Issue: May 2014
News | Business | Products | Training | Publications | Diary
in this issue
Cameron talks to the BMF
Members Day 2014
BMF Sponsors Industry Award
New BMF Chairman appointed By the time this edition of one voice is in your hands, Terry Parker will have stepped down from his role as Chairman, and Peter Hindle will be the new chairman of the BMF.
Peter Hindle has an excellent base from which to build. His 43 years experience in the industry means that he is perfectly placed to help us achieve our aims going forward. For those of you who don’t know Peter, he started on his merchanting career as a 16-year old trainee at an independent merchant before developing his career at Jewson where he held the role of Managing Director from 1999 until 2012.
New BMF Chairman Peter Hindle
Since 2009 Peter has held the position of General Delegate for Saint-Gobain UK, Ireland and South Africa, and in 2013 he was given a global role as Senior VicePresident in charge of sustainable habitat. He also sits on the World Green Building Council Advisory Board and the CPA Industry Principals Council. Commenting on this new appointment, Peter said: “The BMF has changed considerably over the last five years and I’m very happy with the route it is taking. John Newcomb is doing a great job as MD and my role is to help the Federation develop to meet current and future challenges. The aim must be for the vast majority of merchants, whether national or independent to join, so the BMF really can speak as the voice of the industry”. On behalf of the BMF and its members, we wish Peter every success in this role.
Terry Parker presentation
New Plumbing & Heating Sector
BMF launches NEW Postgraduate Diploma and Masters Degree Following our launch of the new BMF Postgraduate Diploma and Masters Degree we are pleased to announce the first course is due to commence in October this year.
Terry has played a major role in guiding and securing the future of our Federation over the past five years and we have much to thank him for. As BMF Chairman, Terry guided a radical transformation of our organisation and leaves us in a strong position both financially and organisationally. Staff and members of the BMF Board presented Terry with an engraved crystal decanter and tickets for the British Grand Prix this year. We wish Terry every success for the future.
BMF Membership at 5 year high
The 12-month course offers an advanced personal development qualification for senior managers working in either merchant or supplier BMF member companies. This inaugural course is being sponsored by the Builders Merchants Training Trust (BMTT) who has generously agreed to subsidise the £5,500 cost of each student’s fee by 50% for this year. The course will be run by Birmingham City University who will award the new qualification to successful candidates, who will then be able to progress directly onto a Masters Degree in Merchant Leadership & Strategy, requiring a further year of part-time study.
Applications are open until end of May. Contact james.spillane@ bmf.org.uk for further details.
BMF and Government Update PM talks to the BMF “We need more small- and medium-sized builders” was the message from David Cameron MP to the BMF at a conference in London during March. The Prime Minister was talking to Brett Amphlett, BMF Policy Manager, who raised the issue in person with Mr Cameron. The Prime Minister explained that the Budget in March was intended to help SME builders and allied trades to play their part in helping to build much-needed new homes. He reminded the BMF that the new £500m Builders’ Finance Fund will offer loans to SMEs to help them to get moving on plots that have stalled due to difficulty in obtaining finance. In addition, his Government will introduce a new Right to Build to enable self- and custombuilders to find suitable land identified by local authorities. David Cameron & Brett Amphlett
Pochin hosts Government fact-finding visit with BMF The Government Treasury spokesman in the Lords, Lord Newby, visited the Leicester showroom of independent plumbing and heating merchant and BMF member Robert Pochin to take the temperature of the sector.
BMF calls on BIS to break late payment culture We have made representations to government to tackle poor payment practices between businesses by enforcing the Late Payment Code. Late, incomplete or non-payment of bills is a long-standing issue faced by merchants that must be tackled. The BMF gave its views and made arguments on the following subjects, a full transcript of which can be seen at www.bmf.org.uk/news • • • •
Prompt Payment Code Corporate Responsibility Construction Industry Small Firms
For further information on BMF policy contact our policy manager Brett Amphlett on (020) 3581 1313 or email brett.amphlett@bmf.org.uk
The visit, organised by the BMF, was part of a fact-finding mission to Leicester to hear first hand the Lord Newby visiting Leicester showroom challenges facing small and medium sized businesses seeking to grow and create jobs. The visit gave Robert Pochin managing director David Pochin and John Newcomb an opportunity to discuss with Lord Newby the strength of the market in domestic RMI, the supply chain, apprenticeships and skills training and help for the regions to grow.
