The Saint Gobain-owned builders merchants announced in August it had entered into an agreement with Wolseley UK to acquire Build Center, subject to regulatory review by the European Commission.
This has now been completed and the acquisition has been referred to the UK’s competition authority, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) for review. Until the OFT has completed its review, the Build Center business will be managed separately from Jewson.
Build Center is the UK’s fourth largest general builders’ merchant, with a turnover of £316 million in 2010. Employing almost 1,600 people, it operates through a national network of 148 branches, including specialist timber, glass and ironmongery centres.
The acquisition will enable Jewson to strengthen its position in the UK building distribution sector and enhance its offer for customers. It will also bring with it significant benefits and synergies for SGBD in the UK & Ireland, particularly in procurement and logistics.
Peter Hindle MBE, Managing Director of Jewson, said: “Build Center is a great strategic and geographical fit with Jewson. With branches located across the UK, the business will complement and enhance the Jewson network. Importantly, it will enable us to us to enhance our services and product range to meet customers’ needs more effectively in the future. At present it is business as usual and we are fully committed to supporting our customers’ ongoing requirements. We will make every effort to keep them updated on developments over the next few months. ”
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