Selco Builders Warehouse is set to extend its branch network from its current number of 73 to 100 by the end of 2026, increasing its selling space by more than one million square feet and creating more than 1,000 jobs. The business has also continued its digital expansion by launching a new app for its customers.
The Grafton Group company has undergone a major expansion over the last decade by more than doubling in size and now plans to further accelerate that growth. Having recently opened branches in Liverpool, Orpington, Canning Town, Rochester and Exeter, Selco will also have a presence in Cheltenham and Peterborough over the coming months.
It reports that a wide range of locations have also been identified for branches to launch over the next four years, including opening the company’s first branch in Scotland.
Chief Executive Howard Luft said: “This is an exciting time for all connected with Selco and the latest plans for expansion will have economic benefits right across the UK. We currently have a very strong branch presence across London, Manchester and Birmingham and, as well as further bolstering those heartlands and other areas of the country where we have branches, we will also be taking the unique Selco offering into new towns and cities.
“Along with our ever-growing digital presence, we want to provide a flexible and multi-channel offering to tradespeople who are able to enjoy the benefits Selco provides – unrivalled availability, with the widest range of products in stock, as well as excellent customer service and trade pricing.”
The firm says each new branch will lead to at least 30 in-store vacancies while additional business-wide functions will also be created at the company’s Support Centre in Birmingham.
Howard added: “Our recruitment policy has always been to employ people from the branch’s local community and that will continue to be our strategy. Working for Selco represents a genuine opportunity for an individual to enhance their career, whether that be through our Rising Stars apprenticeship programme or through our Driver Academy scheme in which we offer colleagues the chance to retrain as a HGV driver.
“At every opportunity, we look to promote from within and the colleagues working for Selco now will be the managers of the future for many of our new branches.”
Selco’s new app is available in both Apple and Android versions, providing customers with another method to purchase products and materials. The app is said to be packed with a series of features to make life as convenient as possible for the tradesperson, both online and in branch.
Simon Humpage, Selco’s Head of Multi-channel Marketing, said: “We want to provide as many options, and as much flexibility, to our customers as possible when it comes to purchasing materials and products. Click & Collect and Click & Deliver are available through the app and customers can access our materials calculator, project lists and other functions available through the website.
“We know how busy tradespeople are and this app will further allow them to save time by planning for their next job and making purchases through the click of a few buttons while they are on the go.”
Login can be achieved using fingerprint and facial recognition and it automatically displays the nearest Selco branch, wherever the user is in the country.
Simon added: “We discontinued our previous app as it was overtaken by our new website but there are a series of functions in this app which will make life considerably easier for our customers. The recognition functions means the worry of customers forgetting passwords to sign into their accounts via the app or the website is eliminated.
“The customer’s Trade Card is also displayed in the app and they can simply scan the displayed barcode when making purchases in branch. It means the customer can always have their Trade Card in their pocket and not have to worry about carrying their card or remembering their account number, making shopping with Selco easier than ever.”
