An unrelenting focus on customer service has helped Hull-based Ford Asphalte become one of the leading building merchants within Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. To further support this forward progression, the company became part of the National Buying Group in February to allow it to continue providing clients with the best possible prices, as Josh Barker, Managing Director, recently outlined to Construction Industry News.
“When one of our veteran buyers retired last year, we could either attempt to build fresh relationships with manufacturers, which would have been very time-consuming, or join a buying group,” explains Josh. “We’d obviously been aware of the NBG for some time, and we knew individuals within the merchant sector that were able to tell us more about the benefits they could provide, so we decided to join.
“Becoming a member was straightforward and it has proven to be a much more efficient way of replacing an integral member of staff, while also introducing a number of other advantages too. For instance, the roofing department within the NBG is one of its fastest growing areas, so we’ve been able to tap into this, giving us the opportunity to expand our product range. To achieve this without the NBG’s assistance would have taken much longer and been much more complicated.
“Going forward, the NBG will also give us invaluable insight into the wider marketplace, allowing us to keep even better track of the latest trends. It is still early days but we’re certainly already seeing plenty of benefits and we’re positive these will continue to build in the months and years ahead. We’re certainly keen to trust the process.”
Further highlighting Ford Asphalte’s forward-thinking approach, the company’s newest branch in York has just celebrated its first anniversary, having opened its doors last July, adding to its two Hull-based sites. “We’re really happy with how the branch has bedded in and it has definitely met our expectations. The difficulty with York is finding the right premises, as there is such strong demand within the city. We did our homework and bided our time before identifying a location that met all our requirements. It’s on the right side of the A64 so avoids the areas of York that are prone to congestion.”
With the York branch having given Ford Asphalte a whole new area to operate in, the company is well placed to make the most of the opportunities it is currently seeing within the marketplace. “It’s pretty buoyant at the moment and we’re seeing a nice range of variation, which matches our customer base. This ranges from your ‘man and a van’ operators right the way through to major housebuilders. Having this level of variety ensures all our eggs aren’t in one basket too. There’s a significant amount of heritage work taking place in the region, which is proving very beneficial.”
As the benefits of the NBG membership continue to increase and with the York site having hit the ground running, it is clear that Ford Asphalte is heading in the right direction. On the flipside, however, it is having to contend with the same challenges that are affecting everyone in construction, namely the shortage of skills. “Recruitment is continuing to prove tricky in the current climate, which is why we strive to look after our current workforce, which numbers around 20 members of staff at the moment,” says Josh. “We’re also very strong on training to develop our people to their full potential. To help with this, we’ve got some highly experienced managers that have been in the game for a number of years. Their knowledge is essential in achieving this objective and ensuring high levels of staff retention.”
With a blossoming branch network and a developing relationship with the NBG, there’s plenty for Ford Asphalte to be positive about. As it continues to make the most of the opportunities currently available within the marketplace, the company looks well set for another strong year ahead.