BMF CEO John Newcomb met Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt at the Conservative Party Conference.
James Jones Ltd has acquired Lancashire Saws Ltd, a leading bandsaw blade manufacturer and saw servicing provider.
MKM opens three branches in three weeks
Expanding builders merchant chain MKM, has opened the doors of its 121, 122nd and 123rd branches - its new branches are in Newcastle, Thame, and London Colney. Newcastle, which opened on September 14th, is headed up by branch directors Simon Best and Glen Nicholson, who bring with them a combined six decades of experience in the industry. MKM Thame Branch directors
Aaron Campbell and Jake Sherwin have extensive ties to the Thame community, with Campbell having
started in the industry aged 20 as a yard assistant. He then evolved into roles of increasing responsibility, most notably at John Nicholls and Grant & Stone. Branch director Jake Sherwin’s started out in the industry at 18, working in a yard before moving to a sales positions and eventually running his own branch. With a 30,000 sq. ft warehouse, all MKM Thame timber is dry stored, and the branch will stock a full selection of building, timber, and plumbing & heating supplies. Other benefits include a specialist
professional kitchen & bathroom team and a 2,000 sq. ft kitchen & bathroom showroom showcasing products from leading suppliers. The London Colney branch is situated at Unit 3, Riverside Industrial Estate, London Colney Bypass, and features a state- of-the-art kitchen & bathroom showroom showcasing products from market leading suppliers and a large variety of popular and well- known brands including Symphony Kitchen and Velux windows. A strong range of plasterboards
Knauf Insulation completes Cwmbran upgrade
Knauf Insulation has invested in excess of £5m to upgrade its packaging equipment at its Cwmbran manufacturing plant in Wales, the latest phase of its planned investment programme. The new equipment will allow Knauf Insulation to manufacture glass mineral wool slabs, alongside the plant’s current roll and blowing wool capability. This will help the company meet increased demand for its DriTherm Cavity Slab 32 following the changes to Approved Document L of the Building Regulations in England and Wales, which brought in much stricter energy efficiency standards. It will also enable the company
to optimise its logistics operation taking around 1.5 million truck miles off the road each year and reducing transport CO2 emissions by 1,700 tonnes.
“This important investment
Insulation sales surge as industry reacts to Building Regulations
Jewson has seen an uplift in sales of its sustainable product ranges following the new Building Regulations. Seen by many as the stepping stone to the Future Homes Standard in 2025, the grace period for the new Building Regulations ended in June this year, with Part F, Part L, Part O and Part S updates all relating to sustainability.
First half sales rose of
means we can now produce our range of slabs in both glass mineral wool plants,” said Neil Hargreaves, managing director of Knauf Insulation Northern Europe. “This will help optimise our logistics, further enhance our proposition to customers and make our products even more sustainable.” As well as improving product sustainability, the new equipment is 40% more efficient than its existing machines, which means it can produce products faster and save energy.
This is the second in a series of investments totalling in excess of £45 million being made by Knauf Insulation to boost its capacity.
of enhanced insulation, sustainable cladding, wastewater heat recovery systems and air source heat pumps.
Sales data from Jewson’s October 2023
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
Making Better Homes range were 66% higher in the six months to June 2023, compared with the same period of 2022. The increase was mainly driven by innovative insulation, which saw a 367% increase. Wastewater heat recovery systems saw sales 276% higher in the first half of 2023, compared with the same period in 2022. Sustainable timber cladding sales rose by 18%, while sales of carbon reduction products increased by 17%.
and insulation including trade favourites Rockwool, Kingspan and Kronospan will all be available. The London Colney branch will be headed up by branch directors Kelly Collins and Laurence King who are local to the area and have extensive experience in the merchanting industry.
Longwater Construction opens new branch
Average UK house prices fell by 4.7% in the year to September 2023, according to the Halifax House Price Index
H&B member, Longwater Construction Supplies has opened a new branch in Marks Tey, near Colchester, extending the company’s reach into Essex. Established in 2008, Longwater Construction Supplies is a truly independent builders merchant based in the East Anglia. The company offers a wide range of construction materials to a diverse customer-base, including house builders, groundworkers, landscapers, building contractors and the general public. The firm operates a fleet of delivery vehicles that service customers throughout East Anglia. “Expansion of the builders merchant side of the business into Essex has been on our radar for a while,” said Longwater owner and managing director Neil Carter.
“The site, next to the A12, makes it an ideal fit for our growth plans and securing new business in Essex and North London.”
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