Travis Perkins looks to grow decorative panels business
13 October 2012Travis Perkins is implementing wide-ranging changes in its sheet materials business which involves targeting growth in decorative panels with help from newly-appointed preferred suppliers of non-core sheet materials James Latham and Meyer Timber.
The plans, called project Mayflower, stem from Travis Perkins' creation of a special team last year to look at ways of growing its timber and sheet materials business.
Steve Bareham, category management director for Travis Perkins, said the group appointed the two distributors as it wanted to streamline its supply base, which involved about 400 suppliers of sheet materials. He said Meyer and Lathams' products, service and pricing were identified as key to their appointment.
"We identified decorative sheet material as something we had just dabbled in," said "We have a relatively small market share in decorative panels, about 1% of the UK market.
"But with Travis Perkins and Keyline we have a good spread of branches and good customer footfall.
"We're looking to grow our share of the business and open it up to our existing customer base, including shopfitters and cabinet makers, several thousand of who trade with Travis Perkins."
Two Keyline and 19 Travis Perkins branches which were in the top 60 Travis Perkins selling branches of sheet materials have been chosen to stock the increased range, which comprises woodgrain melamine-faced MDF, FSC-certified oak and walnut veneered MDF, and primed T&G MDF.
Magnetic signage on branch racking will promote the products, along with a new sheet materials brochure, Travis Perkins' first, detailing 750 product lines. Meyer and Lathams have been involved helping to train branch staff and providing general project support, with Meyer developing a product swatch.
He said the group would look to grow the decorative panel range in the future.
"We are absolutely delighted to be involved with this market-leading initiative and are looking forward to working with Travis Perkins to develop the project to its full potential," said Richard Lazneby, Meyer's group trading director.
"This is a culmination of months of hard work and effort from all parties and we are delighted to have arrived at this point," said Chris Sutton, director of James Latham.
