The most inspiring, hard-working and talented people in the builders’ merchants sector have been honoured at this year’s Builders’ Merchants Awards for Excellence 2018.

Now in its 17th year, the Awards were held in the Hilton Park Lane Hotel in London on Friday, hosted by the gloriously funny national treasure Sir Lenny Henry CBE, and attended by more than 750 people. They were judged by a panel of independent industry experts, who had their work cut out for them due to the high standard of entries.

Representatives from the Awards’ sponsors handed out the trophies to the winners, and BMN Editor Elizabeth Eyre opened and closed the ceremony.

Throughout the afternoon, donations were made to Variety, the children's charity, and CRASH, which provides construction services to homelessness charities and hospices. The total raised was a whopping £5,838.49.

There were two new Award categories this year – Woman in Merchanting and Supplier Account Manager of the Year.

The winners were:

Website & Digital Initiative of the Year: LBS Builders Merchants

Marketing Initiative of the Year: Howarth Timber and Building Supplies

Training Initiative of the Year: PGR Builders & Timber Merchants

Community Initiative of the Year: EH Smith

Best Customer Service of the Year: LBS Builders Merchants

Hard Landscaping Display of the Year: MKM Building Supplies (Leamington Spa)

Heating & Plumbing Merchant of the Year: City Plumbing Supplies

Independent Merchant of the Year (1-10 branches): Dorsey Construction Materials

Independent Merchant of the Year (11-20 branches): LBS Builders Merchants

Independent Merchant of the Year (21+ branches): MKM Building Supplies

National Merchant of the Year: Gibbs & Dandy

Tool Showroom of the Year: Ridgeons Timber and Builders Merchants

Timber Merchant of the Year: MKM Building Supplies (Perth)

Showroom of the Year: Coomers Timber and Building Supplies

Supplier of the Year: Digby Stone

Trainee of the Year: Alun Thomas, LBS Builders Merchant

Achiever of the Year: Paul Sheppard, Murdock Builders Merchants

Branch Manager of the Year: John Mortlock, Ridgeons Timber and Builders Merchants

Supplier Account Manager of the Year: Vicky Piercy, Pavestone

Woman in Merchanting: Anita Harrison-Carroll, Sovini Trade Supplies

Lifetime Achievement of the Year: Neil Lawrence, Gibbs & Dandy

Congratulations to all the very deserving winners and, if you were unsuccessful at the 2018 awards, please don’t be deterred from entering our 2019 awards. We always want to celebrate the best and the brightest the industry has to offer.

Pictured: the Awards winners and sponsors.