Construction leaders are keeping a watching brief on plaster shortages, in a cross-industry collaboration to support the sector’s road to recovery.
The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) and the Construction Products Association (CPA) are working to pinpoint and address the key issues as more builders return to site.
As the joint leaders of the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) Product Availability Group, they gauged the views of merchants, manufacturers, house builders and contractors to discuss the key issues yesterday (June 11).
John Newcomb, CEO of the BMF, said: “The latest information yesterday shows that plaster continues to be challenging in terms of supply. Currently the biggest issue is significant replenishment demand in the network. We have also had reports of panic buying of plaster, which is also having an impact. However, production output is now performing ahead of plan, and it was reported by some in the group that issues with supply are easing. We are now taking steps to reassure the industry that, with manufacturing now in place to a high output, the situation is improving and will be resolved in the weeks ahead."
Peter Caplehorn, CEO of the CPA, said: “We all recognise it is absolutely vital that, as we take the road to recovery, the construction industry has the products it needs, and we’ll continue to use information and data-driven intelligence to act on issues as they arise.”
Set-up to monitor the building products supply chain to meet increasing demand in the re-opening period, the CLC’s Product Availability Group includes the BMF’s five largest merchant members, along with five of the CPA’s largest manufacturing members.
