The Builders Merchants Federation has announced the four companies nominated for the title of BMF Training Company of the Year 2022. They are EH Smith, Haldane Fisher, IBMG Group and PDM/Buildbase.
Nominated by BMF Regional Managers, who work closely with members in their area to satisfy training and other service requirements, the four shortlisted companies were selected for their commitment to supporting and developing their teams through their use of BMF training.
EH Smith makes the list for a second successive year. The business is said to “support colleagues through formal and informal development initiatives, from BMF apprenticeships to people management programmes and equality, diversity and inclusion training”. Embracing the value of informal development opportunities, EH Smith also has two representatives on the BMF Young Merchant group, while another colleague chairs the BMF Transport Forum.
Haldane Fisher says it “encourages and enables colleagues to reach their full potential by accessing a range of classroom based and on-line learning programmes”. In the past year, this has included courses covering leadership skills, merchandising, stock and margin control together with a bespoke hybrid Excellence in Branch Management programme. HR Director Andrew Laird chairs the BMF HR Forum and is an active member of the BMF Learning & Development Group with the business also one of the first to embrace the new BMF LEAP apprenticeships.
The HR Team at IBMG, meanwhile, has employed a wide range of apprenticeships and training programmes across the group companies for colleagues at every level. These have included induction courses such as How a House is Built, others focusing on customer service, as well as bespoke programmes on margin management and management development tailored for specific IBMG merchant companies.
The final nominee, PDM/Buildbase (now part of Huws Gray), has rapidly progressed its training engagement with the BMF with three separate groups in the past year benefitting from specific programmes for branch managers. The formal programmes have been so successful that PDM delegates also joined the informal 2-day BMF Branch Managers Forum last Autumn.
BMF CEO John Newcomb commented: “Training is the lifeblood of our industry. It is an essential resource for merchants seeking to continue the ongoing development of core competencies and management skills. The four companies chosen by BMF Regional Managers have all increased, their investment in developing staff at all levels. I am delighted that they are making full use of the broad range of formal and specialist training offered by the BMF.
“Whoever wins the title, each of the nominated merchants are clearly winning in terms of building excellence within their own business.”
The overall winner will be announced at the BMF Members’ Day Awards Dinner, which takes place after the BMF Members’ Day Annual Conference on 15 September 2022.
