This visit was another arranged by the Builders Merchants Federation as part of its industry and parliament programme.
How builders’ merchants are preparing to supply the materials & products necessary to build 1½ million new homes was on the agenda during a constituency visit by Lee Pitcher MP last Friday.
The MP for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme visited Howarth Timber & Building Supplies in Thorne to see how the merchant helps his constituents to build new homes and improve existing ones - especially to make them warm and comfortable.
Lee Pitcher MP was welcomed by Nick Howarth (Managing Director), Jack Taylor (Eastern Region Director), Andy Mawman (Branch Manager) and Brett Amphlett (BMF). Touring the branch, he was shown examples of the everyday trade essentials and value-added products available to Howarth customers in its 36-branch network.
Pitcher MP said: “It was a delight to visit Howarth’s today who have served Yorkshire for 185 years, having begun life in Leeds as a timber supplier. I wish to thank Andy Mawman and his team for providing a friendly and knowledgeable service to local trade professionals and DIY customers”.
“I was encouraged to hear of Howarth’s plans as they get nearer to their 200th anniversary and how the business is embracing energy-efficiency and water-saving initiatives to improve sustainability in the built environment. I wish Howarth Timber & Building Supplies a bright future and thank them for their contribution to not only Doncaster’s economy, but also more widely throughout Yorkshire”.
The visit came at the end of Flood Action Week in which the Environment Agency and BMF members like Howarth’s are promoting ‘Be Flood Ready’. This is an annual campaign to raise awareness of flood risk and resilience - and the steps that households, businesses and local communities can take to assess, prepare and protect their property.
Merchants and manufacturers are keen to grow the market for the materials & products used in local property-level resilience - namely anti-flood air bricks & air brick covers; non-return back-flow valves on toilets & drainage pipes; and floor doors & flood gates. Rich Hannam, Managing Director of Floodshield, showed Mr Pitcher some of these products that Floodshield makes in Leeds.
Howarth said: “It is really important to a family-owned firm like Howarth’s that we do the best we can for our customers. This means ensuring we operate in the most sustainable way possible and assisting trade professionals to carry out their projects sustainably”.
“The latest research from Aviva Insurance shows that London and Yorkshire and the Humber collectively represent more than half of the top 20 parliamentary constituencies affected by flooding. The property flood resilience products we carry are simple, low-cost, proven interventions that help resist surface water flooding and reduce the time and cost spent recovering from floods”.
This visit was another arranged by the Builders Merchants Federation as part of its industry and parliament programme. The aim is to show MPs the role, value and importance of merchants in delivering for their customers and helping to grow local economies.
