Master Merchant — what’s it all about?

The annual Master Merchant competition has been a fixture in the BMF calendar for over 30 years and remains as popular as ever with returning competitors and first-timers alike.

This year, fifteen four-person teams drawn from builders’ merchants and building material suppliers across the countr y lined up to compete Having arrived in glorious sunshine, the threat of thunderstorms was never far away Getting wet, however, is one of the main attractions of the canoeing and ghyll scrambling challenges, and teams soon found out who had the best head for heights during the rock-climbing activity

Communication skills were tested as the teams took on a blindfolded human sheep herding trial, played human chess, and worked out the best way to construct a rope square The event culminated in a scavenger hunt around Ambleside finding the answers to clues and completing smaller tasks and challenges along the route

At the end of a hard-fought but fun weekend

EH Smith Builders Merchants emerged as the new Master Merchant champions, with a team of first-time participants comprising captain Oliver Marshall, Adam Johnson, Tom Staunton and Ben Nash Brown Encon Group won the Super Supplier trophy, its team comprising captain James Robinson, Hayden Little, Ian Gallacher and Ian Lock

But the real attraction of Master Merchant is the experience gained by ever yone that takes part The experienced team at organisers

Steven Lee Associates ensure the event is safe and fun as well as challenging Although there is no “official” learning input, it offers a great chance for colleagues to develop a close bond and understanding that will ser ve them well back at work

Ian Gallacher, from the winning Super Supplier team would highly recommend it for team and relationship building, saying: “ The instructors help and support ever y step of the way put us at ease and gave confidence for the challenges put in front of us It’s an excellent experience for team building not only within your own team but with the entire group

“ There was a good level of friendly competition between the teams, while still supporting and pushing each other, thus building relationships you would other wise spend months building ”

Helen Stone, one of three first-timers in the Harlow Timber Group team, is another convert, saying: “Although we had a vague idea of what to expect, nothing could have prepared us for what the weekend had in store not least the compassion, understanding and encouragement of the instructors to make us all push ourselves to new limits

“For anyone considering whether to take part next year, my advice would be undoubtedly, do it. It will be the best experience Character building, making new friends and finding more about yourself than you ever thought possible ”

Next year’s Master Merchant Challenge takes place on 12-14 July 2024 Find out more or reser ve your place by emailing stacey lock@bmf org uk n BMF training ranges from formal Apprenticeships and, with leading British universities, sector-specific Diplomas, Degrees and a Masters Degree in Merchant Leadership and Strategy, to online product knowledge and other specialist skills training. merritt & Fryers mD Rachel Fryers, Haldane Group CeO David Haldane, Keyline Civils specialist mD Dean Pinner and Neil Sabey, Group mD of Harlow timber Group, have been elected to the board of the Builders Merchant Federation the quartet take over from Frank elkins, who is stepping down after leaving travis perkins, whilst Lords CeO shanker patel, Haldane Group Chairman Ian Haldane and Collier & Catchpole mD tim rowbottom have each completed two three-year terms of office

For more on the story, use www.rdr.link/mav011

ROCKWOOL has overhauled its merchant sales team “to give greater local support as demand for its insulation rises ” the restructure sees the creation of ten Area sales executive roles and a wider remit of support and end-to-end service

Covering the Northern region are Rakesh Bhopal, Lewis Smith, Mark Hancock and Rebecca Ellwood the south-West of the UK s served by Nate Grant, Phil Notley, Richard Llewellyn and Sam Wilson, while the south-east is supported by Dom Mason and Chris Ludlow merchants can find their local representative via www rdr link/mav012

Spirotech has appointed Dean Oliver as Area sales manager (Commercial) with responsibility for developing the south and London areas He joins the company from City plumbing, where he gained experience across several branches, before becoming Assistant manager at the Canterbury branch

Dean said: “I am really pleased to have joined spirotech and look forward to further developing its customer base from consultants through to the merchants, whilst looking after our existing customers ”

Oliver Cole is the latest addition to the growing Stelrad brand specialists team, responsible for being the face of stelrad through merchant branches, helping stockists and installers with radiator queries and providing support with local training and product knowledge

Looking after the east midlands and east Anglia region, Oli said: “I’m really enjoying my role as a brand specialist, being able to help people on a one-to-one basis ”

AG has appointed James Jack as Head of sales for scotland James brings with him over 25 years ’ experience in the construction industry, working across both the manufacturing and distribution sectors, most recently as Account manager at Keyline where he managed the group ’ s tier 1 contractors

James will be engaging with contractors, subcontractors and, especially, builders’ merchants, supporting general merchant/stockist activity and driving sales through this channel to further strengthen support to individual merchant outlets, SIG Distribution has created a new team of regional account managers the nationwide team is headed by Divisional sales Directors Steve Davies (North) and Leighton Davies (south), and will build on the work done by the firm’s national account managers whilst reflecting the importance of more ‘boots on the ground’ to work with merchant customers modelling the new team on his own experience of working on the merchant side, steve said: “even in an increasingly digital world you need to be in front of your customer you need to walk round their yards Our merchant customers can call on a wealth of expertise across the organisation to provide comprehensive support for their customers whatever the complexity of the project they are working on ”