The Origins of Materials Market

Like all great ideas, Materials Market started with a problem.

Founders Samuel and Andrew met in 2013 while working as buyers for a small roofing contractor in London, fighting an everyday battle to get materials to site on time and on budget. This involved contacting supplier after supplier to check availability, negotiate prices, and place orders. There were so many suppliers out there, but finding one that ticked all the boxes for each order was an almost impossible task. If only there were a way to reach them all at once… The beginnings of an idea started to take shape in Samuel’s mind.

In a small Japanese restaurant in Camden, Samuel and Andrew sketched out plans for a website that brought together a disparate network of suppliers to provide low prices, fast deliveries and great service to trade and DIY customers alike. By getting the suppliers to work together, they knew they could create a proposition that was better than any individual supplier could offer.

 

 

 Materials Market Today

Starting from the back bedroom of Andrew’s North London flat with nothing but a whiteboard, a whippet, and a dream, Materials Market grew within just a few years to become one of the leading online suppliers of construction materials, servicing thousands of customers and generating millions of pounds in sales for supply chain partners across the country.

With backing from notable London-based VC Fuel Ventures, the Materials Market team now includes over thirty talented individuals, all working to create a perfect market for the buying and selling of construction materials.

 

 

Our Supplier Network

The supply chain for construction materials across the UK is hyper localised and fragmented. There is a builders merchant for every five square miles, and the majority of suppliers have fewer than two branches each. This lack of consolidation means that customers are often forced to contact multiple suppliers to find the materials that they need and get a good price and lead time.

Materials Market brings this fragmented supply chain together in a single platform to provide a compelling proposition to customers. Our network of over 750 branches is the beating heart of our company, and we are proud to work with a wide range of suppliers, from major industry players to small independent merchants. Our suppliers are all vetted before they join, and are managed by our experienced Supplier Team to ensure they provide the best possible experience for our customers.

 

 

Our Customer Base

We are proud to serve a wide range of customers through our eCommerce website and other platforms. In our mission to create a perfect market for construction materials, we believe that everyone should be able to buy materials at competitive prices and experience the same service levels that the big players are treated to.

The world of construction products can be daunting to newcomers, and is generally underrepresented by online and digital solutions. At materialsmarket.com, DIYers and tradespeople alike can access a broad range of high-quality products at great prices and fast delivery times, and our diverse customer demographic is testament to our ability to appeal not only to businesses, but consumers too.

 

 

Our Tech

You might not be able to see all of the technology that drives our business, but we can assure you that it is there! Since our inception we have strived to be a digital-first business, always looking for ways in which technology can improve the experience of our customers and suppliers on the platform.

Navigating the pricing, selling, allocation, and delivery of localised construction materials in a fragmented market is no small feat, and our dedicated product development team are consistently breaking new ground with the innovative marketplace technology they’re building.