Since we last caught up with Satty Jutla-Kalsi, Managing Director of Redditch-based Buildland Ltd, the family run builders’ merchants has demonstrated ongoing progress as it continues to make the most of its strengths as a business.
“The marketplace is steady at the moment and we’re growing every day,” outlines Satty. “There was a definite peak after the pandemic and while things have since settled down, we’re still improving year-on-year. To support our growth we have joined another buying group, NBG, which has strengthened our hand further. We’ve been attending their events and conferences where we’ve been able to meet new people to get an even clearer picture of what’s taking place within the overall market.”
Another key factor behind Buildland’s success has been its impressive social media presence, with its followers on the likes of Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter all continuing to grow in number. “We have a full-time social manager that looks after all our various accounts, which help us to publicise our promotions and highlight when new stock lines are coming in,” says Satty. “We’re getting more interactions each day, all of which help to drive up sales.
“We’re also strong on the environment and have changed the majority of our fleet to Euro6. In addition, we’ve been looking at solar panels at both our sites (Redditch and Coventry). This is an ongoing process with a date set for completion for next year.”
This forward-thinking approach has worked well for Buildland, which has been a factor behind its longevity, with the company having reached its 20th anniversary last year, a landmark that it continues to celebrate. “We held various activities to mark our anniversary and we are hosting a charity event in July,” outlines Satty. Our local community is coming together with a shared purpose, channeling all proceeds towards the Stroke Association. This charity isn’t just another name to us; it carries profound significance in our lives. My grandfather, the late Mr Harjinder Singh Jutla, who left an indelible mark as the CEO and founder of Buildland, sadly fell victim to a stroke last year. His tragic passing has etched a deep emotional bond between us and the Stroke Association. It isn’t merely about giving; it’s about honoring a cherished legacy and contributing to a cause that hits close to home.
“Besides the charity event, we’re looking to increase our social media performance further and to continue to progress with our solar panel plans. Generally we want to increase awareness of what we can offer. We are restructuring our second site in Coventry and are increasing the size to accommodate a larger car park by the end of the year to make it easier for customers to get in and out, while also restructuring the store itself.”
By continually improving its operation, it is easy to see how Buildland has clocked up two decades of operation, which is impressive in anyone’s book. This success is testament to the reputation it has built up and the fact that it is now one of the most recognised independent builders’ merchants in the Midlands.