St. Andrews Timber & Building Supplies are finalists! The annual Builders Merchant Awards is back this year. Builders merchants of all shapes, sizes and creeds are entering the various categories with hopes of making the finals. There are over 20 categories a business can enter. A win in categories such as Timber Merchant Of The Year, Branch Manager Of The Year, Online & Digital Strategy Of The year and much more, are up for grabs. This year, we entered Sustainability/Environmental initiative Of The Year and Builders Merchant Of The Year (1-5 branches). We recently found out, we are 1 of the 3 finalists; in both categories!

What are the Builders Merchant Awards?

Taken from the Builders Merchant Awards website, they describe themselves as: 'The Builders Merchant Awards are the longest-running industry awards, recognising colleagues, companies and teams from across the United Kingdom. 24 categories recognise the enormous achievements that take place across the industry every year. The excellence that is contained within the sector is on show for all to see and celebrate in central London. More than 700 attend every year.' Some of the big names that enter these awards are the likes of Jewson, Travis Perkins, City Plumbing, C&W Berry, Lordes and more. To be named as a finalist when up against such stiff opposition, is an achievement in itself!

How does it all work?

3 finalists are picked from each category and displayed on the big screen. Only 1 finalist can be the winner. The winners of each categories are brought up on stage and presented with their award at Park Plaza, Westminster bridge, London.The company from whom the winner represents is promoted on all social media channels and the business press. A win at the Builders Merchant Awards in any category is a great achievement and not easily obtained by any stretch.

Our Nominations

Sustainability/Environmental Initiative Of The Year

We discussed the various initiatives undertaken in the last year to improve our carbon footprint and reduce our impact on the environment. Initiatives such as electric vehicles, electric company cars and EV charging points are but a few. We also go into detail about the recent Carbon Net Zero Home we supported, and our work with The Energy Training Academy.

Submission Summary 

One of the most important and recent developments in our business plan has been to adjust our operations, logistics and overall company structure in line with the push for a more sustainable, environmentally conscious and responsible future for our planet. St.Andrews Timber & Building Supplies have been making ambitious steps towards helping build a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future. Operating in a sector such as ours, which uses heavy diesel-powered machinery, imported and manufactured materials, large numbers of heavy-goods vehicles and other means of heavy pollution, it feels as though we have a real responsibility to work towards reducing our impact on the environment.

The 3 main initiatives undertaken by us since October 2023 are as follows:

Switching over to Electric Forklifts and equipping our branches with the capabilities to operate using these for the future. The Energy Training Academy's Carbon Net Zero Home and the role St.Andrews' played in supporting and facilitating the first of its kind. The investment in our electric company vehicle fleet and the wider investment in EV chargers throughout all 4 of our branches.

Builders Merchant Of The Year (1-5 Branches)

Submission Summary 

St.Andrews Timber & Building Supplies was established in 2002, and as of 2024 now has 4 branches throughout Scotland in Edinburgh, Livingston & Paisley. There have been some recent developments that have been designed in line with our expansion plans and goal to continue to evolve and offer the best of ourselves to our customers and wider industry at all times.

4 of these Initiatives are as follows:

Appointment of new company directors and tightening of overall company structure. A marked improvement in our EV focus among our fleet and a wider push towards becoming a more environmentally friendly and sustainable company. Project Knock-Thru and a push to bring our smallest branch in line with the offering and capabilities of our other 3 branches, in turn strengthening our overall company position. Our push into the landscaping sector and the important role training, development and the Landscape Academy played in launching our name in the landscaping sector. Please refer to supporting material 1 for links to the articles outlining the findings above. Please refer to supporting material 2 for a testimonial from the Landscape academy regarding our Livingston depot and our push into the landscaping sector.