BMF Plumbing & Heating News Summer/Autumn 2017

Plumbing & Heating

LATEST NEWS | EVENTS | NEW MEMBERS | TRADE SHOWS etc

in this issue

Pg2: Become a Data Exchange Partner with GfK

Pg4: New BMF Stockist Search app launched

Pg6: BMF Members’ Day 2017

Issue 3: Summer/Autumn 2017

Pg7: Plumbing & Heating Forums

Pg8: New members welcomed

Pg11: Apprenticeship Training Agency (ATA)

Builders Merchants show strong growth in first half of 2017 Recent data from the Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) shows that builders’ merchants across the UK have experienced strong growth in the first half of 2017.

The BMBI contains data from GfK’s Builders Merchants Panel, which analyses data from over 80% of generalist UK builders’ merchants’ sales. Year on year sales were up 3.7% in June 2017. Strong sales performances were also seen in Kitchens & Bathrooms (+9.6%) and Plumbing, Heating & Electrical (+6.2%).

The BMF has previously reported that builders’ merchants were optimistic about 2017, and these predictions appear to be becoming true with year to date sales being 3.8% ahead of the same six months in 2016. The BMF

Source: GfK’s Builders Merchants Total Category Report July 2015 to May 2017

states that the strong performance of its members demonstrates that builders’ merchants are delivering the vital materials required to support construction and growth across the UK. John Newcomb, Chief Executive of the BMF, said: “To date 2017 has been a positive year for merchants but, with Brexit looming, it would be foolish not

to consider the possibility of tougher trading conditions as we move into 2018.”

The rolling 12 months graph above shows Plumbing, Heating & Electrical sales have increased by 3.3% year on year.

Domestic boiler sales declining year on year Latest economic data from the Energy & Utilities Alliance shows domestic gas boiler sales to June 2017 as follows:

Continued on page 2 > Welcome to our latest P&H members

1

Market Data Domestic boiler sales declining year on year (continued from page 1) • Sales of domestic gas boilers in June 2017 decreased by 5.2% in comparison with June 2016.

• Sales for the year-to-date are 7.1% lower than at the same time last year.

• Sales on a moving annual basis are approximately 1.59 million boilers, representing a fall of 3.3% For more information please contact Richard Ellithorne at richard.ellithorne@bmf.org.uk

Source: Energy & Utilities Alliance, June 2017

GfK Plumbers Merchant Panel – become a Data Exchange Partner analysing EPOS data, have already set up the Builders Merchant Panel with 80% market participation and are currently recruiting contributors to the new Plumbing Merchants Panel.

As a potential ‘GfK Data Exchange Panel Partner’ you are eligible to receive GfK reports free of charge through our data share scheme provided that you meet our criteria.

In today’s uncertain economic climate, market intelligence is an extremely valuable tool and provides a competitive advantage for those with access in their marketplace. For independent merchants, tapping into this wealth of information can be very expensive.

Your information is safe with us. Absolute confidentiality is the cornerstone of the GfK business model. All panel member data is submitted anonymously and then aggregated within our reports ensuring the protection of our data sources.

GfK, a world leading insights company and market experts in processing and

What our reports tell you. The reports are useful to multiple stakeholders

2

including managers, buyers and a marketing team. They help you to set clear strategies for commercial growth, negotiate with suppliers and increase return on investment. With accurate, granular retail sales data, our partners gain understanding of how products are performing in the market.

As a ‘GfK Data Exchange Panel Partner’ you will be given access to the secure knowledge portal. This will entitle you to view all the reports relevant to your industry as well as a detailed “Economic Overview”.

The window for joining the panel from launch closes soon, for more information about becoming a data exchange partner contact jane.hills@gfk.com or ricky.coombes@gfkcom at the earliest opportunity.

Trade Shows The BMF visit

ISH in Frankfurt – 14-18 March

The BMF at Ecobuild

Roman: L-R: Chris Wall (BMF), Mike Spink (Roman), David Osborne (Roman) , John Newcomb (BMF).

In March BMF CEO John Newcomb and BMF Marketing and Communications Manager Chris Wall visited Messe Frankfurt for the ISH world trade fair and enjoyed meeting up with members.

The show, which offered a VIP Package to all BMF members, covered a range of plumbing and heating technologies; The Bathroom Experience, Building, Energy, Air-conditioning Technology, Renewable Energies.

