EH Smith has acquired a new site as it continues its investment in its branch network. The Solihull-based business has bought a site in Castle Bromwich, with plans to open in early 2017.
The location is the former Redcroft DIY Ltd site and will be completely redeveloped and opened as an “EH Smith local” branch – a smaller outlet focusing on collections and essential building products for local tradesmen and DIY.
Sean Furlong, Sales Director, said: “We are excited to be strengthening our Midlands presence through the opening of a new branch in Castle Bromwich. It will offer another convenient collections branch in the area, meaning that EH Smith is becoming ever more accessible to new and existing customers. The acquisition also highlights that, despite the concerns in the building industry following the Brexit vote, EH Smith is continuing to invest in its staff, the industry and the local community, and is confident that the future for construction is bright.”
The investment in a new site in Castle Bromwich follows a wider investment in the merchant’s existing branches, including recent extensive refurbishments at its stores in Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire, and Witham in Essex.
The business has also opened a new Porotherm Training and Demonstration centre in Olton, West Midlands to highlight the benefits of the clay block walling system produced by Wienerberger. The £100,000 centre has a spacious room for presentations alongside a large, fully equipped training facility and work area.
Phil Griffiths, Porotherm sales manager at EH Smith, said: “It’s an excellent facility which gives us the space to showcase the benefits of using Porotherm and help train businesses which are new to it.”
The popularity of Porotherm in large builds is continuing to increase thanks to its range of benefits, including speed of build, improved air tightness and the ability to build even during adverse weather, along with thermal and acoustic benefits. Among the companies which have taken advantage of the new training facilities is McCarthy & Stone, which used Porotherm to build a development in Dorridge, West Midlands, and is currently building a large new development of bedroom apartments in Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire.
Phil added: “”The Ashby scheme is one of a number of projects either successfully completed or under construction, and the results achieved have been acknowledged by McCarthy & Stone as game-changing. We look forward to working closely with Wienerberger’s Porotherm technical team and McCarthy & Stone to develop and support a growing number of projects.”
