Essential reading for retailers and suppliers in the home improvement market

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Yorkshire grower leads fight against plastic waste

Commercial horticultural nursery Johnsons of Whixley is trailing a new type of plant pot that is detectable by recycling centres, to help lead the fight against plastic waste in the industry.Johnsons’ new cream-coloured plant pots are detectable by ... 
27 July 2018

B&Q kicks off kitchen & bathroom recruitment drive

Following a shake-up of its kitchen and bathroom sales process, DIY giant, B&Q has now begun recruiting 800 new colleagues to its showroom areas. The retailer says the move “reinforces its commitment to the kitchens and bathrooms market”. It ... 
26 July 2018

BREAKING NEWS: Blue Diamond to take on eight Wyevale centres

Wyevale Garden Centres has agreed the sale of eight of its largest garden centres to Alan Roper’s Blue Diamond chain.Currently the UK’s third biggest garden centre operator, Blue Diamond will grow its portfolio to 29 with the acquisition ... 
25 July 2018

SCA Timber changes name to SCA Wood

SCA has officially changed its business name from SCA Timber and will now be called SCA Wood.The SCA Group has six business areas: wood products, forestry, pulp, paper, energy and logistics. The company believes the name change from SCA Timber ... 
25 July 2018

Businesses being held back by UK tax system

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is calling for a cut to tax complexity and the ‘red tape’ that it says is hindering British businesses.The vast majority of UK businesses believe the cost of complying with the UK tax system has escalated over ... 
25 July 2018

Hultafors Group acquires Hellberg Safety

The Hultafors Group which owns Snickers Workwear, Solid Gear Safety Footwear and Hultafors Tools has acquired Scandinavia’s Leading PPE Innovator, Hellberg Safety. Hellberg Safety has been manufacturing specialist PPE Equipment since 1962 . Its range ... 
25 July 2018

SP Group in administration

The Redditch-based POS and retail display firm, which has worked with a number of major high streets retailers and brands, has called in administrators after losing key contracts, including Sainsbury’s, and suffering “a significant decline in ... 
25 July 2018

Tile Mountain targets 15 locations across UK

The online tile retailer’s chairman Mo Iqbal revealed plans for 15 physical showrooms within the UK, following the success of its two branches in Stoke and Manchester.Speaking to DIY Week, Mr Iqbal said: “We believe, if we put 15 locations across ... 
24 July 2018

ERA achieves Investors in People gold accreditation

Home security experts, ERA, has achieved the prestigious Investors in People Gold accreditation.The Investors in People standard, which ERA first achieved in 2014, measures how well an organisation meets three key criteria, namely leading, ... 
24 July 2018

All Poundworld stores to close by next month

Poundworld is set to vanish from high streets as its administrator announces all stores will close by August.The Administrators of Poundworld Retail Limited, Deloitte UK, has announced that the distribution centre operations will close on Friday 20 ... 
23 July 2018

Disappointing figures, as heatwave and World Cup keep shoppers away

Non-food sales suffered in June, according to the latest ONS Retail Sales Index (RSI), falling 0.6% in volume terms, whilst online reported some uplifts. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that retail sales in June grew 2.9% on an ... 
19 July 2018

Akzo reports loss of revenue in Q2

Akzo Nobel has announced its operating income fell 23% to 225 million euros (£199.92 million), however Decorative Paints return on sales1 up at 12.2% (2017: 11.6%) driven by 5% higher selling prices. The first wave of price increases were successful ... 
19 July 2018

Valspar partners with B&Q and Screwfix to offer exclusive trade range

Valspar Trade has announced it is launching a range of new trade products aimed at professional decorators with the two major retailers nationwide.The Sherwin-Williams-owned brand has a long-standing exclusive relationship with B&Q, since it was ... 
19 July 2018

£1billion VAT bombshell for building supplies

A £1billion VAT bombshell will hit building supplies to the UK if builders merchants are forced to pay 20% VAT upfront on European timber and other materials. Parliament voted this week to ban the UK from raising taxes bound for the EU unless the EU ... 
19 July 2018

Bradfords Building Supplies posts 19% sales jump

The merchant group says it is reaping the rewards of expansion, with turnover set to pass £150million in FY2018/19. Bradfords Building Supplies (BBS) reported a 19% year-on-year increase in total sales for 2017/18. The business continues to expand ... 
19 July 2018

Stax registers as private company

The wholesale and cash and carry operator has announced a change of status, as it prepares for future growth. The Stax business has been re-registered as a Private Limited Company and will now be known as Stax Trade Centres Ltd.“This is a ... 
17 July 2018

Winners announced for GIMA Awards 2018

The winners of the GIMA awards 2018 were announced at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, in South Wales last week. The pinnacle of the garden retail industry’s calendar, the event brought together manufacturers, retailers, members of the press and ... 
16 July 2018

GCA to host international congress

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) is set to host the International Garden Centre Association congress for the first time in 10 years, with garden retailers from across the globe to attend the 20119 event.The GCA is expecting 250 delegates from ... 
13 July 2018

Stax acquires Groundsman from Harris

Wholesale operator, Stax Trade Centres has expanded its own-brand offering with the acquisition of the Groundsman brush range range of household brooms, brushes and dustpans.The Groundsman brand, which was previously distributed by LG Harris, joins ... 
13 July 2018

B&M posts 8.3% sales jump in Q1

Discount retail chain reported its best-ever first quarter early summer trading season, with record sales from garden and outdoor leisure ranges and like-for-like sales up 1.6% across the UK business. The strong start to the year, B&M believes, ... 
12 July 2018
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