ANGLESEY: Huws Gray, the Welsh merchant, has parted company with the National Buying Group. The move was said by both parties to be 'amicable', Huws Gray managing director Terry Owen told www.buildersmerchantsnews.co.uk.
"We have been with NBG for eight years," Mr Owen explained. "When we joined, our turnover was £12m and last year it was £59m. NBG has been fantastic for us over all those years. The way that NBG and executive chairman Allan Durning dealt with our departure from the group has been very professional. He ensured there was a smooth exit."
During the past 10 years, Huws Gray has more than doubled in size. It was number 21 in the Builders's Merchants News' Leading Lights listing in 2008, rising to number 16 in the UK national league table in 2009.
The heavyside, lightside and timber merchant is, said Mr Owen, in a strong financial position seek to double its growth again in the next five years.
"Our energies have had to go towards our own business," Mr Owen said. "We have to invest our time into our business.
"Also, when you are buying branches, it can create conflict if you are buying a site that is close to an NBG member's site," he pointed out. We have a lot of friends in NBG and will continue to have those friends," Mr Owen stated.
Said Allan Durning: "If Carlsberg made builders' merchants, that builders' merchant would be Huws Gray."
The merchant serves the North West of England and North Wales with a broad customer base, including national and regional companies, jobbing builders, self-build and DIY.
In 2008, the company acquired five branches: Chesworth Building Supplies at Tywyn in Mid-Wales, two branches in Lancashire, Burscough Building Supplies in Burscough and Bradshaws Building Supplies in Bolton, and two in Shropshire, Wrekin Building Supplies in Telford and Monkmoor Building Supplies in Shrewsbury.
"We've put the Huws Gray DNA into them," said managing director, Terry Owen.
