Essential reading for retailers and suppliers in the home improvement market

News Archive July 2021

Spring and Autumn Fair Partners with the Retail Trust 27 July 2021

Spring and Autumn Fair targets the wellbeing of retailers with retail trust charity and wellbeing partnership and announces female founders initiative. Hyve Group is pleased to announce the Retail Trust as its Charity Partner for Spring and Autumn ...


Home Renovation Searches Soar Up to 400% as Homeowners Try to Keep Cool This Summer 23 July 2021

So, you may have noticed that it's been a bit warm in the UK this week. In fact, the country has experienced some of the hottest days since records began, with highs of 31.6C (88.9F) recorded at Heathrow and Northern Ireland hitting it’s hottest ...


Dulux celebrates its 90th birthday with charity book charting how its innovations have transformed the decorating industry 22 July 2021

Dulux is celebrating ninety years of driving innovation in the decorating trade with a glossy, coffee table book that charts the evolution of domestic decorating and interior design over the decades.All proceeds from the sale of Dulux 90 will go ...


St Helens to host UK-first decorating store concept from Crown Decorating Centres 21 July 2021

Painting and coatings brand Crown Paints has chosen St Helens as its first location for a new store concept where the public and tradespeople alike can find inspiration for decorating projects.The new Crown Decorating Centre, opening at Ravenhead ...


Rainy Day Trust welcomes SIG UK as its latest supporter – and launches Junior Apprentice Challenge! 21 July 2021

The home improvement industry charity, Rainy Day Trust, has thoroughly welcomed the announcement by SIG UK that RDT will be one of its charities for 2021/22. “We are delighted that SIG UK has chosen Rainy Day Trust as one of its charity partners for ...


Marshalls reduces carbon footprint by 50% as it launches challenge to competitors to set science based targets 20 July 2021

Leading hard landscaping business Marshalls has announced it has reduced its carbon footprint by 50% since 2008 with a target for a 40% reduction in carbon per tonne of production by 2030 having been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative....


Record Sales for Oakio UK 19 July 2021

Exclusive UK supplier of Oakio oak composite decking and cladding products, Ronjack, has celebrated a record month for sales.“Sales of Oakio decking have smashed even our top predictions,” says Katie Morley, Managing Director at Ronjack, the UK’s ...


DIY Week Awards 2021 – Winners are announced 19 July 2021

Last week on Thursday 15th July, DIY Week hosted the tenth DIY Week Awards and the first online-streamed virtual event in order to announce the worthy winners of this year’s programme, which was sponsored by Benchmark Retail Services, DK Tools, ...


Buy it Direct boss calls for investigation into international shipping ‘cartel’ 16 July 2021

A leading British online consumer goods retailer is calling for an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority into the ‘cartel’ run among international freight lines.The cost of shipping large items overseas has increased sevenfold in a ...


Kingfisher plc releases trading update 15 July 2021

Kingfisher plc has provided an update on Q2 trading to date and is raising its guidance for H1 21/22 LFL sales and adjusted pre-tax profit.Key pointsContinuing to make significant progress against ‘Powered by Kingfisher’ strategic priorities, ...


Wickes opens new store in Sunderland 14 July 2021

Home improvement business Wickes is opening a brand new store in Sunderland. Officially welcoming customers from 2nd July, the store is situated on the Pennywell Industrial Estate. Open Monday to Saturday 7am - 8pm and Sunday 10am - 4pm, the store ...


Screwfix locks in over 10,000 products at 2020 prices 14 July 2021

Screwfix have over 10,000 products at 2020 prices, going even further to support the Nation’s tradespeople and serious DIYers. Customers can make the most of these fantastic prices on big name brands such as Titan, Bosch and Stanley are all featured ...


Fleet Investment for Local Builders Merchant Thompson & Parkes 13 July 2021

A well-known and respected family-run builders’ merchants Thompson & Parkes have added to their fleet in response to growing business demand from across the area. Supplying all manner of building and landscaping materials, this latest investment ...


