NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF


n Houzz, the leading platform for home renovation and design, has released findings from a recent survey of its community of homeowners to find out how the coronavirus pandemic impacted their home improvement projects. The survey of more than 3,700 UK


homeowners using


Houzz, found that three in five respondents were inspired to start a home renovation or design project during the pandemic (68%).


n Leading quality pet, wild bird food and accessories manufacturer,


Henry Bell


Wild Bird Care (www. henrybell.co.uk), has acquired an exclusive contract with one of the largest garden centre retail groups in the UK and Channel Islands, Blue Diamond Group. Henry Bell has reached an agreement to produce Blue Diamond’s wild bird food own label products as well as supplying its full wild bird care range.


n Attic Self Storage has announced that it


will be


expanding its footprint by launching a brand new concept facility in London, following the success of its King’s Cross, Bow and Marylebone sites. The new site in Harrow will be a UK first, that will offer businesses storage with 24/7 access combined with work pod facilities and a 100%


contactless storage service.


n A Bradford Garden Centre


has appointed a


new Food Hall Manager as it prepares to launch an extended offering with a new look and new artisan producers. Leeds born Mark Jocelyn has been recruited to manage the new Hearty’s food hall at Tong Garden Centre following a six month refurbishment programme that has seen the former food hall almost double in size.


self


Kingfisher announces final results for the last year


Kingfisher, the owner of DIY retailer B&Q, has reported a sharp rise in full-year sales and profits, boosted by a “new generation of DIY-ers”. The company said underlying


pre-tax profit jumped 44% while sales climbed to £12.3bn in the year to 31 January. Kingfisher boss Thierry Garnier said that


the Covid-crisis had led to 18-34 year-olds doing more home improvements than any other age group. “All of this is very encouraging for the future of our industry,” he said. Kingfisher, which also owns the builders’ merchant Screwfix, added that 20% of young DIY-ers had tried home improvement for the first time during lockdown. The company surveyed customers last year and again in February.


The company also said home- working had helped lift sales and profits, as people invested in making their houses more comfortable. It expects people to continue working from home once Covid


restrictions are


lifted. Kingfisher said this would result in ‘wear and tear’ on the home, and the need to organise living space differently, thereby


creating further demand for home improvement”. The Group results include a 6.8% increase in sales in constant


currency, driven by


strong trading from Q2 and reduced disruption. E-commerce sales were up 158%; now 18% of total Group sales. Click & collect sales up 226%; 78% of Group e-commerce sales. Retail profit was up 27.4% in constant currency, largely driven by B&Q performance; adjusted pre-tax profit up 44.4%, including c.£85 million of non-recurring net cost savings in FY 20/21; statutory pre-tax profit up 634%, reflecting higher operating profit and significantly lower exceptional adjusting items; and free cash flow of £938 million, up £747 million, reflecting higher operating profit, working capital inflow of £376 million and lower capex.


Hultafors Group completes the acquisition of Fristads, Kansas and Leijona Workwear


The Hultafors Group protective brands following has


completed the acquisition of the Fristads, Kansas and Leijona


wear approval


by the relevant competition authorities.


Peter Dumigan, managing


director of the Hultafors Group UK, said: “All three are well-known brands in professional workwear with well-established market positions in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and will complement the Snickers Workwear brand


throughout the European market very well indeed.” With a portfolio of premium brands


PPE that includes


Snickers Workwear, Hellberg Safety as well as EMMA, Solid Gear Safety Footwear and Hultafors Tools, it serves markets throughout Europe and North America. The Hultafors Group’s aim is to continue to driving the development of all its brands with a focus on customer value, product innovation and sustainability.


John Lewis Partnership plans not to reopen eight stores after lockdown


The John Lewis Partnership has announced that it is not planning to reopen eight of its 42 John Lewis shops from lockdown, as it rebalances its store estate to reflect how customers want to shop. The Partnership also confirmed plans to transfer the


running shops


Distribution Centre in Leyland to XPO Logistics. Its remaining 34 John Lewis will


reopen from 12


April subject to Government guidance - with the exception of Glasgow, which will reopen from 26 April, and Edinburgh, which will reopen on 14 May. The eight shops identified for


4 DIY WEEK MARCH 2021


closure include four ‘At Home’ shops in Ashford, Basingstoke, Chester and Tunbridge Wells and in


four department Aberdeen, stores Peterborough, of its Waitrose


Sheffield and York. Given the significant shift to online shopping in recent years – and JLP’s belief that this trend will not materially reverse – it does not think the performance of these eight stores can be substantially improved and expects 60% – 70% of John Lewis sales to be made online in the future.


Nearly 50% of JL customers now use a combination of both store and online when making a purchase.


www.diyweek.net


Azpects adds Robert Dyas to retail roll


Azpects has announced the signing of a new agreement with high street retailer Robert Dyas to offer Azpects’ products on its website. Azpects is a specialist in developing and manufacturing products for creating and maintaining outdoor hard landscaping and is the creator of EASYJoint, the patio jointing compound. Robert Dyas will sell Azpects’ EASYJoint and EASYGrout jointing products, as well as a selection of its EASYCare and EASYSeal products online. Paul Taylor, Managing


Director of Azpects, commented:


“Following our


decision to branch out into the retail market in 2020, we are delighted to confirm our new relationship with Robert Dyas. Online retail has become increasingly important over the past 12 months, and we are pleased that consumers will be able to purchase our products from a strong high street brand.” Richard Redman, Category Manager - Outdoor, of www. robertdyas.co.uk commented: “Azpects has a great reputation within the garden and landscaping industry and we are pleased to be able to offer these popular products to our consumers online.”


Screwfix planning more than 50 new stores this year, creating around 600 jobs


Screwfix plans to open more than 50 stores this year, creating around 600 new jobs in communities across the UK and the Republic of Ireland (ROI). Of the new stores 40 will be in the UK, creating up to 500 new jobs, with the remaining 10 stores planned in Ireland, creating 100 new jobs. The roles will be in areas such as retail management, service assistants and supervisors and be created by the end of January 2022.


The news came as Screwfix, which currently has 711 stores in the UK and 12 stores in Ireland employing


11,643 people,


announced an increase in its overall target for store numbers. It now plans to increase the total number of Screwfix outlets to over 900 in the UK and ROI, up from the previous target of 800. The raised target follows the identification of further opportunities for stores in inner cities and rural catchment areas.


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