Ridgeons uses acquisitions as springboard for future

Ridgeons also said an investment programme at one of the branches acquired from a Saint-Gobain in 2012, a former Wolseley Timber Center at Bedford, had seen a dramatic improvement in turnover at the site.

Angela Rushforth, managing director of Ridgeons, said a year after the acquisitions the group was looking forward to a strong 2014.

Over the past 12 months each former Build Center site at St Neots, St Ives and Bedford, has undergone investment, while a further branch at Royston was located in a new area for the group.

Ridgeons area manager Martin Hurrell told TTJ that sales had trebled at the relaunched Bedford timber centre since January.
"We are hitting targets two years ahead of forecasts," he said.

Mr Hurrell said the inherited branch had been underdeveloped for quite a period of time and timber knowledge had been low.

"From a turnover of £750,000 a year it had gone down to less than £250,000. But we knew there had previously been a market there for timber and sheet materials."

Changes included changing home-grown timber over to imported wood from Ridgeons Forest Products at Herringswell, new racking, widening of stock levels and the addition of JELD-WEN windows, Velux roof windows, joinery solutions and wood flooring. Experienced staff were also recruited from local competitors.

"This was previously a lost opportunity, so for us it was a no-brainer," said Mr Hurrell.

Customer retention strategies were implemented at all the acquired branches.

"The transition has been challenging, but the outcomes have been hugely rewarding," added Ms Rushforth. "Across all three of the previous Build Center branches we have retained a large proportion of the customer base and have improved the product and service offering.