Government extends Trade Credit Scheme – good news for members! Following an early review, the government has agreed to extend the Trade Credit Enterprise Finance Guarantee pilot scheme, which the BMF has made available to its members. The BMF secured up to £50 million of government-backed guarantees for a six month pilot launched last autumn and due to end in March. The extension means that approved BMF members may continue to grant new credit facilities until the end of September 2014, and those facilities can remain in place for a full 12 months. This extension means that the scheme has been extended, effectively until September 2015. Securing an extension to the scheme will make it possible for many more BMF members to participate. To date some 76 customers of BMF members have been granted £1.2m of additional credit. This is an incredible offer for members and one that should not be missed. There is still a sizeable amount of credit still available - once its gone, its gone! Contact mike.fletcher@bmf.org.uk administrator of the scheme now to discuss in more detail.
Members’ Day 2014 These are just two of the exceptional speakers we have with us on the two days. Our golf tournament will be held again this year and Monument Tools, sponsors of the 2013 golf competition has kindly agreed to sponsor the competition again.
Plans are well advanced for this year’s BMF Members’ Day which returns to the Whittlebury Hall Hotel in Towcester on the 16 and 17 September. The theme of this year’s event is ‘Accelerating Growth’ and will look at ways in which you can grow your business as well as your people. We are particularly pleased to have, for the first time, a Headline Sponsor for the event – ACO Academy. This marks a new look for the two-day event and our prestigious dinner will be called the BMF/ ACO Academy Awards Dinner. This year the dinner will be black tie to celebrate and recognise this year’s apprentices and young achievers.
Being located next to Silverstone it would be remiss of us not to give delegates that ultimate driving experience and this will be available too. Lord Simon Wolfson
Charlie Mullins Charlie will be recognised by many. He is Britain’s richest plumber launching Pimlico Plumbers in 1979 with just a bag of tools. He now has 200 professional trades people working for him serving customers across London. His vans can also be seen in Spain where he serves local and expat customers. A true entrepreneur growing his company and his people.
ACO Academy is a training facility offering builders merchants and their employees the opportunity to make full use of ACO’s training options which include online modules, training days at their head office and also in merchant branches. We also have an impressive line-up of speakers led by Lord Simon Wolfson.
Lord Simon Wolfson Lord Wolfson is Chief Executive of Next plc. He started working for Next as a sales assistant in 1991, and was appointed Chief Executive in 2001 at the age of 33 – at that time the youngest CEO of a FTSE 100 company. In 2010 Simon was made a Conservative life peer. As well as writing a column for The Times about the economy and finance, Simon is the founder of the £250,000 Wolfson Economics Prize, and the 2014 prize focuses on housing. Simon’s background and focus on housing makes him an exciting and relevant speaker for our conference.
Charlie Mullins Pimlico Plumbers
Full details will be available shortly but to reserve your place at this year’s flagship BMF event, contact Christine Harding at chris.harding@bmf.org.uk
BMF Awards BMF sponsors Industry Awards We continue our programme of supporting major events in the industry and are pleased to be sponsoring the Career Development category at this year’s TTJ Awards. This is the first time the BMF has sponsored an award within the timber industry. The Award recognises achievement in the timber sector qualifications and the entrant’s application and success in putting their learning to use in the workplace and in developing their career in the sector. Some of the biggest names in the timber industry are members of the BMF and we are looking forward to working on the award and encouraging entries. The TTJ Awards will be presented at a luncheon in London on 25 September in London. We are partnering, for the second year running, the prestigious Builders Merchants Awards for Excellence which last year attracted over 200 nominations covering some 16 categories from a wide range of industry sectors, including training, marketing, customer service, showrooms, and products. The prestigious luncheon will be held in London on 21 November.
