Travis Perkins

The company began in 1797, when the Benjamin Ingram company of joiners and carpenters was founded at Beech Street in London.{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/share-of-the-week-travis-perkins-rmhh0h6fb|title=Share of the Week: Travis Perkins|work=The Times|date=10 March 2018|access-date=24 August 2019}} Benjamin Ingram subsequently merged with Perkins to become Ingram Perkins in 1850.{{cite web|url=http://edithsstreets.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/bow-creekriver-lea-leamouth.html|title=Bow Creek/River Lea - Leamouth|publisher=EDith's Streets|access-date=21 March 2015}} Ingram Perkins then merged with Sandell Smythe & Drayson in 1970 to form Sandell Perkins.{{cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/middx/vol9/pp233-241|title=Paddington: Economic History, in A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 9, Hampstead, Paddington, ed. C R Elrington |location=London|year= 1989|pages= 233–241 |access-date= 21 March 2015}}

Sandell Perkins was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1986, shortly before it merged with Travis & Arnold in 1988, to form Travis Perkins.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/travis-board-loses-last-family-member-9250058.html|title=Travis board loses last family member|date=7 September 2001|work=The Independent|access-date=24 August 2019}} (Travis & Arnold had been founded by Ernest Travis in 1899. Originally operating in London, the company moved to Northampton in 1904, with the Midlands becoming its core market.){{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=--hEAQAAMAAJ |title=The Victoria History of the County of Northampton|volume= 6|page=178|year=2007|first=John |last=Beckett|publisher=A. Constable|isbn=978-1-904356-05-9 }}

Subsequent acquisitions have included AAH (46 branches) in March 1994,{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/travis-perkins-expands-network-builders-merchant-buys-aah-building-material-distribution-chain-for-1429948.html|work=The Independent|title= Travis Perkins expands network: Builder's merchant buys AAH building material distribution chain for pounds 42m|date=18 March 1994|access-date=24 August 2019}} BMSS (26 branches) in December 1995,{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/travis-perkins-buys-builders-merchants-1525555.html|title=Travis Perkins buys builders' merchants|date=13 December 1995|work=The Independent|access-date=24 August 2019}} Keyline Builders Merchants (101 branches) in May 1999,{{cite web|url=https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/archive/travis-perkins-seals-181-5m-deal-for-rival-keyline-chain-06-05-1999/|title=Travis Perkins seals £181.5m deal for rival Keyline chain|date=6 May 1999|publisher=CN Plus|access-date=21 March 2015}} and Sharpe & Fisher (38 branches) in 1998,{{cite web|url=https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/11398051.strong-foundation-for-trowbridge-driver/|title=Strong foundation for Trowbridge driver|publisher=Wiltshire Times|date=9 August 2014|access-date=24 August 2019}} Broombys Limited (nine branches) in January 2000,{{cite web|url=https://cwherald.com/a/archive/jobs-hope-follows-penrith-builders-merchant-take-over.227015.html|title=Jobs hope follows Penrith builders' merchant take-over|publisher=Cumberland and Westmoreland Herald|date=29 January 2000|access-date=24 August 2019}} City Plumbing Supplies Limited (48 branches) in July 2002,{{cite web|url=http://online.hemscottir.com/ir/tpk/ir.jsp?page=news-item&item=5680094367807|title=Travis Perkins Buys City Plumbing Supplies for £38.2m|date=1 July 2002|publisher=Hemscott|access-date=21 March 2015}} and Commercial Ceiling Factors (twenty distribution centres) in October 2002,{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Travis+Perkins+in+pounds+45m+CCF+deal.-a092388265|title=Travis Perkins in pounds 45m CCF deal|date=3 October 2002|work=Birmingham Post|access-date=21 March 2015}} Jayhard (53 branches) in August 2003,{{cite web|url=http://desktoptrader.iii.co.uk/investment/detail/?display=news&code=cotn:TPK.L&action=article&articleid=4712286|title=Travis Perkins PLC said it has acquired Jayhard Ltd for 26.5 mln stg cash|publisher=Desktop trader|date=1 August 2003|access-date=21 March 2015}} and B&G (twelve branches) in October 2003,{{cite web|url=http://www.business-sale.com/acquisitions/article/travis-perkins-has-acquired-bg-the-ope-20508.html|title=Travis Perkins has acquired B&G|publisher=Business sale|date=1 October 2003|access-date=21 March 2015}} Wickes (171 stores) in December 2004,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4102185.stm|title=Travis Perkins buys Wickes chain|publisher=BBC|date=16 December 2004|access-date=21 March 2015}} and Tile Giant in November 2007.{{cite web|url=http://www.retail-week.com/travis-perkins-snaps-up-tile-giant/265669.article|title=Travis Perkins snaps up Tile Giant|publisher=Retail Week|date=15 November 2007|access-date=21 March 2015}}

The company had a particularly challenging time after the 2008 financial crisis; it stopped its dividend and indicated it was open to declaring a rights issue.{{cite web|url=https://www.express.co.uk/finance/city/91396/DIY-firm-Travis-Perkins-hammered|title=DIY firm Travis-Perkins hammered|date=27 March 2009|publisher=Express Newspapers|access-date=24 August 2019}}

