The opening of the latest London branch of Selco in Beckton, its 48th in the UK, continues the fast-paced development of the growing builders’ merchant.
It was at the start of 2015 that Chief Executive Chris Cunliffe announced plans to rapidly expand the business from the 33 branches it had at the time.
With the Beckton branch following hot on the heels of the opening of branches in Wembley and Croydon at the start of 2017, the Selco success story is continuing to gather pace.
Chris said: “Our strategy in 2015 was to double the size of the business in five years, both in terms of the number of branches we have and the turnover — and we are certainly on course to do that.
“We opened five branches in 2015 and seven in 2016 and we are accelerating our growth still further this year.
“By the end of this year, we will be halfway through our five year plan in terms of time but well ahead of the curve in number of branches open. The Selco offering is getting more and more popular within our customer base and we are delighted to be taking it to different areas of the country.”
The new Beckton branch has opened on Alpine Way and will feature the full Selco offering, including Selco Hire and a comprehensive kitchen design service.
Chris added: “We also have numerous online services including Click and Collect, a next day courier service with over 6,500 products available and the opportunity for tradesmen to create their project lists online for them to be prepared in branch.
“We are a genuine multi-channel builders’ merchant which allows our customers — who we always put first — the chance to get their building materials in the most convenient way possible.”
In opening the new branches, Selco has emphasised its commitment to supporting the communities in which it operates by awarding £1,000 to three charities in each area.
The beneficiaries were Caritas Anchor House — a residential and life-skills centre for homeless adults in Newham — Richard House Children’s Hospice and the Macmillan Cancer Support Information and Support Centre at Newham Hospital.