What our members say

Networking

“BMF gives us a real opportunity to network with our peers and understand what’s going on UK-wise, rather than just locally.” 

David Kilburn, Executive Chairman, MKM Building Supplies

Networking

“It’s the opportunity to join fellow Young Merchants entering the merchant world.  It’s an opportunity to speak to one another, to share best practices, to share ideas. Also the opportunity to network. It bonds relationships for the future.”  

Simon Fleet, Sales and Marketing Director, Thomas Dudley

Networking

“The BMF affords national merchants, independent merchants and suppliers the opportunity to get together and work to enhance our industry.”  

Tony Hogg, Chairman and Managing Director, Willbond Plumbing & Heating Group (PHG), Membership & Public Relations

Training

"At a core level the BMF training is excellent and relevant to your people…”

Tony Hogg, Chairman and Managing Director, Willbond, Plumbing & Heating Group (PHG), Membership& Public Relations

Business support

“Being a member of a Federation of which is important to you as a business I think is fundamental … the benefits are there to be seen.”  

Peter Hindle MBE, BMF Chairman

Political representation

“The BMF have got an agenda, they have got a focus. We feel supported by the BMF and we in turn wish to support, so that if it’s watching our backs on legislation, or if it’s lobbying to get the construction industry a better voice in Government, the BMF are gearing themselves up to do this properly and professionally.”  

John Parker, Chief Executive, E H Smith Holdings Ltd Joint Chairman, Fortis Group

What our members say:

Lynn Street, Sales & Marketing Manager, Midland Lead

"The benefits gained by being members of the BMF are huge. 

The BMF provide excellent networking with customers and the business development opportunities for future business, both regionally and nationally. 

Meeting with supplier members enables us to benchmark ourselves to ensure that our excellence in customer service continues and learn new strategic ideas to improve and enhance sales.

The forums are relevant and have excellent speakers; they are also time efficient. The training that is offered benefit both supplier and merchant members; it is relevant and cost efficient."

Birchwood Price Tools (BPT), part of the Travis Perkins Group, joinedin February. Based in Nottingham, with a state of-the-art warehouse operation in Warrington, BPT has over 40 years’ experience of developing innovative products and market-leading trade brands. These include Scruffs, Defender, Van Vault and Rhino. BPT also distributes well-known power and hand tool brands such as Bosch, Makita and Stanley.

BPT’s new Managing Director, Matt Hunt, said: ’We’re delighted to be joining the BMF. Having been involved withthe BMF in my previous organisations, I’ve experienced at first hand the value membership brings and I look forward to BPT participating in the numerous opportunities to engage with other members’’.

Expert Trades supports acommunity of 13,000 trades professionals with a number ofservices to help them manageand grow their business. From this community they work with suppliers and merchants to allow them to better understand the end user, build engagement and sell more product.

Founder Director Adam Callow said: "We aim to align ourselves with forward thinking companies that understand where the industry is moving to and willing to continuously challenge the norm to deliver results. After learning more about the BMF vision and speaking to a number of current members it was clear this would be a great platform for Expert Trades to join."

Forterra, leading manufacturer of clay bricks, concrete blocks and bespoke masonry products was the 200th supplier member to join the BMF. With annual revenues in excess of £300m, Forterra’s industry-recognised brands include London Brick and Thermalite and its products are widely used in both residential new build and RMI. Builders merchants are a key customer group and Forterra supports them with both technical and brick matching services.

Adam Smith, Commercial Director of Forterra, said: “Joining the BMF is a natural step for us. We aim to make it easy for customers to do business with us across our extensive product range and this brings us closer to an important customer group. It is a superb forum for our dedicated sales and marketing team to increase theirexposure to the UK’s builder’s merchants and betterunderstand future trends and customer needs."

Grundfos Pumps Ltd, the UK market leader in domestic and commercial heating circulators, has joined the BMF. The company employs 19,000 people worldwide, and produces 16 millionpumps each year. It is estimated that every 10th newly installed pump, anywhere in the world, bears the Grundfos name. In the UK, Grundfos has a reputation for quality, reliability and innovation.

Dave Lacey, Grundfos Pumps’ Director of Sales said: “We are delighted to be joining the BMF and will fully support their members with our unrivalled comprehensive heating and plumbing product ranges. We look forward to building upon the already strong relationships enjoyed with our merchant customers.”

Ideal Standard joined in January 2017, further strengthening the Federation’s dynamic Plumbing and Heating Sector.

With a 200-year heritage, Ideal Standard is the UK's leading manufacturer and supplier of residential,commercial and healthcare bathroom solutions and products. The company comprises three market leading brands – Armitage Shanks, Ideal Standard and Sottini – and employs 1,000 people in the UK and Ireland, with flagship production operations in Hull in East Yorkshire and Armitage in Staffordshire.

Jim Moore, Ideal Standard MD said: “The activity level of the BMF is really impressive and energetic. We are looking forward to taking part in the Plumbing & Heating Forum as well as other groups. In our 200th year we have lots of great stories to tell.”

The largest independent timber merchant in Scotland, MGM Timber (Scotland) joined in January 2017.

Established in 1991, MGM Timber has grownto become Scotland’s local merchant of choice for both trade and retail customers, employing over 165 staff and with an annual turnover of over £42m.

Brian Smith, Sales Director at MGM Timber said “MGM Timber sees joining the BMF as a positive move for our company. The benefits the BMF can bring to us such as training and development, market data and networking will help us as we grow our company.”

The Plumbing and Heating Division of Travis Perkins joined the BMF.

The P&H division has a turnover of £1.4bn, operates from over 400 branches around the UK, andserves a broad range of customers.

City Plumbing focuses on local plumbers, heating engineers and bathroom installers, while PTSserves larger contractcustomers. Other brands within the division distribute to independent local merchants, and offer specialist services,such as solar, thermaland underfloor heating packages.

Paul Tallentire, Divisional CEO, Plumbing and Heating Division, Travis Perkins said: “The BMF plays an importantrole in bringing theindustry together andrepresenting its interests. We recognise the value in that and look forwardto becoming involved, inparticular by contributing to the BMF’s specialist P&H Forum.”

Neil Davies, Trade Marketing Director at Sentinel Performance Solutions Ltd says: "Sentinel snapped up the opportunity to join the BMF. The diversity in group meetings, frequency, engagement opportunities coupled with commitment shown by other members clearly demonstrated the value potential for Sentinel to engage a wider customer and supplier audience effectively, whilst giving us an even stronger market awareness."

"Since joining the BMF has already opened new doors and opportunities for our business. "