It has been 12 months since the Timber Buying Group (TBG) – the UK’s first category-focused purchasing initiative for timber, panel and sheet material and manufactured second fix – came into existence.
Having commenced trading with its suppliers in October 2014, the TBG has gained no fewer than 21 active merchant members.
According to TBG’s Allan Durning, the reason is simple: “We’ve taken an innovative approach from the start, so that we can offer small and medium-sized timber merchants the sort of advantages usually reserved for bigger organisations. That means a unique opportunity to benefit from specially-negotiated deals on their timber and associated materials.”
After such a momentous first year, the TBG held a special celebration on 23 July in Manchester. “We were really pleased to have everyone together for our first ‘birthday’,” said Mr Durning. “We believe our business shouldn’t only be about price, but about building relationships too. These gatherings are an ideal way to do just that.”