Brand New Machinery Arrives at What More UK 12 July 2021

Leading housewares brand and manufacturer What More UK has taken delivery of their latest consignment of machinery. What More UK is the UK's largest manufacturer and brand leader in the housewares market. It is a multi-award winning employer in the ...


DIY Week Awards 2021 – Shortlisted finalists revealed! 8 July 2021

This year’s DIY Week Awards presentation event (#diyweekawards) will be live-streamed to a global audience for the first time in its ten year history, reaching more DIY industry professionals then ever before and providing increased coverage for the ...


Sales hit record high at Southern Sheeting - fuelled by a DIY pandemic boom 8 July 2021

Building materials supplier Southern Sheeting has reported record sales driven by the nation’s craze for DIY as customers decided to make home improvements during the pandemic.The business posted an 84 per cent increase in revenue growth from its ...


Retailers join forces to tackle climate change in the Race to Zero 7 July 2021

Leading retailers H&M Group, Ingka Group (IKEA), Kingfisher plc and Walmart today launched a new climate change initiative – the Race to Zero Breakthroughs: Retail Campaign – in partnership with the COP26 High Level Climate Action Champions and ...


1 in 2 British first-time buyers are more DIY confident after lockdown 7 July 2021

One in two (51%) young British adults considered to be within the first-time buyer age range (25 to 44-year-olds) have attempted more DIY and home improvement tasks as a result of the time spent in lockdown, according to a new survey by leading ...


ManoMano, raises 355M$ in fundraising and confirms the UK as the fastest growing market 6 July 2021

ManoMano, the leading European marketplace specialising in online DIY, home improvement and gardening, today announces the successful completion of its $355 million Series F fundraising and that it has reached $2.6 billion in valuation. ManoMano ...


The Rainy Day Trust £10 Junior Apprentice Challenge #JAT 6 July 2021

Looking for something different to do with the kids this summer holiday? Then why not give the Rainy Day Trust Junior Apprentice Challenge 2021 a try? The idea is really simple, we give your child, aged 11-16 years old, a crisp new £10 note and they ...


Flooring Superstore expands sustainable product offering 6 July 2021

Flooring Superstore, one of the fastest growing retailers of residential flooring, has expanded its range of sustainable products, including rugs and runners made from recycled t-shirts, and a new range of eco-friendly carpets manufactured from ...


HMG Paints launch new Fence and Shed Paint colours 5 July 2021

The UK’s largest Independent Paint Manufacturer expand Fence and Shed Paint range of colours for Summer 2021. Available online and through distribution across the country, the new colours are already being utilised in gardens ahead of the next ...


What More UK: Why New Product Development and Innovation is Important to Us 5 July 2021

What More UK, the market leading UK housewares manufacturer, started out with just 14 products, now they offer a range of nearly 2000 items. We asked them why new product development is such an important part of the business.What More UK is well ...


Exclusively sets the style trends – Togetherness 5 July 2021

The Exclusively exhibition (24th to 25th August at the Business Design Centre) has a reputation for predicting commercial trends and a proven track record for enabling brands to get in front of buyers and the media. With the return of the ‘live’ ...


Housing stock needs to future proof for climate change 5 July 2021

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has published an Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk, to set out the priority climate change risks and opportunities the Government should embrace for the UK. Based on the key findings of the third Climate ...


Agreement to Divest Traditional Merchanting Business in Great Britain 2 July 2021

Grafton Group plc (“Grafton or the Group”), the building materials distributor and DIY retailer with operations in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands, announces that it has entered into an agreement to divest its Traditional Merchanting Business in ...


Dulux Decorator Centre kick-starting careers for young people through Prince’s Trust Partnership 1 July 2021

Dulux Decorator Centre is helping to usher a new generation of talent into the business - by providing a host of roles to disadvantaged young people. Aiming to help bridge the industry-wide skills shortage, the 33 positions are reserved exclusively ...


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