All full members of the h&b buying group will become members of the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) from 1 August, 2020, following the conclusion of a group membership agreement between the two organisations.
h&b is one of the UK’s largest co-operative buying organisations for independent merchants with a collective buying power of nearly £1 billion.
There are currently 61 h&b full members in BMF membership and the remaining 23 will join the BMF in August. Any new h&b full members will be auto-enrolled into BMF membership during the period of the agreement.
The BMF and h&b will also work together to agree specific training requirements for h&b members and develop programmes to encourage maximum participation.
John Newcomb, chief executive of the BMF, said: “This is a landmark occasion. The BMF has long enjoyed a positive relationship with h&b and I am delighted that this mutually beneficial agreement moves it up another level.
“I have made it my personal mission to develop the membership of the BMF and strengthen our sectors’ profile and influence, both within the wider construction industry and with legislative bodies. The last few months have shown how far we have travelled in that direction, demonstrating the strength that comes from acting together and the collective benefits that brings.”
Jamie Wyatt, h&b trading director, added: “This is a major step forward in the relationship of h&b and the BMF. With many h&b members already taking an active role in the BMF, we have been considering a more formalised agreement for some time. The value of a strong and proactive trade body became even more evident as individual merchants sought to navigate the COVID-19 crisis and the clear and authoritative response of the BMF was apparent.
“The benefits afforded by this agreement fit well with the h&b ethos and our future plans. The time is right to move forward with the BMF.”
