Builders’ merchants group takes on managed stores contract for local authority

Grafton Merchanting GBNational builders’ merchants group Grafton Merchanting GB has secured the entire supply of building, plumbing and heating, electrical and maintenance materials for a local authority in Scotland.

The five-year contract with East Dunbartonshire Council, which is worth £2 million per year, will be handled by Grafton group merchanting businesses Buildbase and Plumbase.

The company is now responsible for providing the full range of construction materials to help the council’s maintenance teams working on housing stock and general infrastructure, including street lighting. Grafton is using its existing experience of Buildbase and Plumbase branches managing similar requirements for Mears Group – a company providing social housing maintenance and repair services for North Lanarkshire Council.

Ross Cooke, partnering director (Scotland) for Grafton Merchanting GB, said: “This type of managed stores contract is about helping the council to save money and remove waste from its maintenance and capital programme work.



“We provide a combination of expertise and buying power to improve the management of building materials stock. And along with cost savings we can help the council increase its maintenance teams’ efficiency through managing the stock of products and materials in their fleet of vehicles. That means staff are more likely to have the right stock to complete each task, so increasing the overall job completion rate.”

Councillor Rhondda Geekie, leader of East Dunbartonshire Council, said: “This pioneering partnership is a genuine win-win - not just for the authority, but for the whole of East Dunbartonshire.

“Real-time management information - delivered via mobile devices - means that colleagues are more likely to have the right stock at the right time - delivering a more effective service to tenants and residents.

“The ordering, replenishment and payment of stock will all be more efficient - saving time and money.



“Not only that, the agreement reached with Grafton includes the offer of a 10 per cent discount to all residents. That means a saving not just for the public purse, but local residents direct.”


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