Opinion

Measure it to improve it

19 April, 2022

For someone who cut their teeth in the merchant sector, Alan Timothy, CEO at Bubo.ai, understands the challenges faced by branches and management more than most.

Sector collaboration needed to mitigate hike in plastic packaging tax

The builders’ merchants sector needs close collaboration with product manufacturers and suppliers if it is to mitigate the impact of a looming increase in plastic packaging tax, according to National Buying Group (NBG).

Awarding talent and inspiring futures

The Worshipful Company of Builders’ Merchants’ City & Awards luncheon, now in its tenth year, received a welcome return following a two-year gap due to the pandemic, as Master Andy Williamson explains.

A reshaping of the housebuilding sector

Offsite construction is the answer to green, speed and cost demands, according to West Fraser.

Let’s look local to ease ongoing supply chain issues

Steve Wharton, Manager at MPA Masonry, explores the opportunities to be had for savvy manufacturers, merchants, specifies and developers alike.

Make roof ventilation a breeze with Roofing Superstore

With energy costs on the rise and homeowners taking steps to minimise their own carbon footprints, online building products retailer Roofing Superstore is reminding everyone to check their flow – by making sure that their roof space has the right level of ventilation to cope with the addition of energy-saving improvements such as insulation and double-glazing.

Breaking sales records should be more fun than this

Tom Reynolds, Chief Executive of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association, takes stock of the challenges faced by the KBB industry in past couple of years, and those yet to come.

Landscape design must be led by sustainability

Sustainability should be the number one focus for landscape designers and architects, according to ACO's Product Marketing Manager Oliver Collins.

Construction industry continues to grow

Simon Midwood, Managing Director of TIMCO, predicts 2022 will be a year of improved stability and growth for the construction industry.

Heating and plumbing trends for 2022 and beyond

John Kerr, Marketing Director at RWC, looks at what has been happening in the heating and plumbing industry, and what it means for next year, and for the years to come.

Building prayer rooms into our businesses

Drawing on the company's own experience, Elliott examines the reasons why employers might decide to create a prayer room in the workplace.

How a shifting demographic is transforming the face of construction across Northern Ireland

Sector trend data from AG, the specialist paving and building supplies manufacturer, suggests the industry age average is changing.

UK waste manager urges caution over PM’s recycling comments

Reconomy's Group Head of Sustainability, Diane Crowe urges caution over Boris Johnson’s statement to a group of school children that recycling plastic ‘doesn’t work’, when taken out of context.

Plastic waste from UK construction businesses rises 46%

Plastic waste from the UK’s construction industry has increased 45.72% over just two years, according to analysis of recently published government data by the construction site storage experts at SiteStak.

What is the best timber for your project?

Stuart Kemp, MD of online timber merchant Timbersource, explains how to get the right balance between a timber that's right for the job and one that can be sourced relatively easily for the client.

Trading after furlough: can you afford redundancies?

With the furlough scheme ending on 30 September, waves of redundancies are forecast to take place over the coming months – so it’s vital merchants think about their future. However, redundancy does come with its own costs, as Nicola Holton, a legal director at Shakespeare Martineau, explains.

Building an environmental sustainabilty agenda

The construction sector has to play a big role in achieving the Government’s ambitious net zero targets. Bradfords Building Supplies has set out to champion sustainability in the industry, as newly promoted Head of Sustainability, Giles Bradford, explains.

Beware of HMRC clawback as furlough scheme ends, says MHA

With the furlough scheme coming to an end on 30 September, Nigel Morris, Employment Tax Director at MHA, a network of independent accountancy firms, argues that the scheme was a qualified success, but that businesses need to take action now to ensure HMRC doesn’t try to clawback furlough money.

Carbon neutral versus carbon negative - what is the difference?

Carbon dioxide emissions are one of the most significant drivers of climate change so there is an urgent need for products and businesses to achieve carbon neutrality. West Fraser explain how it has gone significantly further and is now net carbon negative.

Construction crisis on the horizon?

Andrew Huxley, Managing Director of concrete block manufacturer, Besblock, says the industry needs to find a solution and take action before it's too late.

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