Design Buy Build Issue 39 2019 | Page 16

Forward-thinking F.H. Brundle celebrates 130 years in business It all started thanks to a £500 loan between father and son. A wide-eyed Frederick Henry Brundle arrived in London with a dream of making it big and opened premises at 14 Paper Street EC1 - the centre of the Packing Case Trade. Spotting a gap in the market by selling nails and ironmongery, Frederick’s attention to detail, careful product selection and quality ensured his name quickly spread across the capital. 130 years on, those hallmarks remain at the heart of leading wholesale supplier F.H. Brundle. Proud of its history and forward- thinking in its approach, the company has been successfully led by five generations of the Brundle family – Frederick, Frank, Henry, Richard and Michael. Now based in Rainham, Essex, the company opened a further five new branches under the guidance of the late Richard Brundle MBE as opportunities within the industry were quickly recognised and acted upon. Careful product selection resulted in the addition of welded wire mesh, perforated metal and wrought iron components, to name a few, making F.H. Brundle one of the largest independent steel stockists in the UK. Michael Brundle, managing director, said: “We are incredibly proud to celebrate 130 years in business. “We have always looked to innovate and evolve our product range, while maintaining a loyal customer base and sustained growth by choosing products at the right price and offering excellent service levels. “We also continually search the world for product opportunities to bring into the UK. This approach has seen the addition of Pro-Railing, our stainless steel handrail component system, Rinato Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) and Polymer deck and fence boards and, more recently, Marano, a stunning range of anodised aluminium fencing and railing systems that are long lasting, low maintenance and lightweight.” Spotting an opportunity and supporting it with investment has always been key. Whether launching their first website in 1998, and then an ecommerce site in 2010 which allowed customers to order 24/7 for delivery on one of the company’s 60 strong fleet of vehicles, to opening a design office and then 16 developing Liveconfigurator design software that helps customers design handrail and balustrades using Pro- Railing products. Another notable investment landmark came in 2016 with the opening of a new distribution centre in Burton-On- Trent, which increased the company’s overall warehousing capacity to 500,000 sq/ft – the size of almost 10 football pitches. Mr Brundle said: “There are not many businesses who survive and adapt over 130 years and a huge thank you goes out to our amazing customers and my incredible team. “We will continue to work as hard as possible to ensure F.H. Brundle remains at the forefront of the industry.” To find out more about F.H. Brundle, please visit www.fhbrundle.co.uk