In just three years since its launch, fibo Collect UK’s concept of ready-to-collect concrete, mortar and screed systems are now operating at merchants all across England, Scotland, and Wales, with further growth planned throughout 2026.
What began in 2023 as a simple idea — giving local trades fast access to small volumes of concrete at their local merchant — has quickly evolved into a nationwide network of self-service batching systems within merchant yards. The model has “reshaped how small loads of concrete, mortar and screed are supplied across the UK,” providing merchants with a new way to attract trade customers while generating additional revenue from their existing footprint.
Launched in January 2023 by Chester-based entrepreneur Alex Atkinson and housebuilding MD Stuart Cranfield, fibo Collect UK was set up with a clear ambition: to bring a better solution for small volumes of concrete, mortar, and screed to the UK builders’ merchant market.
Having previously worked with the Danish manufacturer fibo Intercon on international rollouts across mainland Europe, Alex had seen first-hand how the concept was “transforming merchant environments” in countries such as Germany and France. Recognising the “natural fit within builders’ merchants, where local trades already collect aggregates, cement, and building materials,” just three years on, the model has “proven to be a strong addition to merchant operations, combining embedding self-service batching technology into local merchant infrastructure.”
“The model has reshaped how small loads of concrete, mortar, and screed are supplied across the UK, providing merchants with a new way to attract trade customers while generating additional revenue from their existing footprint.”
Support behind the machines
Alongside the growing install network, fibo Collect UK says it has “focused heavily on building the infrastructure required to support independent merchant partners long-term.” An in-house technical team carries out routine maintenance visits across the country, ensuring every machine operates reliably and remains in peak condition.
Operator training and performance monitoring are also key to maintaining consistent output across the network. During each installation, the team spends two days on site with yard operatives, providing hands-on training to support what is often a new venture for the merchant and their staff.
Alongside technical support, the business also operates a dedicated marketing and lead-generation programme for merchant partners. “Coming Soon” campaigns are launched ahead of each installation, helping merchants build awareness locally and generate early interest from trades before the first batch is even produced.
Once a machine is live, digital campaigns and local search strategies continue to drive traffic to each location, helping merchants maximise the visibility and commercial impact of their installation.
Expansion across the UK merchant landscape
The pace of adoption highlights the growing demand for accessible small-batch concrete solutions within the merchant sector. Since the first installation in 2023, the network has expanded rapidly across England, Scotland, and Wales with merchants such as Thorncliffe Building Supplies (North Wales), Carvers Building Supplies (Wolverhampton), Cartmore Building Supplies (Lochgelly, Fife) and LBS (South Wales) amongst those to have installed the machines at their branches.
The first installation of 2026 also marked an important one for the concept, as independent builders’ merchant Turnbull Building Supplies installed its second fibo Collect system in its Spalding branch, following the success of the first installation at Newark-on-Trent.
Locally branded Turnbull QuickMix, the Newark machine quickly became popular with local trades, supplying floor screed, bricklaying mortar and specialist concretes such as 10mm kerb mix. Most collections fall between 0.25m³ and 0.5m³, reinforcing the system’s role in serving smaller jobs where ready-mix wagons are often impractical.
What merchants are learning from fibo Collect customers
As the network has expanded, fibo Collect says that “usage data has provided valuable insight into how local trades interact with the systems.” C30 concrete, 4:1 mortar, and C20 concrete have consistently emerged as the most popular mix types.
Perhaps the most revealing statistic, however, is the average batch size of just 0.4m³ which highlights the core user base — local builders, landscapers and small contractors who require reliable mixes in small quantities, collected quickly on the way to a job.
Usage patterns also show that collections are often made mid-morning, with the average collection time recorded at 10:31am, reinforcing the system’s role as a convenient stop for trades heading directly to site.
Associated sales
For merchant partners, the commercial benefits are also said to extend beyond concrete sales alone. For example, one merchant reported an “87% increase in associated product sales in the year following installation compared with its previous three-year average,” while another location “attributed 18 new trade accounts directly to the arrival of its fibo Collect system within the first year.”
Three years on from the first installation, fibo Collect UK says its expanding footprint can be seen to demonstrate a clear shift in how small volumes of concrete are supplied — with builders’ merchants increasingly at the centre of that change.
