The first ever Jewson Live On Tour is now complete, with thousands of the UK’s professional tradespeople celebrating a programme of industry news and product innovation.
More than 4,000 people took part in four events that took place at the NEC in Birmingham, Kent Exhibition Centre in Maidstone, the SEC in Glasgow and Westpoint Arena in Exeter across April, May and June.
Over 150 suppliers exhibited, showcasing new product launches with demos and exclusive deals. Meanwhile, the event’s three distinct areas – the Trading Zone, Future Zone, and Wellbeing Zone – saw high-profile speakers and trades experts, including the Federation of Master Builders, On The Tools, Band of Builders, and others, share the latest industry news and developments, detailing how they impact tradespeople on a day-to-day basis.
Celebrity hosts and guests at the events included darts champion Phil Taylor, footballing star Kenny Dalglish, pundit Dion Dublin, cricketer Phil Tufnell, commentator Emma Paton, and more.
The NEC show was used to officially launch Jewson’s company rebrand, with the refreshed visual identity, website, branch signage, and truck branding unveiled for the first time.
Representatives from parent group STARK UK explained more about the company’s vision, including details about Jewson’s new Branches of the Future. Also relaunched at the show was Build Aviator, Jewson’s estimating service designed to free up tradespeople so they can use their time where it matters most – on their own customers’ projects.
The winners of Jewson’s inaugural Making Better Homes Awards – celebrating the UK’s tradespeople dedicated to building sustainable homes – were also announced at Jewson Live on Tour, with businesses taking home prizes for each of the competition’s three categories – Best Use of Renewable Energy in a Project, Best Building Fabric in a Project, and Sustainable Project of the Year.
David Morris, Key Account Director for Marshalls, which exhibited at all four events, said: “Jewson Live On Tour has been a great opportunity to understand local markets, not just with the installers but with Jewson staff, who understand how best to operate in each market, according to different demands. No other event would provide the level of face-to-face engagement we’ve seen at Jewson Live On Tour.”
Nick Youds, National Account Manager for Wienerberger, said: “Jewson Live on Tour has been a great roadshow, and we’ve enjoyed working together with Jewson at all four events. There’s been fantastic engagement with the industry and customers at every show.”
John Carter, CEO of STARK UK – part of STARK Group, which acquired a collection of businesses including Jewson from Saint-Gobain in March 2023 – said: “Jewson Live On Tour started out as a tiny acorn of an idea and thanks to the brilliant people in the Jewson team became something truly special.
“For the past seven years, Jewson Live has offered the industry something unique, and no other merchant in the industry offers what the show does. Taking the event on tour, bringing it closer to our communities and using it to continue celebrating the great relationships we have with customers, colleagues and suppliers has given it yet another edge, and we know it’ll have a lasting impact in the market.
“We used Jewson Live On Tour as a platform for so many brilliant milestones – sharing our company rebrand, and announcing the winners of our first ever Making Better Homes Awards to name just two. It has been a signal to the industry that we are driving change forward, and that we’re here to make life better for the professional tradespeople and builders who rely on us to grow their businesses.
“Our aim is to be the most trusted builders’ merchant in the UK, and based on the incredible response to Jewson Live On Tour, we’ve proven we are.”