BMF Top Three Diploma in Merchanting Graduates receive awards Congratulations to our top three BMF graduates of the BMF Diploma in Merchanting. Andrew Howard, Simpson & Allinson, won 1st prize, John Rennick, MKM, won 2nd prize, and Neil Graves, Builders Merchants Company won 3rd prize. All were presented with their awards by the Worshipful Company of Builders Merchants at their annual City & Awards Luncheon in London. The ceremony is an opportunity to recognise the achievements of young merchants in the industry. The Diploma has become a real success. Currently some 58 candidates are studying in six separate groups around the country and more groups are planned. Contact james.spillane@bmf.org.uk for brochure and more details on what groups are available.
Last year’s winner Steven Rennie, Keith Builders Merchants
BMJ/BMF Young Merchant Achiever Award 2014 The search is on for this year’s BMJ/ BMF Young Merchant Achiever of the Year. This award was launched last year and received an excellent response. Our young people are the future of our industry and talent needs to be recognised and encouraged. This award aims to do just that. The award will go to a merchant manager, under 35, who has demonstrated an ability to go above and beyond in their business, bringing new ideas and opportunities to deliver results. The winner will receive a cash prize of £2,500 donated by BMJ and BMF, along with an education trip to Sweden courtesy of SCA Timber. The runner-up will receive an Apple iPad, courtesy of Bostik. Last year’s winner was Steven Rennie from Keith Builders Merchants in Scotland who received his award at the prestigious BMF Members’ Day Dinner. Contact chris.harding@bmf.org.uk for further information or visit www.bmf.org.uk/news to download the nomination form. Submissions need to be emailed to frussell-horne@datateam.co.uk by 31 July.
BMF Diploma winners with BMF Managing Director John Newcomb
Membership News Membership at a five year high We are delighted to report that we started 2014 with membership at a five-year high. In January membership exceeded the 400 mark for the first time since 2007 and now stands at 450 comprising 300 merchants and 120 suppliers. The balance is made up of distributors, service and affiliate members. Member numbers have grown by over 126 in the last 18 months, with the largest growth in merchant numbers which have increased from 176 to 300. Much of the growth has been driven by the major buying groups, five of whom we are pleased to say have entered new collective membership agreements with the BMF – IBC, NBG, LIMA, PHG, and most recently Fortis.
BMF MEMBERS August 2012 – April 2014 + 126 Members
450
394
400 350
324
329
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300 250 200 150 100 50
Aug 12 Jan 13 May 13 Aug 13 Sep13 Jan 14 Apr14
Focus on new BMF Plumbing & Heating sector Recognising the importance of the plumbing and heating sector we have formed for Plumbing & Heating the first time a new BMF Plumbing & Heating Group.
Six months after agreeing our first group membership scheme with IBC, we have just celebrated the 50th IBC member to join us by presenting the buying group with a framed British Lions rugby shirt signed by former international, Austin Healey.
Ron Walker, currently MD of Heating Plumbing Supplies Ltd, has been appointed as first chairman of this specialist group which has been boosted by the group membership scheme agreed with the PHG buying group, which came into effect on 1 January.
Highland Industrial Supplies Ltd is the 50th IBC member to join the BMF.
450
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BMF marks 50th IBC group member with British Lions
IBC bid £1,000 for the iconic jersey in an auction of rugby to raise funds for the Rainy Day Trust. In total, the BMF auction raised over £4,000 for the charity.
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It was a full house for the first meeting last month. Over 30 people representing a cross section of the plumbing and heating supply industry met at the offices of BMF in Coventry. “I was pleased to be asked, and delighted to accept the position as first chairman of the BMF Plumbing and Heating Sector” said Ron. ”This is an exciting new section within the BMF and I am looking forward to putting my experience and enthusiasm
for the good of the industry to the benefit of all involved. The new group provides a unique forum where national, regional and independent merchants can join with their suppliers to work together to advance the interests of the industry. John Newcomb was equally delighted, saying: “The BMF has worked hard to reassure P&H merchants that their interests are central to BMF policy. I’m delighted with the response and it was extremely helpful to hear what they had to say about the issues facing their business”. The next P&H Group meeting will be hosted by Pegler in Yorkshire on 25 November and all plumbing and heating members are welcome.
