Grafton Group

❧

Wikipedia

Grafton Group plc
Company typePublic limited company
IndustryBuilding materials
Founded1902; 123 years ago (1902)
HeadquartersDublin, Ireland
Key people
Michael Roney (Chairman)
Eric Born (CEO)
RevenueDecrease € 2,282.3 million (2024)[1]
Decrease € 152.6 million (2024)[1]
Decrease € 122.0 million (2024)[1]
Websitegraftonplc.com

Grafton Group plc is a builders merchants business headquartered in Ireland and operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange, and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

History

In 1902, William Thomas Chadwick established a builders' merchants and building contractors business in Dublin. It was incorporated as Chadwicks (Dublin) Ltd in 1909.[2][3]

In 1930, Chadwick acquired a roof tile and concrete block manufacturing business in Dublin.[4][5] He registered that business as Concrete Products of Ireland Ltd in 1931.[6][7]

Concrete Products of Ireland Ltd became a public limited company (plc) and incorporated Chadwicks (Dublin) Ltd in 1965, and building materials company Marley increased its holding in the company to 51%.[7] Michael Chadwick bought out Marley and renamed the business Grafton Group in 1987.[7]

In 1988, Concrete Products of Ireland plc changed its name to Grafton Group plc.[8]

Selco is part of Grafton Group.

In March 1998, it bought British Dredging, a United Kingdom builders merchants including the Selco chain.[9] In February 2003, it bought Jackson Building Centres, another British builders merchants, based in Lincolnshire.[7]

In October 2003, it also bought Plumbline, Scotland's largest independent plumbers merchants.[10] In June 2004, it bought Heiton Group, Ireland’s largest independent plumbers merchants.[11] In December 2006, it then bought Plumbworld, one of the United Kingdom’s largest online bathroom retailers.[12]

In August 2013, it bought Wearside builders' merchant Thompsons,[13] in October 2013, it bought Binje Ackermans, a Brussels based merchanting operation,[14] and in December 2013, Grafton Group opened ten showrooms, and launched a brand new website called Bohen, which focuses on the bathroom, kitchen and bedroom industry.[15]

Then in September 2014, it bought Direct Builders Merchants, a general merchanting business based in Kent[16] and in December 2014, it bought Crescent Building Supplies, a builders' merchant based in Ruislip.[17] In March 2015, it bought TG Lynes, a distributor of mechanical engineering products,[18] in January 2016, it bought T Brewer, a timber distributor based in London,[19] and in March 2016, it bought Allsand Supplies, a general builders' merchant located in Kent.[20]

Previous logo

In January 2022 the company announced the completion of the sale of its merchanting business in the UK to Huws Gray for £520m. Businesses sold include Buildbase, Civils & Lintels, PDM Buildbase, The Timber Group, Bathroom Distribution Group, Frontline and NDI Brands.[21]

Operations

The company currently owns four physical "bricks and mortar" businesses, Woodie's DIY, Civils and Lintels, Selco and Jacksons brands.[22] It also has a number of businesses that trade exclusively online.[23]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Annual Results 2024" (PDF). Grafton Group. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  2. ↑ Michael Chadwick: Grafton Group Archived 2013-03-03 at the Wayback Machine Business & Finance, 2010
  3. ↑ "Our history". Grafton Group plc. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  4. ↑ McCaffrey, Una (16 September 2005). "Chadwick keeps Grafton sailing down easy street". The Irish Times. p. 32.
  5. ↑ "Our history". Grafton Group plc. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  6. ↑ "Grafton Group Public Limited Company". Companies Registration Office. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Beating the Budget blues The Independent, 10 December 2011
  8. ↑ "Our history". Grafton Group plc. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  9. ↑ "Grafton is tracking British Dredging". www.independent.ie. 10 March 1998.
  10. ↑ "Plumbline duo cash in as Grafton enters Scotland". www.scotsman.com. 7 October 2003.
  11. ↑ Grafton boosted by Heiton buy Construction News, 13 September 2005
  12. ↑ Plumbworld appoint new deputy Managing Director Archived 2013-10-18 at the Wayback Machine Journalism, 13 August 2012
  13. ↑ Robert Gibson (29 August 2013). "Thompsons merchants acquired for £3.8m by Grafton group". journallive. Archived from the original on 20 April 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  14. ↑ "Grafton Group acquires Binje Ackermans for €20.5m". Independent.ie. 21 October 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  15. ↑ "Campaign unveiled to launch new kitchen, bedroom and bathroom brand Bohen". Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  16. ↑ "Grafton Group Buys Kent-Based Direct Builders... - Morningstar". MorningstarUK. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  17. ↑ Will Ackermann (4 December 2014). "Ruislip-based builders' merchants bought out by multi-billion pound firm". getwestlondon. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  18. ↑ "Grafton Group acquires TG Lynes". Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  19. ↑ "Grafton Group acquires London timber firm T Brewer". The Irish Times. 5 January 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  20. ↑ "Grafton Group acquires Allsand Supplies". 2 February 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  21. ↑ "Grafton Group completes sale of traditional merchanting business in Britain". independent. 4 January 2022.
  22. ↑ Grafton group suffers from bad weather Builders Merchant Journal, 6 May 2010
  23. ↑ Grafton Merchanting buys online merchant Archived 18 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine Builder's Merchant News, 30 June 2010