This year ISH welcomed over 200,000 visitors, again demonstrating its significance as world’s leading trade fair, with 2,482 world-market leader exhibitors from 61 countries, including many BMF supplier members such as ACO, Adey, Aliaxis, Baxi, Bosch Thermotechnik, Fernox, Floplast, Geberit, Grundfos, Hansgrohe, Honeywell, Ideal Standard, IMI, IVAR, JG Speedfit, Kingspan Environmental, Pegler, Saint Gobain PAM, Roca, Roman, Siamp, Thomas Dudley, Twyfords and Wavin.

BMF members enjoyed a busy show in the BMF Pavilion throughout the three days at Ecobuild in March.

Marsh Industries, Kalsi Plastics and Builders Merchants News joined the BMF in the Pavilion.

Over 20,000 industry professionals visited Ecobuild this year to explore the latest innovations from more than 450 leading exhibitors, joining the Redefining Sustainability debate and discussing the key issues currently facing the built environment.

For more information about Ecobuild visit www.ecobuild.co.uk

For more information about ISH please visit www.ish.messefrankfurt.com

BMF Pavilion at UK Construction Week Building on the success of 2016 UK Construction Week (attended by over 30,000 visitors), the BMF will host another branded Pavilion this year at the NEC from 10-12 October.

The BMF Pavilion will be located in the Build Show area of UK Construction Week, which features nine separate shows in total, including Grand Designs Live. Exhibition space within the BMF Pavilion will be reserved for BMF members who can benefit from a 20% discount (£300 per m2 space only and £340 per m2 shell scheme).

This year’s exhibitors include Intact Software, Rawlplug, ClicBox, Sales-i and Glen Castings.

Last year many plumbing & heating members exhibited in the BMF Pavilion including Marsh Industries and Plasson.

BMF member, EasyTrim, launched a new product at the 2016 show, as Rachel Gibson, Marketing Manager explained.

“We decided to launch our product at the Build Show because the show attracts such a broad demographic of visitors. We had a fantastic week at our stand and garnered a lot of high-quality leads.”

Visit www.ukconstructionweek.com.

To reserve exhibition space please contact Dale Nicholson at Media 10 on 0203 225 5217 or email dale.nicholson@media-ten.com

B & K Conference, The Belfry, Wishaw The BMF will be attending this conference for the bathroom and kitchen industries on 16-17 October at The Belfry Hotel & Resort, Sutton Coldfield.

The conference brings together key people from bathroom and kitchen businesses and has, over the last decade, seen delegate numbers grow to over 240.

For more information visit www.bathroom-association.org.uk/ annual-conference

3

Latest News Monument Tools opens new showroom and training centre Active BMF member Monument recently opened its new Training Centre and Showroom in Hackbridge, Surrey, the latest investment by the 5th generation family owned manufacturer, to support the industry’s need to give more training to end users, trade counter staff and distributors.

People attending the opening included representatives from the BMF, BHETA, Builders’ Merchants News and (maybe) the 6th generation of the Collier family!

The opening was carried out by Stephen Turner, The Master of the Worshipful Company of Builders Merchants. Guests were then given a factory tour, including the opportunity to assemble and engrave their own personalised pipe cutters.

Jonathan Collier, Managing Director, outlined the continual investment in CNC turning and milling machines, new

2017 BMF Handbook launched Last year suppliers and merchants alike told us how much they value our handbook, which combines a printed handbook with an easy-to-use smartphone app, listing the location of every BMF supplier and merchant outlet in the country. The new handbook is bigger and better than ever.

For more information please contact Oz Bham at oz.bham@bmf.org.uk or log in to the secure members’ area at www.bmf.org.uk

4

packaging machinery, laser marking, the brand refreshment and sales training programme, as well as an apprentice scheme linked with Kingston College engineering department.

The Training Centre and Showroom are designed to attract merchants, focus groups and industry bodies and also aims to hold BMF Regional meetings, and merchant and distributor sales meetings.

Sales Director, Jamie Fisher comments: “We are in the final stages of a Trade Counter Training Module with Cortexa where we aim to help train and educate merchant branch counter staff to develop skills for selling plumbing, roofing and drainage tools.”

“Our product training is being rolled out across our YouTube Channel and being combined with a focus group we work closely with - the Monument Masters helping us develop and test both new and existing products.”

