TALKING POINTS TALKING POINTS BRICK AND BLOCK
BMJ eavesdrops on a chat between the NBG Category Management Team for Brick and Block.
Mark Smith of Grant & Stone Ltd, Paul Harrington of Buildit Gloster Ltd, Steve Atkins of PGR Timber Ltd and NBG’s Category Buyer Paul Duff.
T
he effects of the pandemic seem to have been slow reaching when it comes to the brick and block sector, with the effects only really being seen this year, as availability of supplies and products previously was fine. Rising inflation across all building materials has been causing a ripple effect, with cement shortages affecting the availability of concrete and aircrete blocks. Partners noted that this became all the more prominent following the second quarter and that manufacturers that don’t have sister companies supplying cement may be affected by shortages.
Challenges and adapting All three Partners said that they have taken to adapting to the challenges of the pandemic in their stride. Steve Atkins said that PGR Timber had protective screens and mask requirements in place before it became government advice and that the company intends to continue with these policies for the foreseeable future. PGR has also adapted a contactless delivery system, so deliveries can be made safely. This, however, initially came with its own challenges as product was being stolen from doorsteps but tracking and using photos as proof of delivery is keeping the process going. Safety is a priority for all Partners, with Mark Smith highlighting the importance of keeping measures in place to avoid the surge in local outbreaks which has resulted in a few branches being closed. The biggest issue is maintaining relationships and strong levels of communication with Suppliers, which is still a concern for many, with some Partners experiencing delayed responses and a lack of proactive contact, which in turn has a knock-on effect for customers with queries or that are waiting for new products. A takeaway that NBG’s
Paul Duff has from recent conversations with Suppliers is that haulage and drivers are an additional bottleneck preventing materials getting to branches and sites.
To combat this, Partners have adapted to long lead times with Smith sharing that he has been scheduling orders as far ahead as October-November for the whole of the next year. Atkins also said that his team have been ordering three to six months ahead, though highlighting that pre-ordering means storage becomes challenging when the products arrive.
Quality control
Product quality has been an issue; Paul Harrington said that some blocks had been arriving mis-shaped or stuck together, resulting in the blocks smashing when staff or customers have tried to break them apart. It became apparent that this was happening when Suppliers are pushed, order numbers are high and product is in demand, though the rest of the group hadn’t had any experience of this.
Encouraging customer loyalty is vital. Smith said that priority has to be given to existing customers, before accepting requests from larger, newer customers that are struggling to source product. He added that some other independent merchants have been encouraging builders to quote specifically for labour and asking customers to buy materials directly – this helps to avoid misquoting or dealing with price increases that can cause profit loss and could be worth Partners considering.
Long term and future trends The lack of bag cement and short supply of dry mortar has begun to make builders rethink methods of construction, paving the way for evolving approaches. This is evident by the shift of house builders moving away from brick and block and towards timber frame, which can be cheaper and quicker. However, the price and availability of timber is constantly
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net September 2021
Steve Atkins of PGR Timber
Mark Smith of Grant & Stone
Paul Duff NBG’s Category Buyer
fluctuating and with building quotes varying, this rise in use may change.
In terms of pricing, Atkins said he expects that the prices of aggregate blocks and aircrete will increase in the near future. During the discussion on the state of the current market, it came to light that Partners are seeing a 20% price increase from Suppliers already – as long as we’re building houses, bricks will always be in demand and NBG’s Brick and Block CMT will be ready to meet it. BMJ
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