COMMENT
The sound and the fury, signifying nothing
aving a lot to write about usually means the industry is busy or that the government is doing something so stupid that comment has to be made. However, it does mean that my 500 words have to be chosen carefully, in order not to leave out too much, lest I be accused of ignoring the pressing issues of the day. So, this month, we have Grant & Stone doing what we all, secretly, supposed they would do eventually, namely becoming one with the Parkers/ Chandlers/Fairalls/Stamco gang. More on this next issue. The restructuring has formed a new mega- board overseeing the businesses and, presumably, allowing plenty of scope for further expansion and acquisition, the two not necessarily being the same thing.
H
At the same time, this has allowed people who still have a passion for the business of merchanting to became part of something even bigger. Much (but not all, I realise) of the acquisition-fuelled growth of the national plcs in the 1990s and early 2000s was done on the basis of the sellers taking the money and leaving the business. Now though, there seem to be opportunities galore for those in acquired companies who still want to grow their careers as part of something bigger. Pleasingly, the G&S restructuring has also seen some of my favourite people get themselves some fab new job titles, so well done all. I look forward to having a celebratory glass of something with you soon.
The same of course, can be said for the growth currenly ongoing at Huws Gray, where, not content with having snapped up Grafton’s traditional merchanting brands, they have carried on, - the purchase of TBS is the fifth already this year. A larger group means more career opportunities for those who want them.
All this, of course, is happening against a backdrop of market uncertainty, price volatitity and
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general bonkers-ness. People, you do not need to fill plastic water bottles full of petrol, you really don’t. Fine, squirrel away those bottles in the shed if you really have to. All that will happen when you come to fill your car with them is that you will get petrol all over your shoes.
Maybe it’s because I grew up in a cold house in the 1970s, but I had a real eye-roll moment watching the lunchtime news today. During the report about the gas price hike, a lady complained that she’s only putting her heating on for 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening, which, in early October strikes me as rather frivilous anyway. “If I had to put a cardigan on when I’m in the house, I used to think something was wrong. Well, guess what, I’m now wearing a cardigan,” she complained. Lady, if you’d put the damn cardigan on a bit more often then maybe you wouldn’t be using so much heat. Step away from the thermostat and embrace the sweater.
I’m not sure I have left myself sufficient word- count to do justice to what’s come out of the two Party Conferences thus far. Sir Kier Starmer in Brighton blandly trying to be everyone’s friend and saying nothing, but taking a long time to do so was, a bit ho-hum. Contrast that with the Prime Minister’s keynote speech, which he delivered at the pace of a man who’s just realised his watch has stopped and he’ll be for the high-jump if he misses his train home.
With a journalist’s love of alliteration, Boris seems to believe that if he just adds the words ‘build back’ to any word begining with B, then we’ll buy whatever it is he’s selling. Rishi, on the other hand, wasn’t afraid to tell some unpleasant truths, probably on the grounds that we’ll blame his current boss first. BMJ
Fiona Russell-Horne Group Managing Editor - BMJ
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“
A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest of men.
Roald Dahl ”
CONTENTS 4 Newsround
News from around the industry
8 News Extra Travis Perkins talks to its customers
10 BMF Members Day The BMF’s annual Awards and Member Conference.
14 BMJ INDUSTRY AWARDS
Shortlisted finalists revealed 16 People
Who’s moved where and 10 Minutes With…
18 Business Helpdesk The BMF Experts look at packaging issues
20 Viewpoint
Stock issues and CSR from an employee’s point of view
28 Sustainability What the industry is doing to get its eco message across and to ensure it is at the forefront of sustainable development
33 Kitchens and Bathrooms
Trends in lightside products 36 IT
Merchants continue to invest in their systems.
38 Transport & Materials Handling Forklift developments
40 BMF Industry Voice All the news from the BMF
42 Product news The latest product developments
46 And Finally News and the BMJ Prize Crossword
October 2021
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net 3
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