20 than four decades as one of the North East ' s leading suppliers of building materials, timber, landscaping and civils products, the company recognised the need to provide its customers with a more specialist destination for the products that complete every project.
Merchant News
Bradfords, JT Atkinson & Lords to collaborate on buying & procurement
ALL three businesses have recently stepped away from industry buying groups and have now formed a collaborative alliance. Bradfords remains part of the plumbing and heating buying group PHG, through which it will continue to procure plumbing and heating products.
The Alliance is said to be a response to an industry facing sustained economic pressures and the need to find new and better ways of working, whilst remaining as independent merchants. The three merchant businesses say that the focus is simply on identifying the right opportunities to collaborate where doing so can genuinely create value for everyone involved. There is no intention to purchase everything through the Alliance, only where there is value for all sides.
Lords Group posts half-year results
BUILDERS MERCHANT LORDS GROUP has reported a steady improvement in sales since February, but H1 2026 revenue was still down nearly 5 % on a year ago.
Lords Group Trading Ltd, reporting its H1 interim results on July 30, says the Merchanting division revenue was £ 112.3m( H1 2025: £ 117.7m) for the period, with like-forlike revenues improving sequentially from Q1 2026 to Q2 2026.
H1 Group revenue, including the plumbing and heating business, totalled £ 232m( H1 2025: £ 232.8m).
“ Although the recovery in our end markets is taking longer than expected, we remain focused on cash generation, operational execution and delivering sustainable shareholder value as our markets recover,” commented Shanker Patel, Chief Executive Officer.
MKM receives sustainability recognition
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MKM BUILDING SUPPLIES( MKM) has achieved a Gold EcoVadis Medal, placing the business among the top 5 % of more than 150,000 companies assessed globally for sustainability performance.
The independent assessment recognises organisations that demonstrate strong environmental, ethical, labour and human rights, and sustainable procurement practices, providing customers and suppliers
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with confidence that they are working with businesses committed to responsible operations and continual improvement.
Rachel Constable, Head of ESG at MKM, said:“ Achieving Gold is a fantastic milestone
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for everyone at MKM because it reflects years of work happening right across the business. It’ s recognition of the way our people support their communities, how we work with suppliers, the choices we’ re making to reduce our environmental impact and the way we’ re helping customers build more sustainably.
Recent developments include the opening of MKM’ s first two BREEAM- Excellent-certified branches
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in Cheltenham and Wolverhampton, expanding the use of electric forklift trucks across the network, strengthening supplier engagement through its Code of Conduct, and increasing access to products that help customers meet evolving sustainability standards and building regulations, including renewable heating technologies, energyefficient products and lower-carbon construction solutions. |
GPH Trade Supplies Launches
GPH BUILDERS MERCHANTS has announced the launch of GPH Trade Supplies, a dedicated trade-focused business in Ellon, Aberdeenshire created to provide contractors across the North of Scotland with fixings, ironmongery, power tools, PPE and site consumables.
GPH Builders Merchants says the launch marks a significant milestone for the independent family-owned business founded in Inverurie in 1982. While GPH has built its reputation over more
20 than four decades as one of the North East ' s leading suppliers of building materials, timber, landscaping and civils products, the company recognised the need to provide its customers with a more specialist destination for the products that complete every project.
According to the company, the new branch has been developed around a simple philosophy: to make it easier for contractors to source everything they need from one trusted supplier.
New Jewson branch opens in Alnwick
STARK GROUP has strengthened its presence in the North East of England with the opening of a new purpose-built Jewson branch in Alnwick.
The investment is part of the Group’ s ongoing development of its UK branch network, consolidating smaller locations into larger and more efficient branches closer to customers.
Travis Perkins reports revenue down but profits up in H1
TRAVIS PERKINS has released its results for the first half of the year, showing an improved situation for the industry leader.
Despite subdued market conditions, Travis Perkins held profits steady in the first half of the year, generated strong cash flow and returned to a net cash position, with early signs of improvement in its General Merchant business and continued momentum at Toolstation UK.
Revenue for the six months to H1 2026 declined by 1.8 % to £ 2.26 billion, compared with £ 2.30 billion in the prior year.
The reduction is ascribed to lower market volumes and the impact of the previous year’ s disposal of Staircraft, although this was partially offset by building materials price inflation.
Despite the softer revenue performance, adjusted operating profit excluding property profits remained stable at £ 62 million, matching the prior year. Statutory operating profit increased 10.2 % to £ 65 million, while profit after tax rose 15.4 % to £ 30 million, highlighting continued operational discipline and improving efficiency across the business.