Grafton recognises that each customer has their own unique requirements and believes in adapting solutions to meet their needs. Central to this is listening to what is important to customers in achieving their goals. Grafton has developed a tried and tested suite of dedicated counter and stores options that can help each customer achieve their goals.
Branch Stores Buildbase currently operates a number of standalone stores in local branches with dedicated trade counter and warehousing facilities for its partners.
These have been built and stocked exclusively for these customers and are managed by fully trained, knowledgeable staff. All our clients’ product requirements are kept in one place so there is no need to travel to multiple locations. The materials in these stores are owned and controlled by Buildbase so that partners no longer have money tied up in stock or risk damage and loss.
Key Benefits
Where a partner requires it may be appropriate to set up and operate a dedicated stores at the customer’s premises or a dedicated unit local to the housing stock. Once again these are manned by fully trained and experienced personnel.
The stores are run as a mini branch with our Buildbase staff handling all the stock control and order processing. Suppliers and manufacturers deliver direct to the stores with backup from the local GMGB brands.
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Key Benefits
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Dedicated Trade CounterFor some of our customers a more cost-effective solution is to provide a dedicated trade counter service within the existing GMGB branch.
This again is manned by GMGB fully trained staff with a dedicated area within the existing warehouse and store for the customers materials. By using the dedicated counter and the ‘call and collect’ service, operatives are not kept waiting to collect materials.
Key Benefits
Buying Solutions
As Grafton is a framework supplier to Buying Solutions, there is no need to OJEU tender as the framework has already been tested to provide Value for Money.
Grafton works with Buying Solutions' to provide a remit that extends across both central government and the wider public sector including local government, health, education, devolved administrations, emergency services, defence, utilities and not-for-profit organisations. It also extends to devolved administrations and the local government, health, education and emergency services in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The partnership aims to maximise the value for money obtained by all government departments and other public bodies.
Buying Solutions is the largest of over 40 Professional Buying Organisations (PBOS) in the wider public sector. OGC sets procurement policy and best practice to help the UK public sector achieve value from its spending. Buying Solutions delivers procurement solutions for nationally sourced commodity goods and services to customers in both central civil government and the wider public sector.
Grafton is a framework supplier to Buying Solutions for building materials, heating and pipeline, electrical hardware, tools, personal protective equipment and plant hire. Grafton Working with Buying Solutions Grafton has a legal remit to trade with public services across the UK. Buying Solutions is the smart choice for public sector procurement, enabling organisations to deliver improved value for money and efficiency. It facilitates the buying process in a vast and highly complex marketplace. The diverse customer base spans the biggest central government departments, NHS Trusts and local councils, through to the smallest schools.
Biwater
Biwater selected Grafton as its framework supplier for all general building materials for projects throughout the UK and Northern Ireland.
Dave West, Biwater supply chain manager said “Following a rigorous tender process Biwater selected Grafton who were able to demonstrate best value in terms of service and competitiveness. A key factor in the decision was also their willingness to adapt and align their systems and processes with those of Biwater. The ‘purchase to pay’ system now operated between our two companies has removed any unnecessary administration or waste.”
Biwater is a world-leader in the water industry, with a highly successful track record and projects in over thirty countries. Today Biwater’s expertise is widespread and covers water systems investment and management, water and environmental engineering and water and wastewater products and services.
The specialist brands within Grafton encompass the diverse product range required, from large bore MDPE pipe from PDM to fully certified chain of custody timber from Buildbase. Biwater is committed to offering a complete in-house service to clients. This requires an unrivalled depth of process, civil, mechanical, electrical and chemical engineering skills and resources at the company’s disposal for controlling and treating all grades of water and wastewater. This exceptional level of service is also seen in Biwater’s close collaboration with their supply chain partners.
Grafton Supply Chain Solutions understand the needs of the Housebuilder to turn plots into homes as efficiently and cost effectively as possible.
