BUILDERS’ MERCHANTS TRANSFER STAFF TO
NEW £1.2M BRANCH
The UK’s largest independent builders’ merchants Bradfords Building Supplies Limited with 27 branches across the South West announces the pre-planned closure of Totem Timber, St. Austell on Saturday 20th August. Sixteen of the Totem staff have joined at Bradfords’ at the new £1.2m purpose built branch located nearby and constructed by Chartered Building Contractors R.G. Spiller Limited, which opened its doors on 1st June. This latest development is in line with Bradfords’ long term expansion plans and marketing strategy. This includes a substantial investment in creating 10 new state-of-the-art kitchen and bathroom showrooms at branches across Devon, Somerset and Dorset. The first two branches at Sidmouth and Ilminster were launched this month and the roll-out campaign will complete by the end of October 2011.
Established in 1770, Bradfords employs over 500 staff with an annual turnover in excess of £80m. Based in the South West the company has been supplying materials to the trade for over 240 years and has 27 branches stretching from Worcester in the Midlands to Pool in Cornwall. When the Bradfords Group acquired the Totem business in 2008 they were aware that the lease only had a short period to run as the owners of the site intended to sell the freehold to a third party. At the same time the company purchased the freehold of a site on the Holmbush Industrial Estate, St. Austell for a Branch of Bradfords Building Supplies Ltd. Earlier this year each member of staff at Totem were informed the business would close during 2011 before entering into a period of consultation.
Peter Hoole – Commercial Director Bradfords Building Supplies Limited says: “These are two individual businesses with different operations; during the consultation process all the members of staff at Totem Timber (St. Austell) Limited were made aware of the positions available at the new branch of Bradfords Building Supplies Limited. They were each invited and actively encouraged to apply for one of the new posts. I am delighted to say that 16 members of the team took up this invitation and were successful with only 5 deciding not to transfer. As we were operating separate companies, we could not and would not have wanted to relocate staff without following this in-depth process.”
St. Austell is the latest South West branch and the third in Cornwall after Liskeard and Pool. It is also the first branch to unveil the new logo following a total company rebrand. The new Cornish branch stocks a comprehensive range of building materials including, bricks; blocks; timber; sheet materials; dry lining; doors; decorating; and plumbing products servicing the local building industry and also welcome the retail customer off the street.
Says Peter Hoole:”The opening of the new St. Austell branch is very exciting and going well as it is supported by a strong and motivated team with local knowledge. The investment Bradfords is making in Cornwall is a further indication that we are going from strength to strength even in a challenging economic climate. As a result we have been able to save jobs and offer a great service to the local building and retail trade. We are also actively seeking ways to integrate into the local community including supporting the “Brickwork” category at St. Austell College’s recent construction awards and taking out sponsorship with the Saints at St. Austell RFC.”