For more information please email info@monument-tools.com

The BMF launches free Stockist Search app

The app is an exciting new way to engage with others across the industry:

In response to demand, the BMF is proud to launch its new Stockist Search app – the easy way to find a local BMF stockist.

• The app has been rolled out to the Expert Trades community of 14,000 trades professionals

With over 78% of trades now using their smartphone daily to help them with business activities, giving a trade support through their smartphone is a must for the construction industry.

The BMF have worked with Expert Trades to develop this easy to use app, which is free for all trades professionals to use and is available for Apple and Android platforms – just search BMF Stockist Search in iTunes or Google Play.

• Nearly 50% of supplier members joined the app for launch

• Continuous marketing efforts will ensure this is the number one app for trades professionals • The app features many suppliers and all merchant profiles of BMF members and enables users to search where their favourite brands are stocked at their local BMF builders’ merchant.

The app has full analytic tracking, creating powerful insights into trade buying habits by region and trade category. For more information please contact Adam Callow at Expert Trades at adam@experttrades.com

Latest News The NEW BMF website – www.bmf.org.uk The BMF has launched a new website at www.bmf.org.uk to serve its members across the industry.

BMF CEO John Newcomb says: “Following the survey conducted with our members last year, we have listened to our members and I believe this new website will enable members to gain even more value from their BMF membership. We very much look forward to stronger communication with all our members in the future.”

Building the new website, the BMF worked closely with Service member Pauley Creative, who work with many companies across the construction industry.

The new BMF website design As personalisation and user relevancy was a key aspect of the website communications plan, the homepage offers the option to display the most appropriate content to your job role and sector. This enables certain website visitors to tailor their BMF experience depending on their exact requirements and interests. Furthermore, the training page, which needed much higher visibility, now filters courses by category type and details a full description of what each course includes.

So what can you expect from the BMF website?

• Access to informative content most relevant to your job role and sector

Find the right course for you and book online

Select which communications you would like to receive

• Detailed BMF information, such as BMBI data, BMF Business News, CPA reports and forecasts, BMF Weekly Economic Bulletins • Book events and forums online • Access and book a range of useful training courses • Keep up to date with BMF blogs, case studies and latest news in the sector • Better communication with members and unlimited individual accounts across member companies • The option to become a member and receive the listed benefits The BMF website brief and functionality specification was created so that it could be built with a future measurable marketing strategy in mind. The main challenge was that it had to be built within the boundaries and confines of the

Book Forums and events online

new CRM software called IMIS. Pauley’s role has been two-fold; 1. to help the BMF manage the build process with their IMIS supplier and 2. as digital marketers to stress test the boundaries of the IMIS system to optimise BMF member and prospective member user journey and to capitalise on the opportunities of search and content marketing.

Interested in what the new BMF website design has to offer you?

Go to www.bmf.org.uk and set up your personalised account.The BMF appreciate feedback of your experience, so that we can improve the site where possible to meet your needs – please send your feedback to christine.wall@bmf.org.uk

FEST Field Trip to Paris – 6-8 September, 2017 FEST (The European Federation for the Sanitary and Heating Wholesale Trade) will be holding another of its popular European Field Trips, where merchants from the member countries across Europe are given the opportunity to visit other merchant operations in another country.

This year’s trip takes the group to Paris, visiting two or three Independent wholesalers as well as the impressive Headquarters and main distribution centre of St Gobain, the largest French industry group trading under 8 individual brands.

This is a unique opportunity for progressive senior managers to network with other like-minded industry leaders and experience trading styles and methods in practice elsewhere in Europe. The trip is partly subsidised by FEST and a number of supplier sponsors who will host a dinner for the delegates in the Eiffel Tower restaurant.

For more details contact Alex Clifford at alex.clifford@bmf.org.uk to check for remaining availability of places on the trip.

5

Events

BMF Members’ Day

Headline Sponsor

The BMF’s annual Members’ Day event takes place on 19 and 20 September at Jurys Inn Hinckley Island Hotel in Leicestershire, sponsored by Encon Insulation. The theme “Building Beyond Brexit” will focus on the national need for more house building, as well as challenging BMF members to consider if they are doing enough to continue to build their businesses in a changing political and trading landscape.

