News
NBG add a further 3 companies
National Buying Group continues its growth strategy with the addition of three more independent businesses to the membership, two in Scotland and one in the south of England.

"We are very pleased to be able to announce the further enlargement of NBG with our three new members who start trading with us on July 1," NBG commercial director Allan Durning told buildersmerchantsjournal.net

The three businesses are Calley Timber and Building Supplies in Inverness, South Lanarkshire Building Supplies and T Brooker who have joined from H&B Group.

Donald Morrison, managing director of Calley Timber and Building Supplies believes membership of the group will help to improve the company's competitiveness. "What appealed to us is the strength of the buying power in that it will allow us to compete, on price at least, with some of the national merchants," he said.

For T Brooker, one major benefit was being able to get a better level of pricing for their plumbing and heating business, says Douglas Brooker, director in charge of purchasing and marketing. "Size does matter in this instance," he adds. "NBG have a great deal of clout which we hope to benefit from. We were also impressed from the word go with their professionalism and focus." T Brooker are based in Hitchin, Hertfordshire and have two main branches and a town centre outlet.

For South Lanarkshire Building Supplies, the rebates and buying power were a big attraction, as was the recognition to be gained from membership, says company secretary Stephen Queen. "If you are a member of NBG you are recognised as a good quality business," he says.

"Membership also represents a natural progression for our company, having already joined Unimer and NMBS." The single branch company in Larkhall, south Lanarkshire was formed in 1997.

"The massive network of merchants we have joined also gives us a tremendous boost, not only in terms of products but the actual business as well. We will have access to their information infrastructure which will keep us on our toes. If we get information more quickly, we can react more quickly," Queen adds.