Travis Perkins set to open up to 50 new branches over next five years

Travis Perkins has announced it will extend its investment programme, and plans to open up to 50 new branches over the next five years.

To maintain its position as a merchanting market leader, the company aims to grow its market share in the UK's top 50 conurbations, and to continue to invest in its digital offering. 

This year the merchant opened two new branches, Martlesham Heath and at Farnborough, which created 16 and 21 new jobs respectively, made four relocations in Exeter, Minworth, Reading and Taunton, and refurbished a further 16 branches, with further investment to come.

Travis Perkins also opened a click-and-collect-only branch in Kingswinford to support orders placed on its app and website, and a Toolhire hub in Barking, East London, which services branches in its local area, helping expand branch offering and availability. 

The latest project was the redevelopment of the Cheltenham Mead Road branch, to expand its site with a heavy goods yard due to be finished in Q2, 2022.

To offer more to customers every new branch that opens will include a Tool Hire. The group is also planning on opening 19 new Benchmarx showrooms next year after opening nine this year. 

The expansion and modernisation plans are part of a redevelopment, relocation and refurbishment programme, designed to improve the customer experience both in person and digitally. The merchant’s mobile app for customers was launched earlier this year and allows customers to order materials in real time and check stock on the go. 

Kieran Griffin, Managing Director at Travis Perkins, said: “As a business, we are committed to investing in our branch network to help us achieve our overarching goal to efficiently service our customers. Our goal of opening up to 50 new branches over the course of five years will enable us to do that. 

“This investment sits alongside our digital expansion so whether our customers want hands-on colleague experience or a totally digital interaction, and our site modernisation and digital expansion plans mean we will continue to be best placed to serve them.”