NEWS Travis Perkins announces half-year results


Travis Perkins plc, one of the UK’s largest distributors of building materials, has announced its half year results for the six months to 30 June 2025. The company has been focussing on stabilising business performance during this period. Group revenue declined by (2.1)% driven primarily by operational challenges in the early part of the year. Actions to drive volume in merchanting have taking effect, with merchanting like-for-like sales (1.0)% in Q2 (versus (3.2)% in Q1) and market share decline arrested. There


has been roactive management of overheads to mitigate cost


Palace Chemicals wins Sustainability Initiative of the Year award


As a leading independent manufacturer of DIY products since 1978, Palace Chemicals aims to set the industry benchmark for sustainability, both in terms of its new product launches and also the environmental measures installed at its Liverpool manufacturing facility. To achieve this, the company has invested continually in its production facilities to enable it both to serve its customers better, fulfilling orders in full and on time, while at the same time making a real contribution towards achieving net zero carbon by 2050. This includes the day-to-day operations of the business and the way it manufactures its products and the types of products it offers on to the market.


Palace Chemicals gained its ISO 14001 BSI accreditation for Environmental Management Systems nearly 20 years ago, since when the team has continually searched for ways to reduce the company’s carbon footprint and create superior


inflation and increased employer national insurance contribution


and further progress in Toolstation UK with operating profits increasing 50% to £21m. Chairman Geoff Drabble, commented: “The first quarter was difficult with a continued trend of market share loss and revenue decline in Merchanting. However, I was encouraged by the response of the business to management actions to drive a more customer-focused approach. In the second quarter we delivered improved revenue performance and stabilised Merchanting market share and these trends have continued into July.


Over two thirds of retailers now plan to invest in AI


manufacturing systems, better working conditions and a healthier planet.


The work that the team at Palace Chemicals has put in to meet its own sustainability targets was recognised at this year’s DIY Week Awards when the company won the Sustainability Initiative of the Year award. The judges were impressed by the key sustainability initiatives aimed at caring for customers, staff, the community and the environment, which made it a standout entry and a clear winner.


Retailers looking to get ahead of the AI hype-curve and realise the benefits of the technology are shelving planned store technology investment to prioritise AI, according to the latest research from Pricer, the preferred partner for in-store communication and digitalisation. Original research of over 100 senior UK retailers by Pricer revealed that over two thirds (67%) plan to invest in AI at the expense of existing road- mapped technologies within the store. With one in six UK businesses already having embraced at least one AI technology, retailers are rapidly adopting the technology, helping them to improve operations and create efficiencies to mitigate against rising costs facing their organisations. A recent poll from Retail Technology Show among 2,000 senior retailers revealed that AI tops the technology retail leaders believe will unlock growth in 2025. At the same time retailers are rapidly deploying AI, its adoption is becoming more widespread among consumers – and with


“We will build on this momentum in the second half as we deploy further system enhancements that put the difficult Oracle implementation behind us. The strong performance of Toolstation UK, which operates in similar markets to the Group’s other businesses, demonstrates our potential without internal distractions.


Whilst the market outlook for the second half remains uncertain, the board anticipates that the group will deliver a full year result broadly in line with current market expectations.”


DIY Week Live! Last few


remaining spaces


There’s exciting news from DIY Week Live!, stands are going quickly and almost sold out, with just a few spaces now available at the event taking place at the National Conference Centre in Birmingham on 21 & 22 October. So grab your spot at the 2025 DIY Week Live show before it’s too late!


This new industry event will


increasing use of the tech in their day-to-day lives, this is prompting customers to expect and demand AI to enhance their shopping journeys. Peter Ward, UK Country Manager at Pricer, commented: As retailers look to power their in-store operations with AI, increasingly we’re seeing ESLs act as the glue that connects the digital shelf-edge. Their power lies in unifying in-store technology investments, helping retailers effectively drive greater levels of efficiency, labour productivity and CX, all whilst allowing AI to ingest data to power even great performance and ROI.”


provide the industry with an opportunity to connect, learn, and grow, with presentations, workshops, and demos. Book a space to shine and showcase your business!


Mark your calendars and


secure your spot now at diyweeklive.co.uk/book-a-space or simply sign and send your booking forms to spayne@ datateam.co.uk and you’re all set! Get involved and be part of something big - from the industry to the industry.


AkzoNobel reimagines colour into sensory experiences for the visually impaired


More than six million visually impaired people in Brazil have a new way to experience colour thanks to a sensory innovation developed by AkzoNobel’s Coral brand. Working together with VML Brasil and the Dorina Nowill Foundation for the Blind, the ‘Touching Colors’ project draws on neuroscience studies, which show that colors also manifest themselves in the brains of blind people through emotions, memories and sensations.


4 DIY WEEK AUGUST 2025


The project uses braille and sound to translate RGB, CMYK and HEX colour codes into so-called Cromopoems, which reimagine a set of 70 colours into a unique sensory experience. For example, Citrus Orange is described as: “That urge to bite into a fresh fruit in the playground. Letting the juice run down your chin and spending the day with its scent on your hands. That colour is Citrus Orange, a vibrant, warm shade of orange.” “We’re giving blind and visually


impaired people access to experiences that were previously restricted within the visual universe,” said Alexandre Munck, Executive Superintendent of the Dorina Nowill Foundation for the Blind.


The 70 colours were selected


from nine chromatic scales in AkzoNobel’s portfolio. From these, initials were created in braille, adding graphic value and establishing a unique creative path for the project’s visual language.


www.diyweek.net


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