
7 minute read
M A R K ET M O N I T O R Mixed results
The latest State of Trade Survey from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) provides some welcome positivity for the sector, with a “continued upward trend” in repair, maintenance, and improvement (RMI) building work in Q2 of this year but there is cause for concer n in house building.
Despite this boost for builders in terms of RMI work however, the findings also state that “house building lags behind” with more FMB members reporting lower workloads and enquiries than those reporting more, according to the survey results.
FMB Chief Executive Brian Berry said: “While there are plenty of positives to take from this quarter’s State of Trade Survey, there are still worrying signs for house builders Workloads are up, driven by a strong repair, maintenance and improvement sector and encouragingly we’re also seeing pressure on obtaining skilled labour easing ”
Brian continued: “House building has been hit badly, despite a slight increase on last quarter more members are reporting less work than they are more, and enquiries continue to look bleak The fall in house building is worrying because housing supply is a key component of a growing the economy and unlocking a mobile workforce. The Government needs to step up its efforts if its own ambition to build 300,000 each year is to be met because the figure is expected to be less than half than that this year.”
He concluded: “The survey also points towards other areas of concern, with just under half of FMB members saying they expect profits to be lower than expected and around one in five saying they are restricting hiring new staff With inflation dipping marginally, we’ll need to see over the coming months if this has any positive effects on bottom lines.”
The key findings from the FMB Q2 2023 State of Trade Survey can be summarised accordingly:
Ma rk e t c o nd it io n s l Increase in total workload and enquires is primarily driven by a continued strong rebound in the repair, maintenance and improvement sector l Overall, difficulty in recruitment is easing, however; l 38% of members are struggling to hire carpenters with 29% struggling to hire bricklayers. l A quarter of members can’t get hold of general labourers. l Over half of all members report that jobs are delayed because they are struggling to hire skilled workers
Im p a ct o f c ha ng e s in p ri ce s a nd co s ts l 79% of members report that material costs increased in Q2 2023 with 72% expecting this to continue into the next quarter l The impact of increased outgoings has led to 69% of members increasing the prices they charge, with just under half reporting that the business is on track to make a loss l 19% report that they are restricting hiring new staff as a consequence of increased outgoings. l Overall, 40% of members reported an increase in workload, with only 18% reporting a reduction compared to last quarter. l House building workloads and enquiries continue to struggle with more members reporting a decrease than increase n The FMB State of Trade Sur vey, which is released quarterly, is the longest running sur vey of its kind to track the experience of small to medium-sized (SME) construction firms in the UK. Enter the shortcode www.rdr.link/mav004 to view the full sur vey results


Nbg New Partners
The National Buying Group reports that it has made good on its promise to ramp up its recruitment programme, with five new Partners coming on board in recent weeks.

The five new Partners include two new East London based merchants Floyds Builders Merchant in South East London, a general merchant with a specialism in steel; and timber specialist T Chambers and Son based in Romford In addition, Darlaston Builders Merchants near Walsall and Paget Builders Merchants in Sheffield, heavyside and general merchants, join along with Marcliff Plumbing and Heating Supplies based in Bristol with a focus on renewables.
Managing Director Nick Oates (pictured) says that discussions with even more potential recruits continue apace: “We stated a few months ago that our pipeline of potential new Partners was historically strong We have now begun delivering on that potential with five new Partners bringing a diverse range of specialisms to the group.
“But we’re not stopping here, the pipeline remains strong and we’re confident that we will be making further announcements in the coming weeks and months ”
Nick adds that the independent merchant sector is receptive to the NBG message: “Our democratic ideals, founded on the philosophy of ‘one Partner, one vote’ is proving highly attractive to merchants who want a real say in how their buying group is run and are wary of an overly centralised approach that dictates rather than manages by consensus We believe our focus on buying deals through developing a strong community spirit results in everyone supporting each other We’re confident in our approach and we believe there is more to come ”
Haldane Fisher Morecambe Branch
Following a £250,000 investment and located at the former Broadoak Home and Garden Centre premises, Haldane Fisher has unveiled its new Morecambe branch The development forms part of Haldane Group’s long-term growth strategy, which will see over £50 million spent on whole group development over the next five years

