NI Builders shortlisted for Excellence Awards

They are among 29 builders merchants across the island of Ireland now in contention for a variety of awards.

Haldane Fisher branches in Newry and Portadown are shortlisted for the Northern Ireland regional award along with the JP Corry branch on the Springfield Rd, Belfast and Murdock Builders Merchants Newry (Newry Building Supplies).

Two other JP Corry branches are shortlisted for category awards. The Bangor branch for Excellence in Sales and Marketing and the Newry branch for Excellence in Sustainable Business. Murdock Builders Merchants in Londonderry is shortlisted in the Excellence in Customer Service category.

In addition, Northern Ireland builders merchant staff are well represented in the Rising Star category which acknowledges the up-and-coming talent in the industry. Five staff in Northern Ireland builders merchants will compete with four others from Dublin, Galway and Meath.

The five from Northern Ireland are Simon Cummings, JP Corry Dromore; Maggie Dillon, JP Corry Robert Guy, Ballymena: Matt Johnston, Murdock Builders Merchants, Castlereagh, Mark Nicholson, Haldane Fisher Newry and Anthony Smith, Haldane Fisher, Portadown

The winners in the Octabuild Builders Merchants Excellence Awards will be announced at an awards event on Thursday, October 13 in the Round Room at the Mansion House in Dublin.

These awards are organised by Octabuild a group of leading building material manufacturers: Dulux, Etex Ireland, Glennon Brothers, Grant Engineering, Gyproc, Irish Cement, Kingspan Insulation and Wavin Ireland.

The awards, which have been recognising excellence in the builders merchant trade for over 35 years, have moved to an all-island competition for the first time this year.

The judges will be visiting all shortlisted merchants in the coming weeks to select the winners in each region and category as well as an overall winner.

Chair of the judging panel, Liam O’Gorman, said: “Reviewing the submissions for the 2022 Octabuild Builders Merchant Excellence Awards has portrayed an evolving landscape wherein the industry responded to a host of unprecedented challenges such as Covid 19, Climate Change, staff retention, health and upskilling along with ever changing product standards and regulations.

“Over the past three years the sector has shown great ingenuity and leadership in handling these issues whilst at the same time maintaining a strong focus within their local communities.”

Speaking on behalf of the eight Octabuild members Octabuild chairman, Ray Molyneaux, added: “It’s important for Octabuild that the Awards highlight to the construction industry the excellence of builders merchants. We are delighted with the enthusiastic response to this first all-island awards where merchants from all over the country have put themselves and their teams forward to showcase what’s excellent in the industry.”