Supply Chain

Travis Perkins has announced plans to cut 2,500 jobs – around 9 per cent of its workforce – as a result of the pandemic. The builders merchant said job losses would result from the closure of around 165 of its branches, reducing the number of outlets by about 8 per…

First-quarter tallies of builders merchant sales capture the initial dip in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Figures from the Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) show a 6.7 per cent year-on-year decline in the value of sales to builders and contractors in the first quarter of 2020, with a much steeper…

Construction materials firm Breedon has announced it will begin reopening its facilities. Its announcement comes as the number of builders' merchants open for business has risen. In a trading update this morning, the group said this would include the opening of two clinker cement production plants over the course of…

Builders’ merchant Travis Perkins has been reopening the branches that serve its larger customers, according to a trading update released by the group today. “Since 20 April, the group has been carefully opening more of its merchant branch network, with branches continuing to operate the service-light, non-contact operating model,” it…

Material and product manufacturers are grappling with the effects of COVID-19 just as much as the contractors undertaking construction work on site. The laws of supply and demand have not been tested to the current extent for generations, with other essential construction services such as providers of labour and IT…

Materials firm Marshalls is donating 100 tonnes of screed to the new coronavirus hospital project in central Manchester. The West Yorkshire-based company is a supplier to the project, which will see the Manchester Conference Centre transformed into a field hospital by the armed forces and firms including local infrastructure contractor…

Materials firms and suppliers have suspended deliveries to sites as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Breedon issued a trading update this morning stating it has temporarily suspended production on its UK sites, with the exception of one cement plant in Derbyshire and other operations it said "serve critical supply needs".…

A number of major builders' merchants have restarted some services a day after making nationwide closures. Travis Perkins and Jewson are now operating services for trade customers following a 24-hour shutdown yesterday. The turnaround followed discussions between the Builders Merchants Federation and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)…

Some of the UK’s largest builders merchants have shut down amid confusion over the government’s coronavirus guidance. Travis Perkins closed all of its operations – including Wickes – last night following the prime minister’s instruction that only essential businesses should remain open. The £7bn-turnover materials group said it would continue…

Travis Perkins has cancelled its full-year dividend for shareholders and suspended its demerging of Wickes, as it looks to hoard cash amid the coronavirus outbreak. In a market announcement this morning, titled 'COVID-19 Update', the materials supplier said it was cancelling its final dividend payment of 33p per share. Goodbody…