NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF


nKingfisher plc has provided an update on Q2 trading to date and is raising its guidance for H1 21/22 LFL sales and adjusted pre-tax Thierry


Garnier,


profit. Chief


Executive Officer, said: “Kingfisher’s performance in the second quarter to date has been ahead of expectations, with positive progress against our


strategic priorities


continuing to drive share growth in our key markets.”


Perry responds positively to ITV Tonight Show


A. Perry, the West Midlands based supplier of hinges and hardware


has responded


positively to the ITV Tonight show documentary which aired last night which reported on challenges facing the construction industry and knock on effect


to home


owners who are renovating their property or garden. The programme saw Jonathan Maitland look at the rising costs of home improvements, with many people sprucing up their gardens and properties


after spending


n Wickes is a


brand new store


opening in


Sunderland on the Pennywell


Estate. The relocation from Wessington Way, has


made way for format. a


25,000 square foot unit that supports Wickes’ distinctive service model and new store


Part of the brand’s estate transformation strategy Sunderland marks 144 stores in this new customer friendly concept.


n Nick Glynne, CEO of the Buy it Direct Group, a leading e-tailer of white goods, electronics, and furniture with a yearly turnover of £436m, and one of the UK’s top importers, is calling for an investigation into international shipping ‘cartel’. He said: “Demand for consumer goods has soared over the past 18 months with people unable to spend their money on travel and other activities, yet there has been a growing shortage of containers and shipping availability in that time.”


n Painting and coatings brand Crown Paints has chosen St Helens as its first location for a new store concept where the public and tradespeople alike can find inspiration for decorating projects. The new Crown Decorating Centre, opening at Ravenhead Retail Park in early September, will help customers ace their home


decorating


projects by simplifying the journey from choosing the right paint, primers and techniques through to achieving incredible results.


6 DIY WEEK JULY 2021 Industrial


more time at home during the pandemic; and which highlighted ongoing issues, shortages and delays in delivery that builders merchants were facing. In contrast however, A. Perry looks back with pride on how they were able to keep their suppliers stocked with the majority of hardware essentials during the pandemic lockdown, thanks to the significant investment the firm made in


the construction


of a purpose-built manufacturing facility base in India. Guy Perry, Managing Director


at A. Perry said: “Watching the ITV documentary really brought home the unprecedented


challenges the building and


construction industry faced and it was disheartening to see just how this had a knock on effect to home owners as their builders just couldn’t find the equipment they so desperately needed. “We are extremely proud that our


with own manufacturing


facility we are in the unique position to have autonomy over our supply chain and are able to manage costs, delivery into stores as promised; and thankfully are at least able to keep our builders merchants stocked up with their much needed hardware supplies, enabling them to meet the significant rise in demand we’re facing. “Don’t get me wrong, we faced our own challenges with force majeure situations out of our control like the Suez canal closure, port closures and raw material supply but we rose to the challenge of the situation and were able to maintain a level of supply at a critical time when there was a shortage on the market as highlighted by ITV; and we are firmly placed to continue the levels of supply we can bring in to the UK to support the sector.”


n For more information and to ensure you are never short of critical supplies, please visit www.perrytrade.co.uk


Dulux celebrates its 90th birthday with charity book


Dulux is celebrating 90 years of driving innovation in the decorating trade with a glossy, coffee table book that charts the evolution of domestic decorating and interior design


over the


decades. All proceeds from the sale of Dulux 90 will go directly to three chosen charities - The Outward Bound Trust, Rainy Day Trust and Old English Sheepdog Rescue & Welfare. The


limited edition book recounts how Dulux has


championed the trade from its inception through pioneering developments including the first durable alkyd-based paint, as well as the first


colour


samples, specification books and colour advice services. It shines a spotlight on the origins of the business, describing how the company transformed technology


initially developed


for the automotive industry into the first synthetic paint for


professional decorators,


working from paints which could be sprayed on to cars to create fast-drying, long-lasting


decorative paints.


The book features contributions from acclaimed experts across academia and design who each explore the significant trends and colours that came to define the decades from the 1930s to today.


The book is available from the


Dulux website now: https:// www.dulux.co.uk/en/ celebrating-90-years-with- dulux-interiors-inspiration- and-decorating-tips


Agreement to divest traditional British merchanting business


Grafton Group plc, the building materials distributor and DIY retailer with operations in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands, has announced that it has entered into an agreement to divest its traditional merchanting business in Great Britain for an enterprise value of £520 million to Huws Gray, one of the UK’s largest independent builders’ merchants, that is controlled by equity funds


managed by Blackstone. Grafton will retain freehold properties with development potential that have a market value of circa £25 million. This agreement follows the announcement in April 2021 of a strategic review of the business.


The Business comprises the Buildbase, Civils & Lintels, PDM Buildbase, The Timber Group, Bathroom Distribution Group, Frontline and NDI brands. In the


retain responsibility for the UK defined benefit pension scheme which was closed to future accrual at the end of 2020 when alternative arrangements were put in place.


year to 31 December 2020, the Business reported revenue of £828.2 million (2019: £1.02 billion) and adjusted operating profit of £18.8 million (2019: £33.3 million). Gross assets at 31 December 2020 were £497.2 million. Grafton will


Huws Gray will be notifying the transaction to the Competition and Markets Authority


(CMA).


The divestment is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2022 and completion is not conditional on the outcome of the CMA process.


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