In May 2010, Travis Perkins made a successful offer to acquire BSS Group for £553m,{{cite news|last=Fletcher|first=Nick|title=BSS jumps 34% after £553m offer from Travis Perkins|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/marketforceslive/2010/may/28/travisperkins-bssgroup|access-date=28 May 2010|newspaper=guardian.co.uk|date=28 May 2010}} and then acquired the remaining 70% stake in Toolstation in January 2012,{{cite web|url=http://www.retailgazette.co.uk/articles/34130-wickes-owner-buys-remaining-70-of-toolstation|title= Wickes owner buys remaining 70% of Toolstation|publisher= Retail Gazette|date= 3 January 2012|access-date=21 March 2015}} and the whole of Solfex in January 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.greenwisebusiness.co.uk/news/travis-perkins-buys-renewables-firm-as-part-of-green-deal-push-3769.aspx#.VQ3DrI6sXDY|title=Travis Perkins buys renewables firm as part of Green Deal push|date=30 January 2013|publisher=Greenwise business|access-date=21 March 2015}}

In November 2017, Travis Perkins sought support from the local community in Pimlico, when the oldest timber yard in the United Kingdom, owned by Travis Perkins, was threatened by closure to allow a housing development to proceed.{{cite web|url=http://www.buildersmerchantsnews.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/14907/Oldest_timber_yard_in_the_UK_faces_closure.html|title=Oldest timber yard in the UK faces closure|publisher=Builders Merchant News|date=8 November 2017|access-date=24 August 2019}}

In December 2018, Travis Perkins announced plans to sell City Plumbing Supplies and its other plumbing and heating businesses.{{cite web|url=http://www.hvpmag.co.uk/Travis-Perkins-announces-plans-to-sell-its-plumbing-and-heating-division/11235|title=Travis Perkins announces plans to sell its plumbing and heating division|publisher=Heating Ventilating & Plumbing|date=4 December 2018|access-date=1 July 2020}} In October 2019, Travis Perkins announced this decision had been paused.{{cite web|url=http://www.hvpmag.co.uk/Travis-Perkins-pauses-sale-of-plumbing-and-heating-divisions/11677|title=Travis Perkins pauses sale of plumbing and heating divisions|date=22 October 2019|access-date=1 July 2020}}

In June 2020, Travis Perkins sought to cut 2,500 jobs under plans to close 165 branches during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.{{cite news |last1=Rogers |first1=Dave |title=Travis Perkins takes the axe to 2,500 jobs as it readies itself for looming recession |url=https://www.building.co.uk/news/travis-perkins-takes-the-axe-to-2500-jobs-as-it-readies-itself-for-looming-recession/5106489.article |access-date=15 June 2020 |work=Building |date=15 June 2020}}

In October 2020, it was announced that Travis Perkins had sold Tile Giant to Coverings Ltd.{{cite web|url=https://www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net/travis-perkins-sells-off-tile-giant/|title=Travis Perkins sells of Tie Giant|publisher=Builders Merchants Journal|date=1 October 2020}}

In April 2021 the demerger of Wickes Group plc was completed.{{Cite web|title=London Stock Exchange welcomes Wickes Group plc to the Premium Segment of the Main Market - Welcome Story At London Stock Exchange {{!}} London Stock Exchange|url=https://www.londonstockexchange.com/discover/news-and-insights/london-stock-exchange-welcomes-wickes-group-plc-premium-segment-main-market|access-date=2021-04-29|website=www.londonstockexchange.com}}

In May 2021 the company announced that it had agreed to sell its plumbing and heating businesses to H.I.G. Capital.{{cite news|url=https://www.sharecast.com/news/news-and-announcements/travis-perkins-sells-plumbing-heating-distribution-business-for-pound325m--7943200.html|title=Travis Perkins sells plumbing & heating distribution business for £325m|date=21 May 2021|newspaper=Sharecast|access-date=16 July 2021}}

By 2024, approximately 20% of Travis Perkins revenue came from Toolstation. Up to March 2024, Toolstation had continued to grow its UK market share, opening 163 new Toolstation branches between 2020 and 2022, and adding seven more in 2023. However, its mainland Europe stores were doing less well, and Travis Perkins announced Toolstation was quitting France and reviewing its operations in Netherlands and Belgium.{{cite news |title=Travis Perkins pulls Toolstation out of France |url=https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/travis-perkins-pulls-toolstation-out-of-france |access-date=5 March 2024 |work=The Construction Index |date=5 March 2024}}

The company's product lines include general building materials, timber, plumbing & heating, kitchens, bathrooms, landscaping materials and tool hire.{{cite web|url=https://investorshares.telegraph.co.uk/quote/TPK/Travis+Perkins|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824113458/https://investorshares.telegraph.co.uk/quote/TPK/Travis%2BPerkins|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 August 2019|title=Travis Perkins|publisher=The Telegraph|access-date=24 August 2019}}

• Constance Travis

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{commons category|Travis Perkins}}

• {{Official website|http://www.travisperkinsplc.co.uk/}}
• [http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=TPK.L Yahoo profile]

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Category:Building materials companies of the United Kingdom

Category:Companies based in Northampton

Category:Retail companies established in 1988

Category:Companies listed on the London Stock Exchange

Category:Wholesalers of the United Kingdom

Category:Companies in the FTSE 250 Index