HEAVYSIDE SPECIAL: BRICKS LAYING THE
GROUNDWORK FOR THE FUTURE
Merlin Rise L
Paul Reed talks to BMJ about Marshalls’ plans for the future and its sustainable plans.
ike the industry as a whole, Marshalls has been feeling the effects of challenges in the market. That’s according to divisional managing director Paul Reed,
who explains that the company has been re-evaluating its strategy.
“With such a broad product portfolio across; landscaping, roofing, solar, bricks and water management - the Marshalls group is exposed to different performances across different sectors,” he says.
“We are using the market conditions as an opportunity to re-evaluate strategies and priorities, including structural changes to ensure that resources are targeted at demand generation for our Marshalls and Marley brands.
“We’ve launched a number of new products this year, notably Lunar, a concrete paver, which has been really well received for the domestic driveway market.”
He says: “Leveraging digital technologies to make the process of specification, product selection, ordering and trading easier is at the heart of our customer strategies. We have also enhanced the use of apps for our end customers, such as the launch of our OutdoorReality app, which gives customers direct access to tools to measure and visualise how they would incorporate hard landscaping into their homes, and receive a quote for their garden or driveway project.
“This is an industry first, using augmented reality technology, and we’ve been really pleased with the feedback so far, particularly from our merchant channel partners who can promote the use of this app to prospective customers.”
Reed says the most significant industry trends are likely to be linked to lower carbon building
26 Savanna linear traditional hero
solutions, either through the embodied carbon within the products themselves, or through the way these products contribute in-situ. “At Marshalls, we have seen this trend already, with significant share growth for innovative lower-carbon concrete bricks compared to the traditional clay brick, through demand for improved water management and flood mitigation, and through the proliferation of integrated solar roof systems in new housing and roof refurbishment.
Future demand
“With regulatory change, such as the Future Homes Standard, coming into force in the next few years, demand for such solutions will continue. A number of our merchant customers are already capitalising on these trends.” He continues: “Having made substantial investment in our sustainability priorities over the past two decades, Marshalls Group is at the forefront of developments in sustainability, ethical sourcing and setting a roadmap for lower carbon based on science-based targets. “This is extended to current initiatives where our products contribute to the built environment through solar roofing, water and flood management or lower carbon concrete bricks. On top of this, we are continually looking at how we can make all our products more sustainable, from increasing the ranges we can make in Britain, to looking at the
INSULATION
material mix that will allow us to reduce embodied carbon.
“We now have Environmental Product Declarations for over 80% of our products, so designers can specify, and merchants can supply Marshalls products, with confidence. Building and construction are responsible for a high proportion of carbon emissions globally; the industry needs to move away from companies launching a single ‘eco-friendly’ product and thinking their work is done. “The industry needs to focus on making it easier for customers to choose more sustainable products, starting with supplying transparent data and helping designers and users of our products to understand it. Documents such as Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are part of this journey.”
Reed says: “That Marshalls are working on a number of ranges that will increase British- made material choice and support the growing need to manage water more effectively, in domestic and public settings. Because we have such diverse products ranges, we’re able to address specific project needs, as well as more general sustainability concerns. Specifically, we have permeable paving, drainage and flood mitigation products that provide water management solutions for the built environment.”
Renewable energy “We are also able to leverage our long- standing expertise to advise on balancing hard landscaping with biodiversity or products effects on urban heat-islands, which will be the future considerations of specifiers in the public realm. “Our customers can also be reassured that we’re powered entirely by 100% renewable energy and that we are continually removing plastic packaging where it’s non-essential.” Reed says: “We recognise that household formation in the UK has outstripped the supply of new housing for many years, and this has a particular impact on first time buyers and affordable housing needs. Consequently, we are supportive of any initiatives or proposals to increase home building in Britain, irrespective of the party in government.”
He adds: “Builders’ merchants and product manufacturers bring most value to customers when they combine their competencies; businesses succeed when they concentrate on what they are good at. The long-standing reputation of brands such as Marshalls and Marley, for expertise and integrity in the markets they operate, are valuable assets for merchants to combine with their own local knowledge, service and status – giving customers more confidence buying a trusted product from a trusted merchant.”BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net November 2023
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