Using our specialists brands we can supply all the material requirement s for new build construction from the groundworks and insulation to the bathrooms and kitchens.
By rationalising supply chains and encouraging sub-contractor purchases we are able to assist in aggregating your buying power through a single company offering multi brand product expertise and drive down the construction cost.
Our Civils and Lintels brand is the UK’s largest steel lintel distributor servicing the construction market from fourteen distribution centres, spanning the country with a stock holding of over 50,000 steel lintels we currently supplying twenty five percent of the UK’s construction needs.
Our specialist lintels services include:
Some of the UKs top housebuilders trust Grafton Supply Chain Solutions brands to deliver their material needs including Barratt Homes, David Wilson Homes, Taylor Wimpey, Bellway, Crest Nicholson,
E-TradingWherever possible, GMGB businesses employ e-trading when dealing with partnering customers. As well as the obvious advantages - speed and reduction of stationery and handling costs - e-commerce has enabled the introduction of efficient new technologies. These include automatic document matching of orders against invoices and deliveries, improved visibility for supply chain transactions and pricing and increased security.
An e-trading portal solution has been installed which allows Grafton brands to electronically exchange key business documents such as orders, invoices, credits, delivery notes and statements with suppliers and customers.
If required electronic systems can be set up to more carefully control stock via job numbers and validity periods.
Grafton recognises the need for businesses to operate more efficiently and drive down the cost of low value procurement. Through Buildbase, PDM, Civils & Lintels brands, Grafton is able to accept GPC purchase cards and bank purchase cards.
Purchase cards are issued by the customer’s bank to nominated staff. Each has monthly and transaction spending limits. With your bank you can also restrict individual cardholders to individual trade categories, e.g. office stationery or equipment.
When working with Grafton some major contractors and social housing customers have introduced a policy where all small orders are processed on purchase cards.
The key benefits are:
Safety, Security, Visibility
The Grafton Procurement ID card is a tool that enables organisations to procure goods efficiently and effectively. It reduces ordering time, enables faster document delivery and reduces paperwork and administration costs.
The card empowers users with full accountability with appropriate levels of control. Management information reports produce a clear audit trail, identify how much was spent, on what products, date of transaction, users ID and individual job costing data. Goods are charged to the client’s normal credit account so no additional accounts are required. Clients are secure in the knowledge that goods will only be supplied on presentation of a live ID card. The card can be used at any Buildbase or Civils & Lintels depot nationwide.
Security
Each card is logged on to the Grafton secure procurement card registration system. Each time a cardholder requires materials the card number is instantly checked against the live file to ensure the card is active and the user is able to purchase on the company’s behalf.
Transaction Limits
The procurement card system can be fully bespoke. Each card can be set individual transaction limits for control by trade or job function.
Mobile SolutionsGrafton is able to offer its clients an easy and cost-efficient way to manage and order van stock and materials for use on housing repair contracts.
Customers include housing associations, local councils with housing stock and commercial contractors.
The Solution
As operatives use stock from their vans, they send an update on the PDA, which has all the stock items preloaded, and the system automatically sends a replenishment order to Grafton.
Benefits to Customers
This service removes the need for customers to manage their own building materials supplies, saving the cost of running their own warehouse. It minimises off-job time for operatives, gives fast replenishment of van stock, and offers just in time ordering to improve cash flow. Less manual intervention in turn reduces the incidence of human error.
Existing Success
Using the 1st Touch system, Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust operatives use PDAs to notify Buildbase of stock used on each job and to place orders for additional parts. Large items are delivered direct to the customer, while Buildbase picks all other replacement parts ready for collection when the operative next visits the merchant. VAHT receives details of stock used against each job and operative on a weekly basis. The no-stock decision means that VAHT has reduced its stock commitment from £400,000 to £60,000 per year as well as eliminating warehousing costs such as rent, administrative charges, breakages and shrinkage. Furthermore, mobile working has resulted in VAHT rationalising its supply chain and reducing its business overheads by £150,000 each year.