More than 65 merchant drivers, alongside almost the entire office team, came together on 2 January as Specialist Driver Resourcing (SDR) hosted its first ever Company Day.
Held at Millennium Point in Birmingham, the event marked a significant moment for the business, giving its team of full-time drivers the chance to meet one another face to face and spend time with the office and scheduling teams they work with daily.
Hosted by SDR’s Managing Director Simon Pritchard, the day combined networking, discussion and professional development, as well as a chance for Pritchard to update the drivers on the current merchant market, and SDR’s growth plans for 2026. For many drivers, it was the first opportunity they’d had to connect in person with colleagues who carry out similar roles across builders’ merchants nationwide.
“Our drivers are at the heart of everything we do,” said Pritchard. “They represent SDR on merchants’ sites every single day, often becoming a trusted and familiar face within branches. Bringing everyone together like this was our way of recognising that contribution and reinforcing just how vital our drivers are, both to our business and to the merchants they support.”
The line-up of external speakers reflected the breadth of issues facing drivers and the wider merchant sector. David Ryan, Driver Resource and Compliance Manager at STARK Group, one of SDR’s biggest clients, thanked the SDR drivers for their commitment over the past year and spoke about the growing importance of logistics teams within merchant branches.
Regulatory and safety matters were addressed by Kevin Ridgway, Enforcement Delivery Team Leader for Commercial Vehicle Enforcement at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, who outlined HGV drivers’ legal responsibilities, the value of daily vehicle checks and common defects to watch for when operating merchant vehicles.
Health and wellbeing also featured throughout the day. Kate Walker, CEO of the Diabetes Safety Organisation, discussed the risks of Type 2 diabetes for professional drivers and offered practical tips on how to stay healthy at work. Load safety was covered by Jonathan Driver, Customer Service Manager at Mentor Training, who explained new DVSA guidance on securing loads. The day concluded with a session from Bryan Reynolds, himself an HGV driver and actor, who spoke about the importance of mindset and maintaining positive mental health.
The business says its inaugural Company Day underlined its commitment to investing in its people, recognising the role drivers play in keeping builders’ merchants moving and strengthening the relationships that underpin reliable, compliant deliveries across the sector.
