Product category:
Builders Merchants
News Release from: Builders Merchants Federation [BMF] | Subject: Sales of building materials
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 12 April 2006
Sales of building materials fall again
Builders Merchants Federation sales indicators show year-on-year downturn for winter trading, dropping by 4.2% for the three months December 2005 to February 2006.
Sales of building materials at builders' merchants throughout the country dropped by 4.2% for the three months December 2005 to February 2006 compared with the same period in 2004/5, according to the latest figures from the Builders Merchants Federation BMF's figures also show a slight decrease in sales (0.1%) against the previous three-month period, September - November 2005
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 16 Jan 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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Sales of building materials slip back
BMF sales indicators shows year-on-year downturn for autumn trading
The 12-month comparator again shows a fall, with builders' merchants sales between February 2005 to February 2006 down 2.9% on the previous 12 month period.
In the year-on-year three-month comparisons, sales of lightside products (e.g plumbing, heating and ironmongery) dropped more than those of heavyside products (eg bricks, blocks, aggregates and cement).
Lightside sales were down by 4.2%, with heavyside down 3.9%.
Once again, only the Northern region bucked the downward trend, reporting a 12.5% increase over the same 3 month period in 2004/5.
East Anglia reported the poorest sales, with a 9.2% year-on-year decrease.
Commenting on the figures, BMF managing director, Jeremy Hawksley, said: "The winter months are the slowest trading months in the building trade, so these figures hold no real surprise".
"However, the slowing of the decline in sales month on month may herald more positive news for the Spring, but much will depend on the strength of the housing market.".
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