PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2026 Merchant & Distributor News 9 Sourcing the right spares


With the aim of strengthening its spares support, City Plumbing has introduced a number of updates to its online SparesFinder tool which enables installers to visually identify boiler parts using appliance diagrams. Installers can now select the relevant appliance, click the numbered component they need, and view the matching spare part alongside pricing and availability information. The new feature currently covers 150 of the most popular appliances, with more set to be added. SparesFinder offers installers access to over 20,000 spare parts,


searchable by GC number, part number, or make and model. They can buy for next-day collection or find over 250 essentials for immediate pickup at any branch. Refurbished boiler spares are also a new addition to its range, giving


installers another option when sourcing parts. The range sits alongside City Plumbing’s existing OEM, unbranded component product and alternative parts, with all options backed by a 12-month warranty. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/726/11


Online store set to deliver all you need


Described as an all-in-one app for heating, cooling and renewable energy installers, Zuno has launched Zuno.store, an online merchant that will deliver materials as well as complete installation packs directly to site. The new service will enable installers to order


materials, as well as fully bundled product packs, for the installation of boilers, solar, battery, heat pump, air conditioning units and EV chargers. Installer packs contain all of the core components required for the job, and can be customised to meet specific requirements, simplifying the process of sourcing parts from multiple suppliers. Orders placed before 3pm are delivered the next


morning to the installer’s choice of address, allowing engineers to arrive on site ready to start the job. Mel Butler, CEO of Zuno and a former heating


engineer, says: “Engineers don’t get paid to sit in traffic, stand at trade counters or chase deliveries. They get paid for their skills and expertise on site. Yet too much of the working week is still spent on tasks that add little value and take them away from the job they’re there to do. Zuno.store is designed to remove that friction by delivering complete installation packs directly to site, so engineers can spend more time on the tools.” ◼ phamnews.co.uk/726/12


The latest figures from the Plumbing & Heating Merchant Index (PHMI) show like-for-like value sales for April through specialist plumbing and heating merchants were up +0.5% compared to the same month last year. Volume sales were down -4.2%, while prices increased +4.9%. There was no difference in trading days. Mike Rigby, MD of MRA Research, which produces the PHMI report


says: “So far, 2026 has been a series of surprises, mostly unwelcome. Now, as we reach the midpoint of the year, what we want is what we were led to expect: positive signs of consistent growth. But this may be some way off. On the negative side of the ledger, new home registrations were down -6% in Q1 as rising costs and falling demand created poor market conditions for developers, with eight out of 12 regions seeing a decline.


“But on the sunny side of the ledger, the US-Iranian war, and maybe


even the Middle East war, seems to be coming to an end. The latest GfK Consumer Confidence Index suggests things are starting to improve too. The May index was two points up to -23, with the mood lifting for personal finances and the economic outlook. However, the Savings Index dropped a remarkable -10 points. People are feeling the pinch and using savings to prop up day-to-day spending.” ◼ phamnews.co.uk/726/13


Mixed results for April


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