Dates for your Diary AROUND THE BMF REGIONS
2014
South West regional meeting
12 June
RGB in Tiverton played host to members from the BMF South West Region last month for the regional meeting which was chaired by Kevin Fenlon. Stephen Collins, Bank of England Agent for the South West was guest speaker who gave an interesting overview of the economy which led to deep debate from the delegates. The benefits of BMF training were high on the agenda with Mark Parrish, Cortexa bringing delegates up to speed on the online product training through BMF Campus, and Nina Royle on the BMF Apprenticeship Scheme. Contact richard.jones@bmf.org.uk regarding future meetings.
BMF holds first BMF Wellness Clinic We held our first ever ‘BMF Personal Wellness at the BMF offices in Coventry. The clinic, was hosted by Dr Dorian Dugmore who gave a presentation at the BMF All Industry Conference on Corporate Wellness and at last year’s BMF Members’ Day. Following both events a lot of interest was shown by members in providing a health programme not just for their companies but themselves as well. It was a full house for the first clinic and subject to demand a second clinic is planned. Contact chris.harding@ bmf.org.uk for more details if you are interested in attending a clinic.
BMF London & South East Regions, Saint-Gobain Innovation Centre, London
19-22 June All Industry Conference, Tenerife 3 July
JCB becomes 450th member of BMF JCB, the world’s third largest construction equipment manufacturer, has become our 450th member. Nicola Bagworth, general manager, said “We are very pleased to be joining the BMF and it is quite a landmark to be the 450th member.” John Newcomb said “I am delighted to welcome one of the UK’s most well known brands to the BMF as our 450th member
BMF Board Meeting, Coventry
11-13 July BMF MasterMerchant Competition, Lake District 11-14 Sept FEST (European Lightside Congress, Munich) 16 Sept
BMF Board Meeting, am. Whittlebury Hall Hotel, Towcester
16-17 Sept BMF Members’ Day, Whittlebury Hall Hotel, Towcester 25 Sept
TTJ Awards Luncheon, Landmark Hotel, London
7 Oct
BMF South West Region, venue tbc
John, along with Christine Harding, Marketing Manager and organiser of the BMF Young Merchants Group, took over 30 delegates from the Group to the JCB plant in Rocester, Staffs last month. Members of the group saw at first hand the manufacture of the JCB Teletruk forklift and were given a tour of the VIP Visitor Centre. A meeting followed dedicated to social and digital media with speakers from Google, Toolbank and Grant & Stone.
7-8 Oct
Timber Expo, NEC, Birmingham
9 Oct
BMF North East Region, Ramside Hall Hotel, Durham
16 Oct
BMF North West Region. Venue tbc
16-18 Oct
UFEMAT (EuropeanHeavyside) Congress, Valencia, Spain
22 Oct
BMF East Midlands Region, Coventry
29 Oct
BMF Midlands Region, JCB, Rocester, Staffs
The group also visited Fakro in Poland earlier in the year, with a day of 3D presentations and a tour of the manufacturing plant, followed by a day on the slopes enjoying a number of sporting challenges. Contact chris.harding@ bmf.org.uk for more details on the Young Merchants Group.
5 Nov
BMF Scottish Region, Venue tbc
6 Nov
CPA Luncheon, London
20 Nov
BMF Young Merchants Group, London
21 Nov
Builders Merchants Awards for Excellence, London
25 Nov
BMF Plumbing & Heating Sector Group, Pegler, Yorks
3 Dec
BMF Board Meeting, Coventry
10 Dec
BMF Yorkshire Region, Middlethorpe Hall Hotel, York
Welcome to New Members Suppliers Alutec JCB Industrial Just Trays Marshalls Tufflex
Merchants Plasson Rudridge Toolbank Vado
Service IPG (Independent Plumbing Group) Jim Collins Acquisitions & Consultancy Services
BMF supports the Rainy Day Trust, our nominated charity.
Barrys Building Supplies Kent Home Improvements D W Nye