New horizons for the entrepreneurial

New horizons for the entrepreneurial Suzanne Millward: housing associations will buy from somebody if they are not buying from you. "And, once a merchant is in with a local housing association, they will be with them for life. "Maintaining the business you have will be important in the year to come, as finding new business becomes increasingly difficult," she says. "Merchants need to make use of their credentials. "If they are already a nominated PfH supplier, whether they"re trading on the framework agreement or not, they have already been "vetted" as a "decent supplier" to trade with. Of course, it is up to the person merchant whether they wish to pursue this business. They manage over four million properties throughout the United Kingdom. PfH is dedicated to the public sector as the only national procurement organisation for the requirements of the social housing sector. An essential business tool for social landlords, PfH generates substantial savings by harnessing the collective purchasing power of housing organisations. "Unimer has already been through the painful tender process on behalf of its members, so its merchants already satisfy all the criteria laid down by the Official Journal of the European Union. Unimer is the UK"s largest merchants" co-operative. UK: Winning merchants look back through the years and comment on where the market is heading. Energy-efficient savings Almost 50% of British homes are not properly insulated according to the Government. "Many merchants already trade with housing associations and local councils," Ms Millward points out. Gain accounts "The benefit for the merchant is that this contract can open up more accounts with PfH members in their areas," she comments. With the advent of the Green Deal, the need for a reduction in carbon emissions and the Decent Homes programme, housing associations have vast numbers of properties that will need to be brought up to standard. "The housing associations will have to examine how they reduce their carbon footprint in their dwellings and this presents a great opportunity for merchants," Ms Millward says. She adds that those merchants who have taken up the offer have "done exceptionally well". Personal relationships, responsiveness and service levels are all winning points for independents. "It"s all about accountability and visibility for local government," says Suzanne Millward, Unimer"s marketing manager. Nowadays, local authorities have to be accountable for their spend and must be very careful to separate out their costs. In 2006, Unimer was invited to trial the PfH concept with a local merchant member in Cumbria. The housing associations naturally want to save money, so what better way than through a local independent? "A contractor can pop in to visit the merchant en route to his job " or have the merchant deliver to the site " wherever that may be. "This flexibility saves PfH members money on fuel costs, transportation and downtime. She adds that the most successful merchants on the agreement are those who work the closest with both the PfH member " and sometimes even with its tenants. "By bestowing this initial three-year contract, Unimer is effectively being treated as if it was a national merchant," says Ms Millward. "The housing associations know exactly what they are paying for any sort of material. So, a merchant working along with tenants" committees and housing associations will strive to find a suitable solution. "Taking part in PfH may also offer the merchant an opportunity to resurrect old trading relationships," she explains. Being "local" has definite advantages for securing PfH business. "For merchants who are close to more built-up areas, there are PfH members who want to trade with you. CAMBRIDGE: Last year marked a momentous occasion for regional builders" and timber merchants Ridgeons, as it celebrated an incredible 100 years of trading. "It"s win-win: the merchant gets the business and the housing association gets a product at a lower cost that its tenants will like. New horizons for the entrepreneurial Trade News selected by Local Linkup on 03/04/2012