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BMBI
BUILDERS MERCHANT BUILDING INDEX
STRONG APRIL AS BUILDERS’ MERCHANTS’ SALES CONTINUE TO BOUNCE BACK
According to the latest Builders Merchants Building Index (BMBI) report, published in June, builders’ merchants’ value sales to builders and contractors remained strong in April, with Landscaping and Timber & Joinery Products leading the field.
YEAR-ON-YEAR
Total Builders Merchants value sales in April 2021 was exceptionally high compared to April 2020 (+419.2%). However, many merchants and construction sites were temporarily closed during April last year so it doesn’t give a fair picture of performance. Comparisons with April 2019, a pre-pandemic year, are more useful and show sales were up by 22.1%. Over the same period, Landscaping (+63.3%) and Timber & Joinery Products (+37.2%) performed strongly compared to April 2019, while other categories grew more slowly. Heavy Building Materials, the largest category, grew 13.8%. Kitchens & Bathrooms (-1.3%) was the only category to sell less.
BMBI April 2021 Highlights Infographic LAST THREE MONTHS
Total value sales in February to April 2021 were 72.4% higher than the same three months in 2020, with one more trading day this year. Landscaping (+133.1%), Timber & Joinery Products (+99.6%) and Tools (+86.2%) were the top three categories. Compared to the same three months of 2019, total sales were up +15.6%, helped by two more trading days.
MONTH-ON-MONTH
Compared with a record-breaking March, Total Builders Merchants sales in April were slightly lower month-on-month (-0.9%), not helped by three fewer trading days. Only Landscaping (+15.5%) and Timber & Joinery Products (+0.4%) sold more. Plumbing, Heating & Electrical (-13.1%) was the weakest performing category.
ROLLING 12 MONTHS
Merchants’ value sales over the 12 months to April 2021 were 10.9% more than the same period a year earlier (May 2019 to April 2020).
INDEX
April’s BMBI index was 150.6, the second-highest ever recorded and only marginally behind March’s record-breaking 151.9. Landscaping (257.0) was the strongest category, followed by Timber & Joinery Products (176.3).
For the full report, including comments from the BMBI’s panel of leading industry Experts, please visit www.bmbi.co.uk.
GfK’s Builders Merchant Panel
GfK’s data sample represents 80% of the country’s Multiple Generalist Builders Merchants, defined as those selling a mix of heavy-side and light-side products through more than three branches or with an annual turnover of more than £3m. The panel includes national, multiregional and regional merchants such as Buildbase, Jewson, Travis Perkins, EH Smith, Gibbs & Dandy, MKM, Bradfords, Covers and Ridgeons. Live data confirms total annual sales for the Multiple Generalist Builders Merchants Channel to be in excess of £6bn.
The Builders Merchant Building Index
The Builders Merchants Federation Ltd (BMF) is the only trade association that represents and protects the interests of builders’ merchants and suppliers to the building materials industry in the UK and Ireland. Total membership from 1 June 2021 will stand at 750 merchant and supplier companies who together have combined sales of over £38bn and employ over 206,000 people in the building materials industry. BMF’s 395 merchant members operate from over 5,800 branches across the UK and Ireland.
MRA Research
MRA specialises in helping companies grow in the construction, building materials and home improvement markets – and has done so for 25 years. The company offers a range of data and research services, including customer satisfaction surveys, brand mapping & positioning, competitor reviews, new product development & concept testing, advertising & messaging research, decision maker research and market tracking. MRA set up the BMBI in 2015 and continues to manage it.
