NEWSROUND


Construction output edges upwards


Lords Group adds Alloway Timber


Builders merchant group Lords, has continued its expansion with the purchase of Alloway Timber for £2.25 million.


Operating from five sites in Mitcham, Cheam, Byfleet, Kingston and Putney, the family- run merchant specialises in timber and general building supplies and will take the Group’s Lords Builders Merchant network to 17 locations in the South East of England.


UK construction companies saw a small increase in total activity during August, with growth in the commercial and civil engineering segments help- ing to offset a slump in house building.


That said, forecasts for the year ahead were the weakest since January, largely due to falling sales across the sector, and the fastest decline in new orders for just over three years. At 50.8 in August, down


from 51.7 in July, the S&P Global / CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index® (PMI®), shows just how slight the increase is. Commercial building contin- ued to expand at a robust pace (54.2), with the rate of growth holding close to July’s five- month high. Civil engineering activity (52.4) also increased, at its slowest pace since April. House building was the weakest-performing part of the construction sector (40.7), with the downturn the second- fastest since May 2020. Suppliers’ delivery times for construction products and materials meanwhile improved at a robust pace. The respec- tive index eased slightly since the previous month, but was still the second-highest since April 2009. Survey respond- ents widely commented on improved stock availability and fewer pressures on supplier capacity.


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For year ended 31 December 2022, Alloway Timber saw £15.9 million of revenue.


Shanker Patel, Chief Executive Officer of Lords, said: “We


are delighted to announce the successful acquisition of Alloway Timber and to welcome their 83 colleagues to the Lords Group family. The acquisition is complementary to our existing Lords Builders Merchants business with strong synergies, continued strategic investment in our 3Ps and will increase our customer base -along with further increasing our geographic presence in the South East of England.”


Beesley & Fildes invests in solar panels


As part of its sustainability strategy, Beesley & Fildes has increased its investment in renewable energy, installing 600 solar panels at its Widnes depot. The family-owned independent builders’ merchant turned to Warrington-based TB Electrics to design and install the solution. By significantly reducing Beesley & Fildes reliance on fossil fuels, the solar panels are expected to save 49 tonnes of CO2 every year; the equivalent to 9,378 trees and more than 1,000 long-haul flights. With a peak power of 252 kilowatts, Beesley & Fildes’ solar array has generated 71,731 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity within just seven weeks of being installed. By the end of the year, the total is expected to reach 195,420 kWh and reduce the


firm’s CO2 emissions by 39%. James Beesley, commercial director at Beesley & Fildes, said: “As the effects of climate change intensify, we all have a responsibility to make positive changes that can help protect the environment. At Beesley & Fildes, our priority is to reduce our carbon footprint with a focus on various factors ranging from how we source our timber through to energy use across the business. “We chose to partner with TB Electrics as they’re a local, family


business that share our values and have a wealth of experience in the solar sector. The team worked in partnership with us to deliver a highly effective solution. Within just a few weeks, the impact is clear. Around 95% of the electricity generated is being used to power the mill, helping us to significantly cut emissions and enhance our green credentials.” Louise Bennett, director at TB Electrics, added: “We visited the Widnes site to establish the most effective design considering various elements such as the roof structure, electricity usage requirements, access, and existing electrical connections.


“The figures are impressive and demonstrate how businesses lcan quickly and effectively reduce their carbon footprint.”


Economist to speak at BMF Conference


The Builders Merchant Federation announces that James Sproule, chief economist of Handelsbanken UK, has been confirmed to speak at the BMF Members’ Annual Conference on 21 September.


Sproule is an adviser to a wide range of the bank’s clients, as well as being an integral part of the bank’s broader risk management team – he will share his perspective on the UK economy.


For much of 2019 Sproule was a senior business adviser to prime minister Boris Johnson prior to which he worked with several think tanks. He was the Chief Economist and Director of Policy at the Institute of Directors between 2014 and 2017, before which he spent two decades in the City as an economist in merchant banks and consultancies, eventually helping to found the boutique bank Augusta and Company.


The BMF conference will take place at the Hilton Metropole Hotel in Birmingham. www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net September 2023


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