Builders' Merchants News
12 March, 2010
Newsletter
Marshalls profit hit as sales slow

HUDDERSFIELD: Marshalls, which manufactures paving slabs, bollards and benches, last week reported falling sales as spending on pavements and patios slowed.

Published:  12 March, 2010
News 
Recession-fighting firms are focusing on sales and marketing

UK: Small businesses are hoping to beat the recession by stepping up their sales and marketing strategies, a new survey has revealed.

Published:  12 March, 2010
Environment 
Responsible purchasing policy hailed a success

LONDON: Forests Forever chairman Jermain Cheetham of Wolseley, has hailed the success of the Timber Trade Federation's flagship Responsible Purchasing Policy.

Published:  12 March, 2010
News 
Aga sales slump

LEAMINGTON SPA: Profits at Aga Rangemaster slumped following a fall in demand for its traditional cast iron stoves.

Published:  12 March, 2010
Health and safety 

Peter Brown (HSE) joined by Craig Phillips (of Craig Phillips Building Skills Centre and Big Brother) and HSE partners at the 2009 Ladder Exchange Initiative Launch in Liverpool.

Ladder exchange is step in the right direction

UK: Nearly 7000 'dodgy' ladders have been surrendered in the three years the Health and Safety Executive has been running the ladder exchange initiative.

The campaign gives workers the opportunity to get rid of old, damaged and broken ladders and trade them in for new ones at a discounted price.

Published:  12 March, 2010
Marketing 

The PTS team show off the jackets destined for Mundesley's lifeboat team.

PTS to the rescue in Cromer

NORFOLK: PTS, the plumbing and heating merchant, has come to the aid of Mundesley's lifeboat team by supplying them with 17 jackets free of charge.

Published:  12 March, 2010
News 
Retailers' shares outperform expectations

LONDON: Shares in retailers performed well this morning on the stock exchange. Kingfisher, which owns B&Q, added 4.5p at 221.2p and midcap Wickes owner Travis Perkins rose 4.5p at 726p.

Published:  11 March, 2010
News 
Wickes to leave Blackley retail park

MANCHESTER: Wickes is expected to leave its site on Heaton Retail Park in Blackley as part of redevelopment plans put forward by site owners Terrace Hill Group.

Published:  11 March, 2010
Features 

Chris Harrop: avoid greenwashing at all costs.

Exploding energy myths and cutting costs

WEST YORKSHIRE: The best business advice I have ever received was from Jonathon Porritt, a former director of Friends of the Earth. He said you have to...

Published:  11 March, 2010
People 

Roger Cooper: cornerstone of the bathroom industry.

Cooper celebrates 40 years with Ideal Standard

HULL: Ideal Standard International's vice president of its West Europe region, celebrates 40 years with the company this month.

Published:  11 March, 2010
Training 

Securing the foundations.

Ridgeon Group launches management degree for staff

NORWICH: The Ridgeon Group has launched an employee Foundation Degree (FdA) in Management, supporting the company’s strong commitment to staff development and training.

Published:  11 March, 2010
News 
Rok shows solid results

BIRMINGHAM: Building firm Rok’s results for the year ended 31 December 2009 showed a successful repositioning of business with increased focus on repairs and maintenance.

Published:  11 March, 2010
News 
Three-fold increase in housing demand

SOUTH WEST: Connells Land and New Homes in South West England reported a three-fold increase in demand for new properties at the beginning of 2010 when compared to the same period last year.

Published:  11 March, 2010
News 

Harald Schwarzmayr: ready for the upswing.

Clay brick manufacturer adds Ireland to its network

BELFAST: Wienerberger has opened its first dedicated sales and distribution centre in Ireland. 

Published:  10 March, 2010
News 
Don't cut construction, warns building group

UK: A major campaign by the UK Construction Group is under way, aimed at all three political parties.

Any cuts to state spending, it said, should not fall on public building projects. This would have too great an impact on jobs and the wider economy.

Published:  10 March, 2010
Timber Trading 
TTF product divisions name new chairmen

LONDON: A new chairman and vice chairman have been named for the Timber Trade Federation National Softwood Division (NSD) and National Panel Products Division (NPPD) following a round of elections on 24 February.

Published:  10 March, 2010
Health and safety 
Delivery safety initiative

WINCANTON: A set of industry guidelines on height-associated safety for building material delivery is available to merchants.

Published:  10 March, 2010
Training 
Tools of the trade for trainees

ABERGAVENNY: Robert Price Builders’ Merchants has presented sets of trade tools to three building trainees currently working for the Housing Association, Newport City Homes (NCH) as part of the Future Jobs Fund project.

Published:  10 March, 2010
Timber Trading 
TRADA embarks on research into cladding discolouration

HIGH WYCOMBE: TRADA has launched a research project to investigate the causes of discolouration of external unfinished timber cladding and to develop strategies for its prevention and remedial treatment.

Published:  10 March, 2010
Environment 
Housing industry must get to grips with energy efficiency measures

The Energy Saving Trust is highlighting that in order to meet the Government's home refurbishment target of 7 million homes, 13 400 homes a week will need to have whole house makeovers by 2020.

Published:  10 March, 2010
News 
Irish divide on bill payment

DUBLIN: Late payment continues to be an issue for businesses in Ireland, according to the latest Payment Performance report from Experian.

Published:  10 March, 2010
News 
Balfour Beatty profits rise

LONDON: Balfour Beatty reported underlying pre-tax profit up 7% to £267m last year, beating a forecast of City analysts of £266m.

Published:  10 March, 2010
News 
Greatest contribution to London Award goes to London 2012 Olympic Park

LONDON: The London 2012 Olympic Park Enabling Projects in Stratford have been awarded the top honour at the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) London Civil Engineering Awards 2010.

Published:  10 March, 2010
Health and safety 
Free 'Health for Work Adviceline' for small businesses

UK: Small businesses in the construction industry now have free access to professional occupational health advice to help with individual employee health issues - just by calling a 'Health for Work Adviceline'.

Published:  10 March, 2010
 
Irish construction remains down

DUBLIN: Business conditions at Irish construction firms worsened again in February, according to data released yesterday.

Published:  09 March, 2010
News 
House price surprise fall

LONDON: House prices grew last month at their slowest pace since August with property coming on to the market growing faster than the number of new buyers, a survey indicated on Tuesday.

Published:  09 March, 2010
Environment 
Huws Gray cuts waste

LLANGEFNI: Huws Gray and environmental website BuilderScrap have collaborated on a Reuse Road Show to help builders cut waste.

Published:  09 March, 2010
 
Grafton stops share buy backs

DUBLIN: Grafton Group Ireland's biggest builders' merchant will end its practice of buying its shares instead of paying cash dividends, in response to recent changes in tax laws, reports Ireland's Sunday Business Post.

Published:  09 March, 2010
Events Diary


© Hemming Information Services 2009