The programme includes: • 19 September Social Programme - Golf Tournament (sponsored

by Monument Tools) and Quad bikes and shooting (sponsored by First Event) • 20 September Conference and Evening Awards Dinner (headline sponsor Encon Insulation)

Speakers announced so far include: Miriam Staley CEO of Thought Expansion Network

Jadon Silva FCIPS Group Procurement Director, McCarthy & Stone

Arthur McArdle National Vice President of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB)

Dominic Holland Comedian, author and broadcaster

Prof. (Dr) Nigel MacLennan No 1 best-selling author, coach and chartered psychologist

Nicole Sykes Head of EU Negotiations at CBI

James Akrigg Head of Technology for Partners, Microsoft

Ian McCafferty Monetary Policy Committee

Simon Weston CBE British Army veteran, known for his recovery and charity work after Falklands War injuries.

Book your place now at www.bmf.org.uk/events. For more details contact June Upton at june.upton@bmf.org.uk

6

Events P & H Forum – 23 May at Fernox, Woking

The BMF P & H Forum

Francine Wickham of Fernox

At the BMF Plumbing & Heating Forum Chairman Keith Jones welcomed 41 delegates to Fernox in Woking for a packed agenda. As well as BMF updates, presentations included: • Introduction from Fernox (Calvin Pope and Francine Wickham) • “An Installer point of view - the Merchant/Supplier/Installer relationship now and in the future” (Richard Soper, CIPHE with installer Neil Boother)

• “The future of Bathrooms and how that will affect the future of Merchanting” (Gregg Cole, Ideal Standard) • The Plumbers Merchant “Are merchants becoming a thing of the past?” (Ian Kenny, Grahams) • Presentation on behalf of the Crown Commercial Service associated to the Building Industry. (David Wharton MCIPS, Crown Commercial Service) • Market Information Update (Ricky Coombs, GfK)

Plumbing & Heating Forum at the BMF Conference

Steph McGovern

Broadcaster and journalist Steph McGovern hosted the Plumbing & Heating Industry Forum at the BMF Conference in Budapest in June.

Within the Change, Challenge and Opportunity theme, Forum Chairman Keith Jones opened the debate by

stressing the need for the BMF to focus and further raise the profile of this “specialist sector” within the industry, and the need for merchants to keep innovating.

Jonathan Collier, MD of Monument Tools, raised the importance of brand

• APHC introduction and BMF member incentives (Jayne Carpenter, APHC) • Open forum Chairman Keith Jones thanked Fernox for their great hospitality at the Forum.

The next BMF Plumbing & Heating Forum will take place on 26 October at Wolseley, Leamington Spa. Visit www.bmf.org.uk/events to book your place or contact Alex Clifford at alex.clifford@bmf.org.uk

awareness in a challenging market, with tradesmen needing to know which merchants stock their preferred products. He highlighted opportunities for manufacturers to build trust and partnerships with merchants and add value to the supply chain.

Patrick Headon, MD of Wolseley UK, focussed on changing customer needs and the need for merchants to respond to market demand. The UK has one of the highest rates of ecommerce penetration in the world, but not in this sector, so there’s a need to build on digital opportunities and pre-empt emerging needs.

Merchants must be clear on their core values, with product expertise and service still being king.

Please contact Alex Clifford for details of the next BMF Plumbing & Heating Forum at alex.clifford@bmf.org.uk

7

New Members John Newcomb, BMF CEO said: “I am delighted to welcome B J Mullen, Build Supplies Ltd, Fernox, h&b Group and Lecico Bathrooms to membership. The BMF is the trade association that brings together merchants and their suppliers and I’m delighted all these members are already planning to take an active role with the BMF and I look forward to working with them in 2017.”

B J Mullen & Sons Ltd, bathroom, tiles, building and plumbing supplies are based in Moy, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, B J Mullen was founded in 1977 and is in its third generation of family ownership, employing 20 people.

In becoming the latest local independent merchant to sign up, BJ Mullen have shown commitment to continuous development and standing at the forefront of industry advances, reassuring their customers of professionalism and expertise.

Shane Mullen, Director of B J Mullen said: “We are excited to be joining the BMF and will fully support their members with our comprehensive plumbing, timber, bathroom & tile and stove range. We are looking forward to building upon the already strong relationships enjoyed with our suppliers and customers.”

