BMF expands in Ireland with Topline Group agreement
2 March 2022The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) has signed a group membership agreement with Topline Group, the leading buying group in Ireland, supplying DIY and building materials to affiliated stores nationwide.
Formed in 1972 by a small number of independent merchants seeking to purchase more competitively by combining their collective requirements, Topline Group today represents 90 members with 146 outlets across the island of Ireland and an annual spend on building materials, plumbing, heating, timber and general hardware products in excess of €400m. Total turnover of members exceeds €500m.
The agreement, which comes into effect on April 1, 2022, will see 13 of Topline Group’s largest members join the BMF immediately, with a three-year development plan to further expand its BMF membership.
“We are delighted to welcome members of Topline Group into BMF membership and look forward to working with them and helping them to benefit from our full range of training and support services,” said John Newcomb, BMF CEO.
“This is an exciting development for the BMF which has had a small number of members in Ireland for four years. It is gratifying that our work has demonstrated the value added by a strong and supportive trade body and encouraged the influential Topline Group to build a long-term relationship with the BMF.”
The group membership agreement with Topline Group is the BMF’s second such agreement in Ireland, with 17 members of Allied Merchants Buying Association having joined the BMF under a group agreement in 2017.
The addition of the first cohort of Topline Group members increases the total number of BMF merchant members in Ireland to 30.
