Pavestone UK Ltd, a leading hard landscaping supplier of natural stone and man-made paving products, joined the Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) Expert Panel in May. Managing Director Krystal Williams speaks for the Natural Stone & Porcelain Paving market.

The privately owned business is synonymous for elegant products, manufactured from the highest quality materials to British Quality Standards. Krystal has extensive experience in the landscaping and building materials sector, working with leading brands of aggregates, stone and concrete paving since 2003. Pavestone’s leading position in natural stone and Krystal’s longstanding experience underpins the value of the BMBI panel. Each Expert speaks exclusively for its market, commenting on issues, trends and opportunities.

The BMBI, a brand of the Builders Merchant Federation (BMF), is a monthly index of builders’ merchant sales, with summary reports published each month and more in-depth reports, including Expert comments and analysis, every quarter. Developed and produced by MRA Research, the Index is the most reliable, up-to-date measure of the UK’s Repair, Maintenance and Improvement (RMI) activity. The reports and data are based on GfK’s definitive Builders Merchant Point of Sale Tracking Data, which analyses sales out data from over 80% of generalist builders’ merchants’ sales across Great Britain.

Filling an important gap, BMBI is widely used and referenced in construction, and more widely by economists, investment companies, advisors, the media and Government. The panel of 14 leading brands are an integral part of the Index.

MRA CEO Mike Rigby comments: “The BMBI reaches a wide audience both inside and outside our industry, and it’s included in the Government’s BEIS (Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy) Monthly Construction Update. The Index provides authoritative trend data and it’s an excellent platform for building recognition and understanding of our industry, and for building brands with Experts positioned as leading voices in their markets. We’re pleased to welcome Pavestone as a new voice representing the natural stone and porcelain paving market.”

Krystal adds: “The BMBI is an extremely valuable platform for the construction industry, and we are delighted to have been invited to join its Expert panel. As a leading supplier of natural stone and porcelain products to independent merchants, we are keen to share insights from our sector, and current trends, challenges and opportunities that arise. Covid has impacted many markets, and for construction, it’s prompted a deeper desire from homeowners to make more of their outdoor spaces. While supply chains are stretched and demand needs to be managed, we hope this desire will continue as homeowners broaden the scope for their landscaping projects.”

Krystal’s first comment is published in the Q1 2021 report, available to download here. For all other reports, Expert commentary, or round table debate videos, visit www.thebmbi.co.uk.