For decades, the construction industry has treated fragmentation, bringing multiple brands or parts together to create a full system of products, as standard procedure. However, the regulatory landscape of 2026… Read more

Quarter 1 2026 was phenomenal for paving sales, as merchants stocked up ahead of potential product shortages and price rises. Sandstone shortages was something I touched on in my previous… Read more

The UK market for both softwoods and engineered wood products has been subdued in Q1 2026. Merchant and distributor restocking in January generated volumes broadly in line with January 2025…. Read more

History doesn’t repeat, but it rhymes. So we’re reminded as global events again unsettle UK construction. Our industry is no stranger to disruption. Covid, the Ukraine war and the Evergrande… Read more

January and February were a wash out with prolonged heavy rain slowing site work in an already depressed market. However, in March the rain eased, sunshine appeared and volumes started… Read more

January and February were dominated by relentless rain, making it the wettest start to a year for decades. Construction suffered, with developers and main contractors finding it impossible, or at… Read more

Quarter one was tough for bagged cement and aggregate sales as weak construction and housebuilding activity, above average rainfall and the war in Iran affected supply and demand. The Mineral… Read more

It’s been a tough start to the year for Britain’s builders’ merchants. The war in the Middle East is seriously weakening the economy and interrupting global supply chains, and the… Read more

UK Trade Paint volume held up in Q1 2026, but the underlying picture is mixed, and the outlook for construction suggests there is increasing pressure ahead. The market is essentially… Read more

The first quarter’s market performance has been varied, with sector performance, particularly High-Rise Residential, contracting. So, all sectors continue to have growth challenges, and recent forecasts confirm that. The Middle… Read more