Jewson has opened the doors to its first purpose-built Branch of the Future, which it says will act as a “beacon of the very highest standards of merchanting.”
At 1.3 acres, the Farnborough site houses an extended product range – around 20% more than the typical branch. Opening hours have also been extended, with the depot open from 6:30am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and 7:30am to 12pm on a Saturday.
An ‘expansive fleet’ of vehicles is available to meet customers’ delivery requirements, while the branch also offers drive-in collections with under-cover loading so customers and their materials – including treated timber – aren’t exposed to the British weather (see images below). There is a selection of hot food and coffee available in branch, along with technology charging bays and modern meeting rooms for customers to use with their own customers “so it feels like the branch is their own.”
Featuring the new Jewson brand identity, the development represents another milestone on the firm’s transformation journey as part of its parent company STARK Building Materials UK’s ‘Trust in Better’ strategy. This is seeing the company implementing a comprehensive investment programme to optimise its branch network, including purpose-built facilities like Farnborough and major refurbishment projects such as the inaugural ‘Branch of the Future’ in Bridgwater – a repurposed Jewson Civils Frazer location – which reopened its doors earlier this year.
Branch Manager Domi Scrivener said: “Customers are at the very heart of our business and our new purpose-built Branch of the Future here in Farnborough reflects that, acting as a beacon of the very highest standards of merchanting and offering everything customers could need to grow their business under one roof.
“This is a landmark moment for the business, and one which the entire Farnborough branch team is excited to play a part in. Our doors are open for business, and we look forward to being an integral part of the day-to-day lives of professional tradespeople and builders from the local community and the surrounding areas.”
John Carter, CEO of STARK Building Materials UK, added: “We’re on a journey to become the most trusted builders’ merchant for UK tradespeople, and with our new Branch of the Future concept, we have a brilliant opportunity to create something that we believe is truly unique and valuable, with the backing of the STARK Group, Europe’s strongest and biggest chain of merchants.
“Our customers want and expect great service, and that happens from the moment they walk through the door, when our naturally inquisitive teams welcome them and start to dig into what they’re working on, what’s going well, the challenges they’re facing and how we can help them. In the merchant world, relationships are key and we know we can offer long-term value to tradespeople and businesses, helping them deliver exceptional service to their own customers.”
