Analysis from the BMF (Builders Merchants Federation), found sales in the East Midlands rose on 2023 by +2.1% in Q4 and +9.3% in December, despite a year-on-year total year drop of -2.7%.
Considered to be a key bellwether for the national economic picture, building materials sales are analysed in the BMF’s quarterly Building Materials Building Index (BMBI).
James Hipkins, of Emerys Timber and Builders Merchants, is the BMF’s East Midlands Regional Chair. He said: “This is very encouraging for our region after a tough year.
With the recent drop in interest rates, we hope this trend continues.”
The BMF’s BMBI is drawn from 88 per cent of builders’ merchants sales throughout the country, using GfK’s point of sale tracking data to make it one of the most reliable measures of sales activity for the sector.
BMF CEO John Newcomb said: “Our BMBI analysis monitors both national trends and regional variances.
“Nationally, sales of building materials fell -4.1% in 2024 compared to 2023, with a slight decline of -0.5% recorded in Q4 and a rise of +3% in December.
“The unexpected growth recorded at the end of the year mirrors the wider economic picture, demonstrating that the building materials sector reflects the ‘mood of the nation’ particularly around home repair, maintenance and improvement.”