News

Morris & Spottiswood Group publishes social value report

9 April, 2026

Construction end-to-end service provider, Morris & Spottiswood Group, owner of Builders Station in Settle, has published its Social Value Report for 2025, revealing a landmark year in which the business exceeded its centenary target of creating £100 million of social value for the communities it serves.

Dover Trussed Roof Company invests in A-frame press

Dover Trussed Roof Company, part of Calldene Structural Timber Solutions, has invested in a new £140,000 machine press to improve health and safety and increase production flexibility and efficiency.

The Big Construction Diversity Challenge returns

Following the success of the inaugural event, Nimble Media has announced the return of The Big Construction Diversity Challenge on Friday 19 June 2026.

Travis Perkins marks 25 years of Saints partnership with prizes for east of England clubs

Grassroots rugby union clubs across six east of England counties have been given the chance to revamp their facilities by winning £5,000 worth of building materials.

Construction sector downturn continues, as housing activity drops sharply, PMI

March data indicated a solid reduction in construction output, albeit at a slightly more slowly than in the previous month. Residential work remained by far the weakest-performing category.

Huws Gray partners with Slimstock to automate and centralise supply chain planning

Huws Gray will adopt Slimstock’s AI-powered supply chain planning platform to automate ordering across the branch network.

Mad March Million a huge success

Builders' merchant sector helps smash two million step milestone set by Rainy Day Trust.

Tilhill trials automated tree planting

Tilhill Forestry, a member of BSW Group, has successfully trialled the automated tree planting machine, PlantMax, to support the future delivery of new woodlands.

Premier Forest Products signs Welsh Corporate Parenting Charter

Premier Forest Products has reinforced its commitment to social responsibility by becoming the first private sector company to sign the Welsh Government’s Corporate Parenting Charter.

UK’s relationship with Europe in the spotlight at BMF Conference

Professor Anand Menon, a leading expert on the UK’s relationship with Europe, will offer a fresh perspective on future relations at the BMF Annual Members Conference in September.

5 Star opens refurbished Kidderminster trade showroom

A trade showroom will reopen later this week, after a £500,000 investment by a Kidderminster-based home improvement specialist.

P&H January sales up due to price increases

The latest figures from the Plumbing & Heating Merchant Index (PHMI) report show total like-for-like value sales (adjusted to remove the impact of trading days) for January 2026 through specialist plumbing and heating merchants were up +3.0% compared to the same month the year before. Like-for-like volume sales were down -2.8%, however prices rose +6.0%.

JT Atkinson expands into Northumberland with new Ponteland branch

JT Atkinson, a 166 year old family-run builders’ merchant in the North East, has announced the opening of its first branch in Northumberland.

Vaillant joins the BMF

Vaillant is the latest in a growing community of plumbing and heating specialists to join the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF).

Simon Acres Group And Bathroom Association to collaborate on industry support initiatives

Simon Acres Group and the Bathroom Association have announced a collaboration and a series of initiatives.

CLC group warns of wide-ranging impact of Middle East conflict

The, co-chairs of the Construction Leadership Council’s Material Supply Chain Group have issued their monthly statement, warning of turbulent times ahead.

Nominations open for Builders’ Merchants Awards 2026

As the industry’s longest running awards ceremony hits 25, the process begins to find the businesses or individuals whose outstanding achievements are worthy of recognition among their peers.

Huws Gray fined £2.2 million after worker killed in conveyor crush

Huws Gray has been fined more than £2 million after one of its workers was crushed to death by a pallet of timber that weighed around three tonnes.

MKM Building Supplies launches MKM Foundation

The new charitable foundation has been created to strengthen the business’s long-standing commitment to local communities across the UK.

Lords Builders Merchants and Advance Roofing Supplies open joint branch in Bury St Edmunds

Lords Builders Merchants and Advance Roofing Supplies have opened a joint site in Bury St Edmunds.

Latest issue

APRIL 2026

News

Latest issue

Supplements

Events calendar