INDUSTRY VOICE
The BMF has confirmed two more high profile speakers for its upcoming Members’ Conference, joining Mark Reynolds and James Cleverley MP, who have already been announced: Kate Richardson-Walsh OBE, Olympic gold medallist and former captain of Team GB women’s hockey, and Steve Collinge, Managing Director of Insight Retail Group Ltd and Executive Editor of Insight DIY.
Kate Richardson-Walsh OBE As captain of the GB hockey team, Kate Richardson-Walsh guided her squad through years of training, setbacks, and finally to Olympic gold at Rio 2016. Her career exemplifies the importance of team cohesion,
strategic adaptability, and sustaining morale under the most intense scrutiny.
Richardson-Walsh has also been a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion in sport. Her reflections on inclusive leadership and culture-building provide practical takeaways for organisations across our sector, where the benefits of diverse, supportive teams are well- documented.
Nathan Randle joins the BMF as Marketing Apprentice
Nathan Randle joined the BMF as the new Marketing Apprentice, starting on Monday 14th July. At 21 years old, Randle joins us from a 3-year employment in aerospace engineering, but he is now keen to start a new chapter in his life within the marketing industry. He completed his A-Levels 3 years ago, notably gaining
a qualification in media studies which led him to have a passion for marketing and communication.
He will be undertaking a Level 3 Multi-Channel Marketing apprenticeship course which has a 15-month duration. This programme is designed to give Randle the essential skills he needs to thrive in marketing,
and make a real impact on the marketing work in which the BMF already excels in. His apprenticeship started on 21st
Steve Collinge Steve Collinge brings a wealth of experience analysing consumer behaviour and market trends. As Managing Director of Insight Retail Group Ltd and Executive Editor of Insight DIY, he has spent decades helping businesses understand and adapt to changing customer expectations. For industries facing rapid shifts in demand, cost pressures, and digital disruption, his insights
BMF DIARY DATES
Please check the BMF website at
www.bmf.org.uk for all the latest news and events updates in this ever-changing environment.
New speakers set to bring lessons in leadership and market insight to BMF Members’ Conference 2025
will be particularly timely. By drawing speakers from beyond its sector, the BMF underlines the importance of cross-pollination of ideas. Lessons in leadership from elite sport, and market insight from retail can both enrich the way business leaders in the building materials sector think about workforce motivation, customer service and employee experience.
The BMF Members’ Conference line-up illustrates how inspiration from sport and retail can help sharpen strategies in any people- focused organisation, including those in the building materials sector. • Limited spaces remaining – register yours today. Visit
www.bmf.org.uk.
August and will be based at the BMF’s Coventry office. Randle has a strong passion for football, being both a player and a fan. He also has a keen interest in the gym and training, and finds the gym provides him so many benefits, not just physically but mentally also. We are excited to have him on board here at the BMF and look forward to supporting him in his apprenticeship as he gains essential skills and becomes a valuable asset to the BMF team.
Q2 plumbing & heating merchant sales: price rises mask flat market
The latest Plumbing & Heating Merchants Index (PHMI), published by the BMF, suggests a market struggling to gain momentum, with modest increases in sales value driven largely by price inflation rather than growth in demand.
46
Total value sales rose by +2.0% compared with the same quarter last year, but this uptick came despite a fall in volumes (-2.3%) and was sustained by higher prices (+4.5%). Adjusting for one fewer trading day, like-for-like sales were +3.7% higher.
June proved to be the most resilient month of the quarter. Value sales climbed +5.6% year- on-year, supported by the only positive volume performance of the period (+3.2%), alongside a modest price rise (+2.3%). In contrast, April and May recorded
minimal value gains (+0.7% and +0.1%, respectively), with volumes contracting as prices edged higher. For the first half of 2025, total value sales were +3.1% higher than in the same period of 2024. This included volume growth of +1.7% and price growth of
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net September 2025
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54
