NEWS DIY Week Awards: Last chance to enter


The deadline for entries to the 2019 DIY Week Awards is fast approaching, with supplier and retailer submissions to be completed online by the end of Friday, January 18. With just days left, don’t miss


your chance to be in the running for a DIY Week Award and the chance to shine a spotlight on your product, initiative, business or team.


for being


As well as gaining recognition innovation and hard work, shortlisted


for open doors


ultimately winning, a DIY Week Award can


and, and


create huge opportunities for your business. Whether it gets your brand noticed, steps up footfall to your retail shop or online store,


earns you new contracts, or establishes your product as best in class, the DIY Week Awards is the perfect platform to showcase


your company and achievements. Just look at some of the testimonials


from our past winners at www.diyweekawards. Grafton Group delivers revenue growth


In a trading update for the year ended December 31, 2018, the international builders merchant and DIY group recorded an 8.7% uplift in group revenue to £2.95billion. Revenue growth in constant currency was 8.4% and average daily like-for-like revenue increased by 4.3%. As expected, the rate of growth moderated in November and December following above trend growth in September and October. With a good performance over the year, the Group, which operates Selco, Plumbase


Buildbase, and Leyland SDM


brands, as well as Irelands largest DIY chain, Woodies DIY in Ireland,


anticipates reporting EBITA for 2018 slightly ahead of the top end of analyst expectations. UK daily like-for-like revenue


growth for the three months to the end of December last year was an increase of 3.4% and the total revenue growth in that time at 7.7%. In Ireland average daily like-for-like revenue growth for the three months to the end of December 2018 was 9.8% and total revenue was 8.4%. As part of the group’s strategy improve


to explained it disposed of


returns Grafton two


“small non-core UK businesses”, which contributed revenue of £40million and EBITA of circa £1.4million in 2018. This included


a successful management buyout by Online Home Retail Limited of online bathroom products retail business, Plumbworld. A team led by an original


founder of the business, James Hickman, bought back the company, which trades as www. plumbworld.co.uk, from Grafton Group plc this month. Based


in Evesham,


Worcestershire, Online Home Retail


by Grafton Group in 2006 but managing


Limited, was acquired director


James


Hickman believes being independent will allow the business to take advantage of new opportunities in the online bathroom marketplace.


Clas Ohlson to retain UK store in “key location”


Despite announcing plans to close all of its physical outlets across the UK and Germany with a view to focusing on an online- only strategy, the Swedish retailer has made an about-turn and revealed it plan to keep trading from its Reading store on Broad Street in the city centre.


Clas Ohlson acting UK country manager Jon


Peacock stated Reading was an important location for the retail business. In the announcement last month, Clas Ohlson announced it would be closing all high street stores in the UK and, instead, focus on internet retailing; blaming a weak retail climate and the cost of developing a strong digital presence. The move is expected to deliver a £6.5million annual boost to operating profit when closures have been completed. However, Mr Peacock has said in a later statement: “There are no plans to close our Reading store. Whilst we are closing our other physical stores in the UK, Reading is very much a key location for us and pivotal in us driving forward the online programme.” It appears there will also be greater investment in the UK, as Clas Ohlson’s HQ will play host to all European e-commerce operations.


Challenging market dents Topps’ profits Williams


Topps Tiles saw like-for-like sales for the first 13 weeks of the current financial year decreased by 1.4%, against a revenue increase of 3.4% for the same period in 2018. Topps CEO Matthew


www.diyweek.net commented:


“Against a challenging market backdrop and a strong period of


performance first in the quarter. We prior


year, we believe the business has performed robustly over the


remain


J Sainsbury plc saw total sales slump by 0.4%, and like-for-like sales fell 1.1% for the 15 weeks ended January 5. General merchandise sales, which includes Argos, declined by


2.3% for the period.


The supermarket chain took over catalogue retailer Argos and interiors brand Habitat in 2016 as part of a £1.4 billion deal.


Although Argos was initially a strong anchor for Sainsbury’s, with group sales at £29,112million, up 12.7% “mainly as a result of the Argos contribution”, profits have steadily declined, with Sainsbury’s citing weak spending and “a highly-competitive market” as


the


excited by both the opportunity for profitable growth that our expansion


into commercial


segment will bring and the continued opportunity to further strengthen our market leading position overall.”


reason for declines.


Sainsburys group CEO Mike Coupe said: “Christmas came late this year and I am pleased with the excellent


service


and availability that we gave customers across the Group. Sainsbury’s stores were well set


up to deal with customers doing their big Christmas shops later than


usual and convenience


stores hit a new record on Christmas Eve. Argos Fast Track offers customers market-leading delivery and grew strongly in the quarter.” To cater for the huge uplift in demand in the


co.uk and think about what winning a DIY Week Award could do for.


For us, the awards are about celebrating innovation and best practise across our sector. We love


hearing about fantastic


retailers getting creative to drive sales or offering stand-out customer service, as well as those who are expanding their businesses or embracing new technology to meet changing consumer expectations. We also know the value of celebrating the people behind these businesses; who help make them a success and who help keep our sector moving forward. It’s not too late to join the race and be in with a chance


of winning. There are a host of categories to consider


that span the


breadth of our diverse industry and highlight the incredible achievements retailers have made, from inspired marketing initiatives, to making operations more environmentally friendly. • Business Expansion Award • Marketing Initiative Award • Digital Innovation Award • Sustainability Award • Team of the Year • Retailer of the Year Visit


www.diyweekawards.


co.uk/ how-it-works/ for more information and to enter. If you have any queries regarding entry, contact Fiona Garcia fgarcia@ datateam.co.uk


Sainsburys profit start to plummet


last few


weeks of Christmas, the retailer had added 100 extra Argos collection points in Sainsbury’s stores and opened 14 more Argos stores inside Sainsbury’s supermarkets. However, sales declined in the quarter, with the retailer blaming “cautious customer spending and our decision to reduce promotional activity across Black Friday”. “Retail markets are highly competitive


and very


promotional and the consumer outlook continues to be uncertain. However, we are well placed to navigate the external environment and remain focused on delivering our strategy,” Mr Coupe concluded.


14 JANUARY 2019 DIY WEEK 5


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