BRISTOL: Burdens has added Ecomerchant to its portfolio of green businesses.
Ecomerchant is a successful and proven supplier of green and sustainable materials into the UK construction market with over 11 years of trading experience.
Kevin Hancock, Burdens' corporate development director, said: "Ecomerchant will add considerable value to our current offering to the sustainable sector. It will strengthen our overall position by complementing our existing Burdens Environmental division. It will bring greater focus to housebuilding, self-build, refurbishment and general construction."
Recent surveys of construction companies highlighted the difficulties of supply as one major problem for delivering energy- efficiency and sustainability into the market.
"The addition of Ecomerchant to the Burdens group will directly address these concerns," said Mr Hancock. "It will provide greater security of supply to the construction industry."
Joe Wild, founder of Ecomerchant, said: "We recognise and value the strength Burdens will bring to the brand. The company's structure was equally important. Its unique shareholding was of great significance to us in maintaining ethical standards of business."
Burdens, a civil engineering, infrastructure and utilities supply company, is 46% owned by a charitable foundation where a proportion of profits are re-invested into society through good causes. This, Mr Hancock explained, is central to the company's campaign for a better way to do business.
"The emphasis," he added, "is "on the highest standards of integrity and social responsibility in all trading relationships.
"With the Government requiring hefty reductions in CO2 from the UK construction industry through legislation, method and building performance, the creation of a stronger supply chain is crucial to the delivery of these political ambitions. Burdens and Ecomerchant are now placed at the head of the field to support and promote sustainable construction into this growing market."
