DUBLIN: Irish building supplies firm, the Grafton Group, reported an improvement in its third quarter turnover year-on-year as profit at its UK merchanting units picked up.

The company, which offset a 26% fall in full-year revenue last year by cutting over 10% of its workforce, posted third quarter turnover at 546m euros (£462.4m) from 522m euros in the same period last year.

Turnover at Grafton's British merchanting business – where it owns and operate Buildbase builders' yards and bathroom and heating supplier Plumbase rose 6%, compared with 5% at the end of June.