Market Deeping Firms Form Trading Partnership

In property and construction, getting value for money is all about location, location, location. To prove the point, a new builders merchant based in Market Deeping near Peterborough has formed a trading partnership with its next door neighbour.

The Deepings Trading Company, which commenced operations in a 600 square metre purpose-built depot on the Spitfire Park industrial estate, Northfield Road earlier this year, has established a close trading relationship supplying materials to a timber frame manufacturer.

Kestrel Timber Frame, part of the Larkfleet Group (www.LarkfleetGroup.co.uk), produces timber frames for house building. It currently supplies timber frames for homes built by Larkfleet Group subsidiaries Larkfleet Homes and FE Peacock, as well as for other customers.

The purpose-designed Kestrel factory at Market Deeping can produce frames for between 200 and 300 homes each year. The ecologically certified timber it uses is supplied exclusively by Deepings Trading. Because the companies are next door to each other, delivery costs are kept down and it is easier for Kestrel to assess the quality of the timber it is buying.

Deepings Trading operations director Ian Greenfield said: Our aim is to work in partnership with tradesmen and developers in the Deepings and the surrounding area so it made perfect sense to establish a relationship with a construction company that is right on our doorstep.

Deepings Trading aims to be a one stop shop offering a wide range of products from drainage, plumbing and building materials to bathroom suites, electrical fittings and timber.

Larkfleet launched its own timber frame production company in order to maintain control over both the quality of the frames and the schedule for delivering frames to site. The frames are purpose-designed by Kestrel using detailed drawings supplied by Larkfleet. They are then manufactured and erected on site by Kestrel.

Jamie Gilligan of Kestrel said: We found that Deepings Trading provided excellent quality, prices and service and being next door, could hardly be more convenient.

Ian Greenfield added: We feel strongly that there is a niche market in the Deepings and surrounding areas for a quality builders merchant, which can work in partnership with developers, subcontractors and tradesmen to help them become more cost effective. We can achieve this by providing them with a combination of a central location, commitment to stock, clear and consistent pricing and a flexible approach to their needs. In establishing this new partnership with Kestrel Timber Frame we have proved that we can do just that.