The building materials supplier reaffirms its commitment to helping tradespeople when emergencies strike.
The UK’s largest supplier of building materials to the construction sector is marking Flood Action Week by reaffirming its commitment to supporting the nation’s tradespeople in the battle against unexpected emergencies.
Established by the Environment Agency, Flood Action Week is an annual campaign designed to raise awareness of the risk of flooding and the steps that can be taken to prepare.
It is taking place this week, with individuals and businesses encouraged to assess the long-term flood risk of their properties, sign up for warnings and consider taking preventative measures.
Travis Perkins plc - featuring 550 branches of the builders’ merchant of the same name along with Toolstation, BSS, Keyline, TF Solutions and CCF – has a long history of supporting its customers through flood-related incidents by providing urgent access to materials.
This winter is approaching against a backdrop of an ever-increasing flood risk due to climate change.
The latest national assessment of flood and coastal erosion risk estimates that around 6.3 million homes and businesses in England alone are at risk of flooding, with research showing the average annual damages to residential properties from flooding stands at £640 million.
To mark Flood Action Week, Keyline is highlighting its innovative products and solutions which help prevent flooding and protect homes, businesses and communities.
Catherine Gibson, Specialist Merchants Managing Director of Travis Perkins plc, said: “This Flood Action Week offers a timely reminder to both our colleagues and customers of the importance of being in a state of preparedness for any flooding issues which may arise over the coming months.
“We know it’s now more common than ever before for us to experience deluges of rain in the UK and it’s never been more important that the whole of Travis Perkins plc is ready to act as a trusted partner to our customers, supporting local communities through these potentially damaging incidents.
“Whether it be through our civils and drainage specialist Keyline, our Travis Perkins branches, our Managed Services solution for social housing or our TP Hire offering for equipment which needs to be utilised by customers for a short period, our group offers a full range of solutions to support a flooding crisis.”
One such example came last November when Travis Perkins’ Managed Services team partnered with a local branch to provide emergency out-of-hours support on a Sunday evening to support a major community clean-up in Ebbw Vale after Storm Bert took its toll on Wales.
Tai Calon Community Housing saw its social housing stock directly impacted by the flooding and the organisation was hugely grateful for an out-of-hours emergency response from Travis Perkins Ebbw Vale which quickly provided essential clean-up supplies, including sandbags to prevent further water ingress, brushes and shovels.
Molly Harris, Travis Perkins Account Manager for Ebbw Vale, said: “When a natural disaster happens, your only thought is for the safety and wellbeing of the residents and helping the housing associations ensure everyone is safe.
“Travis Perkins Managed Services were fantastic and the branch in Ebbw Vale was incredibly supportive, providing the essential materials which were needed.”
Travis Perkins plc is the UK’s largest distributor of building materials to trade customers. The Group dates back over 200 years and employs 17,000 colleagues across a 1400-strong branch network.
There are six leading businesses within the Group. These include the Travis Perkins builders merchant, Toolstation and a number of specialists in the civils market (Keyline), heating and ventilation (BSS), drylining and insulation (CCF) and air conditioning and refrigeration (TF Solutions).