For more information visit www.bjmullen.com

Lecico Bathrooms has marked its 30th anniversary by becoming a supplier member of the BMF. Based in Bedford, Lecico is one of the world’s largest designers and manufacturers of bathroom suites and fittings. Exporting to more than 50 countries worldwide, its outstanding reputation is founded on design-rich, competitively priced sanitaryware that has been crafted to the highest manufacturing standards.

In 1987 Lecico first ventured into the UK market and it is now firmly established as a market leader.

Paul Gemmell, Head of Marketing at Lecico, said: “The merchant sector is crucially important to our business in the UK and we are delighted to be joining the BMF. We supply our products to the vast majority of the national and independent merchants and believe our already strong relationships with the merchants will be further cemented by being members of the same trade association. We plan to play a full and active role in BMF meetings, events and activities.”

All Lecico products are subjected to a wide range of quality checks and controls throughout design and production. For more information visit www.lecico.co.uk

8

New Members Merchant Members

Supplier Members

Leading chemical water treatment and filter manufacturer, Fernox has recently joined the BMF. Joining the BMF will enable Fernox to participate in numerous political lobbying sessions and events, which form the BMF’s ‘One Industry, One Voice’ ethos, as well as working closely with allied industry groups and regulatory and planning bodies.

Gavin McLeod, Fernox Product Manager, said: “Fernox is delighted to join the BMF, which shares our vision of delivering leading customer care and support.

Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do at Fernox and input from our customers is especially important when it comes to developing our ranges of filters and chemical water treatments.

“BMF’s unique value is that it represents the entire building industry from the market contractor, merchant wholesaler to the supplier and manufacturer. By joining the BMF we hope to better understand the industry challenges at both a micro and macro level to aid the progression of the plumbing and heating sector.”

For more information visit www.fernox.com

BMF Membership hits new high at 600 Membership of the BMF continues to rise, with the Federation welcoming its 600th member in July.

Over the last five years the BMF has developed and implemented a strategy that has seen positive benefits for every sector of the building materials supply industry. The result has been a surge in membership amongst merchants and their suppliers of every size and in every part of the country.

Now

600

Members!

John Newcomb, BMF CEO said: “The BMF plays an extremely important role in representing the interests of our industry and has become the sector’s must-join body, with member numbers at their highest since 1995. We are the fourth largest construction trade organisation in the UK and our views are increasingly sought by policy makers at every level of government. Our voice is also receiving greater exposure in both mainstream and digital media, helping to build wider understanding of the merchant industry.”

BMF members include builders’, timber, plumbing & heating, roofing and landscaping merchants and the building materials firms that supply them. Their combined annual sales exceed £27.4bn and they employ over 120,000 people.

Of the total membership, 316 are merchant companies, operating from 4,900 branches across the UK.

9

Policy and Public Affairs Water labelling Time would appear to be running out for the industry to get behind a joint initiative to combine the existing two water labels currently operating in Europe, The Well Label and the European Water Label.

Despite earlier attempts this year to find a way forward that would satisfy both parties, including the formation of The European Bathroom Forum to oversee matters from a Brussel’s administrative base, a consensus has yet to be reached.

To all intents and purposes, it remains the role of industry manufacturers, as Paymasters of the Scheme, to formulate a conclusive single solution, and yet therein lies the dilemma, they cannot agree.

Currently, Geberit and Roca are behind the joint scheme but others continue to resist and regularly use both existing labels on their products.

At the CEIR (European Fittings Manufacturers) Congress in June this year, the EU Commission requested a proposal for an industry-led label that had some element of energy measure attached to it. The intention being that this would form part of the Joint Research Council’s (JRC’s) preparatory study on taps and showers. Ultimately, a stakeholders’ meeting would follow that should then lead to the EU Commission taking a final decision on what the industry might do, be that adopt the industry approved scheme, or insist on

a mandatory approach that will be far more exacting and costly for industry players.

For distributors and merchants alike, the solution is clear and remains in the manufacturers’ reach. A single label that is self-explanatory to the consumer and facilitates the sale of taps and mixers is a the starting point. Surely this is within the industry’s grasp?

For more information please contact Richard Ellithorne at richard.ellithorne@bmf.org.uk

Government must focus on building homes and developing industrial strategy says BMF In the wake of one of the most unpredictable election results in recent years, the BMF wants to see the new government focus on two major issues - building more homes and developing proper industrial policy – to promote economic growth across the UK.

