The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) and the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) have agreed a strategic partnership with the aim of enhancing the support both organisations offer their members.
The BMF and the NFRC share an ambition to professionalise their respective industries by promoting the highest standards and under the new partnership agreement the NFRC will provide essential technical information to BMF members who specialise in roofing materials.
All NFRC contractor members are subject to ongoing inspection reviews and BMF members can recommend these contractors with confidence. NFRC supplier and merchant members will benefit from reciprocal advice and essential information on merchant best practice from the BMF.
The strategic partnership coincides with the launch of the BMF Roofing Forum. This follows on from the Federation’s other specialist sector forums for Plumbing & Heating and Timber merchants, which have been instrumental in developing membership in these areas.
The BMF Roofing Forum, which will meet for the first time in the Autumn, is chaired by Steve Revell, owner of Skyline Roofing and vice president of the NFRC. The NFRC will be speaking at that meeting and will provide ongoing technical support as the Forum develops.
John Newcomb, managing director of the BMF, said: “There are a great many synergies between our two organisations and we will be working together to raise the profile of the roofing sector. The NFRC is a predominantly technically-based trade association setting industry standards on all types of roofing systems that are widely recognised by all leading standards bodies and authorities.
“They represent over 1,000 roofing contractor members and 187 roofing products manufacturers, while 200 of the BMF’s 300 merchant members are selling roofing products. Our members will benefit from the NFRC’s technical expertise through the BMF Roofing Forum, and I believe we can add value to their contractors via our rapidly growing network of merchant outlets.”
James Talman, chief executive of the NFRC, said: “The NFRC is on a mission to get its highly respected standards and guidance more widely known and accepted amongst all stakeholders. There is huge potential to develop the roofing sector, which has an annual market value of £4bn. There are over 7,000 contractors working in that space and 750 merchants stock roofing products. By working with the BMF we believe we can not only raise the profile of the roofing sector, but also its standards and professionalism.”
The two trade bodies have also agreed discounted joint membership rates for roofing merchants and manufacturers.
