profile
Paul Edworthy
Paul joined Cuprinol Ltd in 1997 prior to its acquisition by ICI paints in 1998 and subsequently AkzoNobel in 2008. Starting as a Retail Merchandiser, he quickly progressed to Regional Sales Manager and then was promoted to National Account Manager prior to moving to the Trade side of the business in 2007, managing Regional Builders Merchants and Travis Perkins, with the past eight years responsible for Brewers Decorator Centres. Paul now holds the position of Commercial Lead – Builders Merchant Group, responsible for contributing sales in excess of £60 million. In 2016, we launched the Dulux Academy to provide decorators, merchants and suppliers accredited training and event facilities. It soon became a ‘BMF Regional Centre of Excellence’.
Dulux Trade
AkzoNobel, is a global company which creates paints and performance coatings for industry and consumers worldwide. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the company is active in more than 80 countries, and employs approximately 33,000 people. Sales in 2021 were EUR 9.6 billion.
Dulux Trade is the home of painting and decorating excellence, falling under the brand umbrella of AkzoNobel, which includes other leading brands including Cuprinol UK, Polycell UK and Hammerite UK. The range of 4,000 colours and encyclopaedia of trade paint, along with expert help makes Dulux Trade the first choice for decorators and specifiers. More than any other brand, Dulux is widely recognised as a market leader by which others are measured.
Visit: https://www.duluxtradepaintexpert.co.uk.
Follow @DuluxTrade
Launched in 2015, the award winning monthly Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) report is the only reliable measure of repair, maintenance & improvement (RMI) activity in the UK. Filling an important gap, it can be widely used in construction, and by economists, Government, national media, commentators and influencers outside the industry.
Dulux Comment: Q3 2024
In the third quarter, the trade paint market showed signs of recovery, with the Moving Annual Total (MAT) growth improving to -1.5%. This was largely driven by a +1.6% year-on-year increase in Q3 volume sales. The uplift was primarily influenced by a delayed start to projects due to previously poor weather, with activity in the paint industry showing the expected lag as paint goes on last.
The release of the first Labour budget in 14 years has impacted consumer confidence, signalling inflation is going to stay higher for longer with mortgage rates likely to remain elevated for an extended period. This is dampening an otherwise growing optimism for a construction market rebound. That optimism was further knocked by the recent collapse of ISG, which sent shockwaves across the industry. Despite these challenges, the Construction Products Association (CPA) has updated its forecast, predicting a -2.9% decline in construction output in 2024, followed by a 2.5% increase in 2025 and further growth in 2026.
Private Housing Repair, Maintenance, and Improvement (RMI): As the second largest sector within the market, Private Housing RMI remains significantly down. Professional painter and decorator booking trends, heavily influenced by seasonal patterns, are down compared to last year, with London experiencing particularly subdued activity.
New Build Sector: While the new build sector has faced a challenging year, forecasts indicate a resurgence in 2025 as market conditions improve.
Non-Housing RMI: Volume growth in non-housing RMI has stabilised following a surge of commercial investments preparing for events and seasonal activities in offices, educational facilities, and social housing. This segment appears to have benefitted from increased spending earlier in the year.
Sales of decorative trade paint to builders’ merchants declined significantly in Q3 on a year-over-year basis, with double-digit reductions. This underperformance suggests a gap in growth potential, as builders’ merchants are currently lagging behind the broader market’s overall performance.