10

The BMF has welcomed both the re-appointment of Greg Clark MP as the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy with responsibility for the building materials’ supply chain, and the re-appointment of Sajid Javid as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

will be delayed by several days so it could be well into next week before matters become clearer. The priorities have to include building homes, supporting businesses, creating jobs and raising productivity, and the fact that two key ministers are remaining in place is a positive sign.

John Newcomb, CEO of the BMF said: “There remains a high degree of uncertainty regarding the new government’s priorities. It now appears that the Queen’s Speech

“We believe that the Housing White Paper must now be progressed as it contains many of the solutions to the ‘broken housing market’. We want to see strong political determination

behind concerted action to simplify and speed up planning approvals to increase housing completions.

“In agreeing and adopting the Industrial Strategy, the BMF favours a strategy that showcases the construction industry, based on a clearly-defined, well-articulated mission to give it purpose, drive and direction. A resilient, functioning and enduring supply chain must be a core component if the Strategy is to succeed.”

Training New BMF Apprenticeship Training Agency to boost apprentice employment apprentices’ formal employer - taking full administrative responsibility - and place them with a host member.

After the successful completion of the apprenticeship, employment is seamlessly transferred to the host member.

The BMF has formed an accredited Apprenticeship Training Agency (ATA) that will help its members gain maximum benefit from the opportunities created by the Apprenticeship Reforms – whether or not they are required to pay the Apprenticeship Levy.

BMF Apprenticeships Plus is a new division of the BMF that utilises the expertise of an existing ATA, which has supported apprentice training for the Electrical Distribution Association (EDA) for the past five years. During that time EDA apprentice numbers have seen a six fold increase, rising from 54 in 2012 to 391 in 2016.

BMF Apprenticeships Plus is designed to remove potential administrative hurdles and make it easy for BMF members to take on apprentices in any job role. The BMF ATA qualifies as a levy payer and will act as the

Another key aspect of the scheme is the flexibility it offers to both the host member and the apprentice.

This is particularly helpful if merchants or suppliers are unable to commit to the length of time needed for a full apprenticeship. If the member company’s circumstances change during the apprenticeship BMF Apprenticeship Plus will aim to find alternative and appropriate employment for the apprentice. This also gives the apprentice the reassurance that they will complete their training and gain a qualification.

BMF members will be able to continue to use their existing preferred training providers but they will also have access to a far wider portfolio of established and pre-vetted training providers covering all areas of the UK offering new qualifications and funded training opportunities.

To find out more about BMF Apprenticeship Plus contact James.Spillane@bmf.org.uk or on 02456 854980.

BMF launches new Training Solutions Prospectus The BMF has published a new Training Solutions Prospectus, which details the full programme of specialist training support available for merchants and their suppliers.

The Prospectus, which includes a number of newly added and updated courses as well as longstanding favourites, is an easy to use reference guide covering the BMF’s full training portfolio of regional, in-company, distance learning, online and modular programmes from apprenticeships to postgraduate study.

The easy to use guide is divided into eight sections covering management development, leadership, sales, induction and operations, apprenticeships, product knowledge, transport and specialist kitchen and bathroom courses.

The Prospectus also introduces the BMF’s new Apprenticeship Training Agency, BMF Merchant Apprenticeships Plus, set up to make it easier for members to recruit, employ and support their apprentices.

For more information or to order your copy of the BMF Training Solutions Prospectus, call 02476 854980 or email training@bmf.org.uk

BMF wins Best Practice Skills Development Award The BMF scooped a Special Prize at the 2017 Trade Association Forum Best Practice Awards at Drapers’ Hall in London in July, winning the Skills Development Award for the second time.

The Award recognises the BMF’s promotion of a professional career path for merchants and building materials manufacturers.

The BMF team L-R: June Upton, Richard Ellithorne, John Newcomb, James Spillane, Chris Wall and Oz Bham

BMF CEO John Newcomb said: “It is a remarkable achievement to win this prestigious Award. Many TAF members have far larger operations than the BMF and it is testament to the BMF team that our work to support our members delivers competitively against the best of the best.”

11

Speaking at the launch at Neil Davies said: “Sentinel is proud to be partnering with the BMF. At Sentinel we look forward to working with the BMF as we seek to educate and inspire the next generation of builders’ merchants to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing construction industry.”

