John Hancock, COO at Wolseley, explains the company's strategy of using multiple specialist brands to reach targeted parts of the construction sector.
People sometimes ask me: why does Wolseley trade under names like Climate Centre, Pipe Centre and Plumb Centre, instead of just calling everything Wolseley? It’s a good question – and the answer gets right to the heart of how we work with our customers.
A bit of history
Wolseley has been around for more than 138 years. We actually started out making farming equipment, and only moved into merchanting in the 1980s when we began acquiring specialist businesses. In the late 2010s we brought those businesses together under the Wolseley name – but more recently, after listening to our customers, we have brought the specialist brands back.
Why specialist brands matter
Plumb Centre focuses on heating and plumbing, Pipe Centre on commercial pipework, Climate Centre on air conditioning and refrigeration. The recently launched Renewables Centre’s purpose is to empower installers to succeed in the low-carbon transition – offering training, design services, technical support, and help navigating MCS accreditation. In the infrastructure space, Wolseley operates brands such as Burdens and Fusion, which specialise in civils and utilities. In total, we have around 560 branches across the UK.
The logic is simple. A bathroom fitter needs very different support from an air conditioning specialist. Both are distinct from the needs of a civil engineering contractor. Specialist brands make it clear where to go for the right advice, stock, and service – saving time and hassle, and helping customers get on with the job.
Where Wolseley fits in
So where does the Wolseley brand come into this? Think of us as the trunk of the tree. We provide the backbone – the national logistics, IT systems, environmental standards and quality assurance – while the branches are our specialist centres. Each one is set up to serve the specific needs of a trade or sector.
Balancing the needs of all customers
This approach allows us to strike the right balance. For smaller, independent tradespeople – the heating engineer, the AC installer, the civil contractor – we offer a branch they know will cater for their trade, staffed by people trained in their specialism. For larger customers – facilities management firms, big contractors, and multi-site businesses – Wolseley can operate as a one-stop shop, giving them access to a broad catalogue of products and services across divisions, supported by group-wide logistics and competitive buying power.
Specialist service, backed by scale
Other companies in our sector face the same challenge. Specialist customers value specialist service. That means dedicated brands, colleagues who understand their trade, and branches stocked with the products they rely on. We also see that this model encourages deeper engagement and learning. Tradespeople often rely on expert advice for new technologies, regulations, or sustainable solutions, and our specialists are able to provide that support confidently and consistently.
At the same time, Wolseley’s group structure ensures we can leverage our scale to the benefit of all customers. By aggregating demand, we secure competitive pricing and pass that value on, without sacrificing clarity or expertise at branch level. This combination of scale and specialist focus is particularly important in today’s fast-evolving built environment, where customers expect both quality products and informed guidance.
Clarity, not complexity
The balance we are striking is therefore not complexity for complexity’s sake. It is about clarity. A Climate Centre sign tells an AC engineer exactly what that branch is about. A Renewables Centre logo signals to installers that they will find the specialist support they need to succeed in low-carbon technologies. A Pipe Centre branch signals to commercial contractors that they will find the expertise and stock they need. And in infrastructure, Burdens and Fusion offer dedicated solutions for civils and utilities customers. Behind each of these, Wolseley’s group infrastructure ensures reliability, reach, and resilience.
The bigger picture
Ultimately, our role is to serve the built environment, whether that is residential, commercial, or infrastructure. That covers a vast spectrum of products, customers, and expertise. One brand alone can’t credibly stand for all of it without diluting meaning. But together, Wolseley and its specialist brands offer the best of both worlds: depth and breadth, focus and scale, specialism and strength.
So, when you see a Plumb Centre van, a Pipe Centre delivery, or a Renewables Centre sign, or come across Burdens or Fusion in the infrastructure space, don’t think of them as separate from Wolseley. Think of them as specialist branches of the same tree, all rooted in Wolseley’s 138 years of experience, logistics strength, and commitment to serving customers with the expertise they need, when they need it.
