Blue Rock

One billion pounds a year turnover by 2012 is the ambitious target the Executive Chairman of the National Buying Group (NBG) has set for his organisation.

Just seven months into the job running the NBG, Allan Durning is starting to put the infrastructure into place with a six-figure investment in a new computer system for the organisation and its 69 members trading from more than 200 outlets in the UK.

This is the Group’s biggest ever investment and it will see its computer systems revolutionised and the information flows to both members and suppliers change beyond recognition.

Speaking at the signing of the contract with leading builders merchants software house Blue Rock Systems, Durning said software is key if the NBG is to achieve its goals.

“Our systems are starting to creek now we have reached £750 million annual turnover – they need replacing now if we are to achieve our goal of a billion within five years.

“Supplying our members will become both more challenging and beneficial for manufacturers and distributors in the future. Those suppliers who embrace the changes and invest in this Group innovation have a very rosy future dealing with NBG members. Some suppliers have been visionary enough to want to contribute to the cost of the system prior to the market launch!

“The National Buying Group is already the leading independent group for builders merchants and with the extra benefits from the NBG Trading Hub it will be another strategic reason for independent merchants to join this progressive Group.

“The NBG Trading Hub will allow members to concentrate on running their businesses, not running the IT system. It will give relevant information in a timely way – not just a dump of reams of meaningless computer printout!”

“But this major investment will do so much more for our members and our suppliers. Blue Rock is producing the NBG Trading Hub which will give our members, for the first time, the tools to maximise their profits.

The system devised by Blue Rock will be web based, meaning that the vast amounts of insecure emails and attachments members of the NBG are currently required to generate will be dramatically reduced.

The executive chairman said the process to select a suitable supplier for such a fundamental sea-change was painstaking: “It is the biggest ever investment by an independent group of this kind as far as we know and the selection of our technology partner was absolutely crucial.

“Blue Rock won the contract in the face of stiff opposition on the grounds of what its system can deliver, its ease of use, the company’s great knowledge and experience of the builders merchant industry and, of course, price.”