Simon Walling, who leads the Haldane Fisher brand in England and the Isle of Man, along with timber distributor GE Robinson, said: “We are delighted to open our new branch in Morecambe, further strengthening our presence in Lancashire This revamped location reflects our commitment to providing convenient access to top-quality products and services and we are pleased to have now opened our doors to the public
“This follows the refurbishment of our branch in Garstang, which experienced a £600,000 redevelopment to increase the product range and enhance the ironmongery and door offering.”
Mkm Hire Hvo Generators
MKM has teamed up with plant and machinery company MHM Group to offer fusion powered generators as part of its Tool and Plant Hire offering. The MG 6000 SSY-Eco generators, which are designed to minimise air and noise pollution on construction sites, are being launched as a hire product for MKM customers, starting at the merchant’s latest Hire branch at King’s Lynn

The new generators feature start-stop technology to save on running costs and reduce energy and fuel usage Although traditionally diesel powered, the generators can also run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), or a mix of both, offering sustainability benefits to users.
With other category winners including household brands such as John Lewis, JustEat and the Very Group, MKM has also recently triumphed at the global MACH Impact Awards for its newly revamped website
The project, carried out alongside Brave Bison Commerce, Vue Storefront, BigCommerce and Bloomreach, was named ‘Best B2B Project’ at this year’s event and the results of the initiative speak for themselves Four weeks after launch, MKM witnessed a 42% increase in site traffic compared to the previous year, a 75% improvement in average page load speed, and a 77% boost in average time spent on the page It also experienced a 26% increase in total web orders and an 82% uptick in revenue
City Plumbing Teenage Cancer Trust Fundraising Milestone
City Plumbing and Teenage Cancer Trust are celebrating a remarkable milestone after funds raised through their partnership reached the magical figure of £3m That’s enough to pay for 100,000 hours of nursing time and is the result of endless hours of fundraising by employees at the leading heating and plumbing merchant
City Plumbing has supported Teenage Cancer Trust since 2012, making it one of the charity’s longest standing ‘charity of the year’ partnerships During that time, employees across the business have raised money through a wide range of fundraising activities from hikes and climbs to cycle rides, Tough Mudders, treks, walks and marathons.
Dave Evans, CEO at parent group Highbourne Group, said: “It has been remarkable to see so many people get involved and be inspired to raise money for a charity we all believe in We first launched the partnership 11 years ago by asking colleagues to vote for the charity they wanted to donate to, and it has brought everyone in the business together ”
“We are so proud to have raised £3m so far - and judging by the commitment of everyone I speak to, I’m certain that figure will continue to rise ”
Bradfords Building Supplies Community Cup Final
Earlier in the summer, some 230 children from across the South West took part in this year’s Bradfords Community Cup Final at Somerset County Cricket Club. Organised by the Somerset County Cricket Foundation and sponsored by Bradfords, the festival was the culmination of 18 regional qualifiers, in which 116 teams competed

David Young, CEO at Bradfords, said: “We put a lot of energy into encouraging the next generation as a business and to have the opportunity to support initiatives like these in the communities we serve is an extension of that
“Grass roots sports offers such a great training ground, not just to foster a love of sport, but more intangible skills that prepare youngsters for life ahead of them As a business firmly rooted in the communities of the South West, and with such enduring presence, we understand the responsibility we have to support that ”
TRAVIS PERKINS PLC + GRAFTON GROUP PLC HALF YEAR RESULTS
Outlining some of the challenges currently facing the merchant sector, both Travis Perkins plc and the Grafton Group have each recently released their half year results for 2023

Click or tap the following links below for the full details:
Travis Perkins plc
Grafton Group plc
Jewson Band Of Builders Fundraising
Raising vital funds for its official charity partner Band of Builders, Jewson recently held its fourth annual ‘Monster’ event the T20 Monster Blast which saw six teams of cricket players from Jewson’s business units around the UK fight it out to be the Grand Final winners As well as Jewson colleagues, the mixed-sex teams were also made up of staff from some of the merchant’s key suppliers and players from Tickhill Cricket Club in Doncaster, where the tournament was held
The trophy was lifted by SAM Mouldings Red Super Chargers, who beat CTD Green Chiefs Celebrations lasted into the evening, with football, darts and table tennis tournaments taking place as well as live entertainment and food and drink stalls Elsewhere, raffles were held in Jewson branches around the country, offering prizes including tickets to the Vitality Blast at Headingly to see the Yorkshire Vikings take on the Birmingham Bears
Jewson’s Monster events are the brainchild of its Client and Community Development Director, Barry Hilling, with the first the Monster Marathon taking place in 2016 A 130-mile Monster Walk and the Monster Splash triathlon have followed, raising funds for Band of Builders which supports tradespeople and their families during times of need www rdr link/mav005 www rdr link/mav006
In the three years since Jewson made Band of Builders its official charity partner, it has raised more than £200,000 for the cause


