Construction BUSINESS

Grafton Merchanting ROI, Ireland’s leading building merchanting company, is rebranding to Chadwicks Group as part of a €5 million investment programme in the business. The €5 million investment over the next three years includes a nationwide rebrand, in-branch refurbishments and a technology upgrade to enhance the overall customer experience. All Chadwicks Group branches will remain in their current locations across Ireland where the same people will deliver a whole new customer experience.

Chadwicks Group operates from over 50 locations nationwide. Of these 50 locations, all Heiton Buckley branches will now move to the Chadwicks brand, bringing the total number of Chadwicks branches to 37. Rebrand activity is expected to be complete by April 2020 while refurbishment activity will continue throughout the three-year period. Destination brands where there is a unique area of speciality within the Chadwicks Group will retain their current brand name. These include:

• Heiton Steel
• Panelling Centre
• Davies
• Telfords
• Cork Builders Providers.

Technology upgrade

As part of the overall investment, Chadwicks Group is investing in its technology systems to improve overall customer experience and create a more seamless user experience to make life easier for its customers. The first step in this overhaul is the migration of all financial and product administration information for customers to a centralised ERP system, meaning customers will have access to their credit from any of its locations nationwide. This change in process will allow customers to shop in 43 of the Chadwicks, Heiton Buckley and Panelling Centre branches at any time and receive one centralised statement every month, providing consistency in pricing and greatly reduce administration for our customers.

Branch refurbishment 

Chadwicks Group is also investing in its branches across the country as part of an ongoing refurbishment programme. The new-look Chadwicks branches will house the latest styles and top brands on the market. New shelving, flooring, signage, counters and layout have all been installed, allowing customers to have a more hands-on experience with products.  To date, seven branches have undergone a refurbishment and eight more branches are planned to be revamped by the end of 2019.

Speaking on the announcement, Patrick Atkinson (pictured), CEO of Chadwicks Group, said: “The launch of the Chadwicks Group in Ireland marks a significant day in our company history. This significant investment in our brand and technology over the next three years will provide our customers with a new and enhanced user experience across the Chadwicks Group estate.

“The construction sector is changing, and Chadwicks Group is helping to drive that change through better use of digital technology to improve customer experience and through closer integration of our businesses to ensure a complete and frictionless experience. Our mission is to provide a best-in-class customer experience and to ensure our service offering is consistent with our customers’ needs as the construction industry evolves. This investment will enable us to offer better consistency of experience, product selection and value across all our branches.

“I would like to thank all our colleagues, who are the heart and soul of the Chadwicks Group, they have played a tremendous role throughout this process and this wouldn’t be possible without their ambition and cooperation. I look forward to achieving great things with them in the coming years.”