BMF Regional Centres of Excellence The BMF has now opened 14 Regional Centres of Excellence across the UK (in at least 20 locations – 2 per region), each designed to give members in the local area access to BMF training and events much closer to home.

So far BMF Regional Centres of Excellence hosted by our members include: • Kellaway HQ, Patchway, Bristol • Saint Gobain Innovation Hub, Glasgow

Matt Haines, BMF Regional Manager said: “The BMF is very appreciative of Sentinel allowing the BMF to use the impressive facilities at their Warrington Offices, very conveniently less than 2 minutes from the M56, to become a second Centre of Excellence in the North West Region. We very much look forward to welcoming members to the venue when the BMF Regional Meeting is held there on 4 October 2017.”

For more information about BMF Regional Centres of Excellence contact Christine Wall at christine.wall@bmf. org.uk or your Regional BMF Manager.

• Ridgeons Green Light Centre, Cambridge • Sentinel, Warrington • Wavin, Doncaster

Sentinel Performance Solutions, Warrington In April the BMF launched its second Regional Centre of Excellence in the North West last week at Sentinel Performance Solutions’ superb facility in Warrington.

Matt Haines (BMF Regional Manager West Midlands, North West and North Wales) attended the launch with Sentinel’s Neil Davies (Trade Marketing Director and Daniel Cheung (Trade Marketing Manager).

Matt Haines (BMF) left and Neil Davies (Sentinel)

Feedback.

We welcome your feedback on this new newsletter. If you have any comments about this edition or feedback for future editions please contact Christine Wall at christine.wall@bmf.org.uk.

Plumbing & Heating

Builders Merchants Federation Limited 1180 Elliott Court, Coventry Business Park, Herald Avenue, Coventry CV5 6UB Tel: 02476 854980 | Fax: 02476 010390 Email: info@bmf.org.uk | www.bmf.org.uk Registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965 No 31516R

Dates for your Diary September 6-8 FEST Field Trip, Paris 7-10 Pavestone Rally - Dover to Monte Carlo 12 BMF Training – Rack Safety Awareness, BMF, Coventry 13 BMF Training – Improving Customer Service, BMF, Coventry 13 South West regional meeting, RGB, Tiverton 14 BMF Training - The Yard Foreman’s Toolkit, BMF, Coventry 15 FMB Master Builder Awards final, London 19-20 BMF Members’ Day, Jury’s Inn Hinckley Island 21-22 National Apprenticeship Show, Harrogate 26-28 BMF Training - 3 Day Managing for Success, BMF, Coventry 28 BMF Yorkshire Annual Golf Day, Ganton Golf Club 28 South East regional meeting, Dulux Academy, Slough October 3 BMF Training - How a House is Built, BMF, Coventry 4-5 BMF Training - Essential Sales Skills, BMF, Coventry 10 BMF Finance Forum, venue TBC 12 BMF Transport & Distribution Forum, BMF, Coventry 10-12 UK Construction Week, NEC, Birmingham 11 BMF Anglia regional meeting, ACO, Shefford 16-17 B&K Conference, The Belfry, Wishaw 17 BMF Training – Social Media, BMF, Coventry 17-19 BMF Training - 3 Day Leadership Skills, BMF, Coventry 18 BMF South Wales regional meeting, Rockwool, Pencoed 19 BMF North East regional meeting, Ramside Hall 24 BMF Scotland regional meeting, Saint Gobain, Glasgow 25 BMF Training – Presentation Skills, BMF, Coventry 25 BMF East Midlands regional meeting, John A Stephens, Nottingham 26 BMF P&H Forum, Wolseley, Leamington Spa 31 BMF West Midlands regional Meeting, Worcester Bosch, Worcester November 1 BMF Training - SEO, BMF, Coventry 7 NEW BMF & NMBS Independent Merchants’ Forum, BMF, Coventry 8 BMF Marketing Forum, BMF, Coventry 16 BMF HR Forum, BMF, Coventry 21 BMF London regional meeting, SIG, Paddington 30 BMF Northern Ireland regional meeting, Keystone, Cookstown December 6 BMF Yorkshire regional meeting, Middlethorpe Hall Hotel, York January 2018 26 BMF Burns Supper, Edinburgh 30 BMF Supplier & Service Member Forum, Coventry University For more details about each BMF event visit www.bmf.org.uk/events