BMJ Industry Awards 2019 .
The awards celebrate the very best brands, merchants and
people at the heart of the builders’ merchants sector.
This year the Showroom
category has been split into two: Merchant Kitchen and Bathroom Showroom of the Year and
Merchant Showroom of the Year, while Timber Merchant of the
the new ‘Diversity Award’. These new additions will join the existing merchant categories Brand accolades and the individual awards.
Companies and individuals are invited to submit an entry for themselves, or to nominate other companies. Full criteria for all categories and the simple online entry and nomination
November 2018
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
The BMF has announced that mental health will be a focus for its All Industry Conference in Dubrovnik in June 2019, with two of the key-note speakers being Jonny Benjamin MBE and Neil Laybourne, who will share their story and offer practical advice on how to work with and overcome mental health issues in the workplace. Laybourne was the subject of the #FindMike Twitter campaign, having been the “stranger on the bridge” who talked to a suicidal Benjamin on Waterloo Bridge, preventing him from jumping. They now work tirelessly to campaign for people with mental illness.
BPC Building Products Ltd has joined Vista
form are on the website:
wwwbmjindustryawards.co.uk. The event is supported by heavyweight industry names
including Knauf Insuation, Hanson Cement, Rockwool, ACO and Lakes Bathrooms.
There is a range of sponsorship packages available to support the awards. For more details email Editor-in-Chief Fiona Russell-Horne at
frussell-horne@datateam.co.uk
Engineering, in a move which sees the group strengthen its position in the UK market and significantly enhance the product range offered. “There is a tremendous amount of synergy
between BPC and Vista, and bringing the two
companies closer together will generate additional benefits for both sets of customers,” says BPC md, Gareth Simister.
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