National Buying Group (NBG) has confirmed growth activity from two of its partner merchants: Bromley-based Simply Plumbing & Bathrooms has joined NBG as a new member, and existing partner merchant BuildLand is opening a new branch in Solihull, extending its West Midlands presence.

NBG is one of the UK's established independent buying groups, providing member merchants with collective purchasing power, supplier relationships, and trading terms that individual independent businesses could not achieve alone.

Simply Plumbing & Bathrooms joins NBG

Simply Plumbing & Bathrooms, based in Bromley in south-east London, has taken up NBG membership. For a specialist plumbing and bathroom merchant, NBG membership typically opens access to improved supply terms on core product ranges including bathrooms, heating components, and plumbing consumables. The south-east market remains one of the more competitive for independent merchants, with a high density of plumbing and heating trade customers who use multiple merchant relationships.

BuildLand opens Solihull branch

BuildLand, an existing NBG partner, has confirmed the opening of a new branch in Solihull, adding to its West Midlands network. Branch expansion by an independent merchant is a signal of trading confidence and local market demand. Solihull sits within the wider Birmingham construction market, which has seen sustained demand from both residential development and commercial fit-out activity.

Why buying group health matters for trades

Independent merchants operating within buying groups can often compete more effectively with national chains on product range and pricing. For the trades who use them, a healthy independent merchant sector means more choice of supplier, better local service, and a counterbalance to the consolidation in the national chain market. Each new branch opening or new member joining a buying group represents a potential additional supply point for local trades.

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