With the Group having celebrated its 35th anniversary last year, Keystone Lintels states that its enduring partnerships with merchants across the UK and Ireland have been a cornerstone of its success. PBM takes a look at the firm’s approach to innovation and service support.
Keystone Lintels states that its relationship with its merchant customers is underscored by a “strategic and mutually beneficial approach… where both parties act as a business partner and subsequently thrive.” Indeed, supporting and continually improving its service to merchants is deemed to be vital by the supplier, with the provision of added value and service USPs essential for maintaining a supportive partnership with each customer.
Close communication with branches is said to be critical, with the business highlighting the proactive approach undertaken by its ASMs, such as regular merchant visits, in fostering relationships to understand the needs of its customers and drive new business. Citing a commitment to being “present, engaged and responsive,” reinforcing this collaborative culture also expands to working with merchants to drive lead generation.
Examples of recent initiatives include the successful ‘Movies from Home’ film-themed marketing campaign which was designed to boost merchant sales for local building projects. Its message was simple: “tell us about live projects in your area and our sales team will help you turn the lead into secured business,” and the campaign’s impact resulted in over 18,500 quotes raised on average per year across UK and Ireland.
“Success in this industry hinges not only on superior products but also on fostering meaningful relationships with merchants and clients.”
Similarly, the ‘Drive for Five’ initiative empowered Keystone Lintels’ sales teams to convert leads provided by merchant partners through the scheme’s structured five-step plan — 1: Project Leads, 2: Quotation Follow Up, 3: Targeted Joint Calling, 4: Training, 5: Branch Champions. The business also supports a full spectrum of industry events, for example being a regular presence at the annual NMBS Exhibition, whilst its training provision includes a full suite of eLearning modules.
Furthermore, in addition to the more front-facing sales and marketing support, a team of 60+ engineers is on hand to provide comprehensive technical guidance, design services and on-site support for bespoke lintels and specials, all of which are processed through the merchant channel. Accordingly, visits to its production facilities and the opportunity to meet its technical teams are strongly encouraged.
The company works with its merchant partners to manage stocks whilst with an average of over 24,000 individual deliveries per year and a lead time of three to five days anywhere in the country, Keystone Lintels asserts that it “demonstrates an exceptional adherence to efficient delivery processes and prides itself in on-time and in-full delivery.”
Innovation and product development
A commitment to product innovation is, off course, a prerequisite. The award-winning Hi-therm+ Lintel, for example, is described as being an innovative solution to carbon reduction, aligning with changing building regulations and the Future Home Standard with the supplier working with its supply chain partners to outline the demands of evolving regulatory requirements and help them adapt to industry changes.
Further developments include the “visionary” Keyslip range which includes fully structural steel backed Brick Feature Lintels and non-structural, cement fibre board backed Lightweight Brick Headers and sills. Here, the supplier notes that as architects and homeowners look to create detailed and appealing brickwork and facades, “traditional masonry techniques can prove time and cost intensive.”
As such, the Keyslip range allows merchants to offer an effective offsite, prefabricated alternative, helping meet customer needs “without the heavy price tag” and providing merchants with “alternative revenue streams and tangible profit opportunities in a challenging and competitive market.”
Billed as facilitating “character without the cost,” Keyslip means that “brick soffits, deep reveals and flying beams are now easy to achieve, enabling customers and end users to create unique façades on time and on budget.” Keystone will work with merchants and their customers to manufacture bespoke solutions, and the possibilities are said to endless — a large range of bond patterns can be accommodated in order to create everything from segmental and flat gauge arches, to gothic and parabolic arches, as well as apex and bullseye arches.
Equally, the company’s Keyfab service is described as a “complete structural steelwork package,” which delivers full design, fabrication and builder support that can be tailored to each individual job. This provides merchants with another added level of support and options for customers, whilst delivering the “most creative and ambitious projects” from special residential plans to portal frame construction.
As evidence of its assertion that it “goes above and beyond for its merchant partners,” Keystone Lintels can look back on a host of recent industry accolades, including securing two titles at last year’s National Buying Group Awards for both NBG Supplier of the Year 2024 (£1m to £5m) and General Build Supplier of the Year.
A company statement noted at the time: “We recognise that success in this industry hinges not only on superior products but also on fostering meaningful relationships with merchants and clients. That’s why we are dedicated to continuously enhancing our offerings, broadening our range of custom products, and adapting to the changing needs of the market.
“As we look ahead, we remain steadfast in upholding the high standards that have brought us this recognition. Our commitment to collaboration with our valued customers remains at the heart of our approach (and) these awards are a testament to the remarkable achievements possible when we unite around a shared vision.”
By focusing on “lead generation, providing technical support, ensuring reliable delivery and offering an extensive product range with consistent stock availability,” the company remains confident in its ability to meet and exceed customer expectations.
To find out more about the tailored service Keystone Lintels offers its merchant partners, click here to visit the company website.
