The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) has recruited nine new merchant members since the All Industry Conference at the end of June.

The BMF kick-started its recruitment drive at the Conference with the announcement of a buying group membership scheme with IBC. However, the latest tranche of merchants joining the BMF are associated with a number of different buying groups and, both in their size and geographic spread, represent the widening appeal of the reinvigorated BMF.

Managing director John Newcomb said: “I have made it my mission to demonstrate the relevance of the BMF to every area of merchanting, from the family-run independent to the FTSE-listed PLC. The Conference in June showcased a very different BMF approach, which the merchants who were there picked up on immediately, with several signing up to membership straight away.

“Following hot on its heels, last week’s Unimer event saw another tranche of merchants signing up. We now represent almost 200 merchants with just under 2,000 merchant branches across the UK, including two of the top four nationals and eight of the 10 largest independent merchants. We are rapidly gaining the authority to truly represent the whole industry.”

The new merchant members include:

  • EH Smith, with a turnover of £97m and nine branches (a member of the newly formed Fortis buying group)
  • Beatsons, independent builders’ merchant in Scotland with five branches
  • Edinburgh-based St Andrews Timber & Building Supplies with a turnover of £2.5m
  • Gardner & Scardifield with four branches in West Sussex (all members of the H&B buying group)
  • Beesley & Fildes, established in 1820, with seven branches and a turnover of £20m (a member of the CBA buying group)
  • Dundee-based Rembrand Timber with 19 branches and a £35m turnover
  • Undercover Roofing Supplies with three branches in Colchester, Southend and Rayleigh and a turnover of £11m
  • Baudains Trade Supplies in Guernsey, which joined at the All Industry Conference
  • Jones and Shufflebottom, based in Stoke on Trent, which also joined at the Conference.