Menacing floodwaters have caused major disruption across the country and significant damage to many businesses in the last few months. Jim Parlato, Director at Browns Building Supplies and NBG board member explains how NBG Suppliers have offered support and how a vast range of product solutions could benefit Partners during future unpredictable weather conditions.

Browns Building Supplies is a family run, independent builders merchant that has been trading for over 100 years, offering the trade and general public everything from garden and landscaping products to roofing and insulation materials. Browns had never suffered from flooding issues, until late last year when overflowing drains caused upwards of £250,000 worth of damage.

Jim Parlato describes how help from the NBG community helped get his company back on track and trading again: “NBG Partners and Suppliers called me as soon as they heard the news about my depot and offered to help, before I even had the chance to call and ask for help myself. They were offering to lend me lorries, take deliveries for me and anything else they could do to help me keep trading during this difficult time.

“The first reason we joined a buying group was to help us buy better at more competitive rates. However, the friendly culture at NBG was a close second. You know there is always someone there that is willing to help you in any way they can, and what we have been through with the floods has really highlighted that.”

At peak times, flooding costs the UK economy around £100,000 per hour, per major road affected and as many as 40% of businesses do not reopen after suffering devastating loss from flooding (https://rainbow-int-franchise.co.uk/flooding-statistics-uk/)

The floods at Browns were caused by the overflowing of drains, and the local council is still investigating exactly what went wrong. Jim said: “Following our experience, we strongly recommend that businesses have a flood plan in place. Being prepared for the possibility of floods and investing in quality preventative products can help to limit the damage caused by stormwater. Now we can use our very real experience of flooding to advise our customers on how protect themselves and recommend some drainage and water management products to do it properly.”

NBG has a variety of Suppliers in the drainage and water management category including ACO, Marley Plumbing & Drainage and Naylor Drainage which are committed to delivering innovative drainage solutions. These suppliers work to provide Partners with essential flood-proof product lines to protect their businesses and properly equip them to advise their own customers to do the same. The sector has also seen the development of new products to help lessen the effects of adverse weather including Bradstone’s permeable block paving which encourages the drainage of surface water.

Nick Oates, Managing Director, National Buying Group said: “NBG Suppliers already offer a vast range of drainage and water management product ranges and the Civils and Landscaping Category Management Team have been able to negotiate some fantastic deals for our Partners. We knew that the NBG family would pull together to offer Browns some incredible support but going forward, innovative products from our Suppliers and great deals will make sure Partners can be fully equipped to future-proof their businesses against damage caused by floods. Learning from Brown’s experience will also make sure Partners have the knowledge and expertise to advise their own customers too.”

NBG News

• NBG has seen a 16.5% growth in purchases of Drainage & Water Management products over the last twelve months

• The annual NBG Conference was due to take place in South Wales at the Celtic Manor from 16-17 November 2020