How Selco Builders Warehouse has kept builders and tradespeople loyal for generations  

Originally formed as Sewell & Co (Timber) Ltd, a Birmingham-based family company that operated a timber mill and caravan fit-out business in 1895, Selco Builders Warehouse (Selco), boasts a long history of supporting the trade industry. Since its early days in the late 1800s, the company has expanded to a network of over 70 stores catering to tradespeople across England and Wales. With more than 125 years of experience, Selco possesses a deep understanding of what customers expect from their builders’ merchants. The company prides itself on stocking thousands of top-quality trade products both in-store and online, with its team of experts always ready to help. Its extensive product range, fair pricing, in-depth knowledge, and reliability are what continue to set Selco apart and have helped build its loyal customer base. Frank Elkins, CEO, provides a comprehensive introduction to the business and its present-day operations. 

Genuine relationships 

“Given that Sewell & Co (Timber) only rebranded to Selco in 1982, we celebrated our official 40th anniversary three years ago. Based in Birmingham, our business was founded with a mission to provide a unique offering to local small trade, transitioning from an original focus on engineering woods timber to a more generalist approach. Indeed, we have evolved into a generalist business focused on making small trades feel welcome while making shopping easier, being a one-stop destination for all needs, and pricing our products in a clear and transparent manner. These founding principles have guided our business development over the past four decades. An important milestone occurred in 1998 when we were acquired by Grafton Group Plc, now our parent company.  

“Presently, we operate 75 branches across the UK with a workforce of over 2500 colleagues, generating a turnover of circa £600 million. Notably, we stand as the number one destination for small trade professionals, providing a welcoming and convenient shopping experience. Our objective is to transcend the conventional transactional process between large merchants and their trade customers by fostering genuine relationships with our small trade clientele. We strive to support our clients in growing their businesses from small to medium-sized enterprises by making them more profitable through increased efficiency. Recognising that time is a crucial asset for small trade customers, we prioritise convenience, speed, and ease of transactions to facilitate their success,” he elaborates. 

Under one roof 

Time is of the essence for most companies and particularly small to medium-sized businesses. However, awareness of this urgency does not lead Selco to prioritise meeting deadlines at the expense of the quality and variety of its services. Frank goes on to explain the various roles the company plays in its clients’ projects. “If a small trader were working on a house construction or extension project, they would be able to find everything they need conveniently under one roof at Selco. Our offerings cater to countless aspects of construction from groundwork, roofing, plumbing, and heating to electrical components, heavy-side materials, bricks, blocks, and timber. In essence, we either stock these items or can leverage the expertise of our skilled trade colleagues to source any product needed to successfully complete our clients’ new home build, extension, or landscaping projects,” he says. 

Strategic vision 

Ever since joining the company in August 2024, Frank has been working diligently to uphold its legacy and lead it through the next era. “My background encompasses three decades of experience in trade distribution, with my previous role being Group COO of Travis Perkins plc. What particularly drew me to Grafton Group (and consequently Selco) was the transformative vision of Eric Born, the Group CEO, and the fact that Selco aimed to acquire and develop its offerings in the UK market. Additionally, from an external perspective, it seemed to me that Selco had stalled and was in need of a change. I believe that the company has the potential to develop and differentiate its proposition but had lost sight of its customer base and how to set itself apart in the marketplace. My role as a leader is first and foremost to understand our business, which is why I assumed this position without preconceived notions of what needed to be done. I have dedicated significant time immersing myself in the business and have visited each of our 75 branches. Being an inquisitive leader, I ask lots of questions to our colleagues, customers, and suppliers, seeking to fully comprehend what we can enhance in our operations and how. This input, particularly from our colleagues, guided me in formulating a strategic vision for the company. Equally, I have extensively collaborated with the senior leadership team to evaluate our current position against the original vision for the future.  

“Over the last six months, I have worked on setting out a strategic vision for our future direction, defining how we want to appear and operate, and outlining our key strategic priorities. Consequently, we now drive six different programmes to help us reach the destination and strategic goals we have set out. Regarding my leadership style, I am a firm believer in customer centricity and would describe myself as a collaborative leader. In line with this, we place the customer at the heart of our thoughts and actions and prioritise colleague engagement with clients to foster positive relationships. Our goal is to make the lives of both our clients and colleagues easier, so finding methods to achieve this is a core focus for our business. To me, being a leader is not about having all the answers myself, especially given that much of the insight sits within the company. It is about asking the right questions to find the most appropriate answers and solutions. Therefore, I prioritise listening and learning from our colleagues, recognising the wealth of knowledge they possess,” Frank enlightens.

Diversification & development 

Frank’s commitment to Selco’s employees upholds its already established reputation as an exceptional workplace, particularly highlighted by the company’s recognition as One of the Best Places to Work in the Best Companies Survey. “A lot of important work had already been done before I stepped in, so I cannot take much credit for this accomplishment,” he laughs. “At the end of the day, we foster a business with a caring, familial culture. As a result of this ethos, a considerable number of colleagues have remained with us for 15-to-25 years, a length of service that we recognise and deeply value. Furthermore, the continuous growth of our colleagues, both through apprenticeships and learning development initiatives, is paramount to us. In line with that, we have several programmes in place, including over 100 apprenticeships that are going on as we speak. We also have employee workshops and forums to ensure that our colleagues’ voices are heard.  

“In the same vein, our women’s forum plays a crucial role in listening to and supporting our female workers while contributing to the diversification and development of our business. Presently, we have a female representation of over 30 percent in the company, which is a good start. However, my aspiration is to increase the number of women in managerial roles, as we currently do not have enough women leading our businesses. It is imperative that we address any potential barriers to enable female professionals to progress into management positions. While we have a significant number of women serving as Assistant Branch Managers, the shortage of female Branch Managers, currently standing at eight or nine, is a gap we aim to bridge,” Frank continues. 

Enhancing experiences 

According to Frank, the year ahead will witness the continuation of Selco’s customer focussed approach, with initiatives aimed at enhancing customer experience in store. “We are exploring ways of making the customer journey quicker through our stores, by simplifying our pricing, making products easier to shop, and reducing complexity for our customers. We are also looking at how we free up our colleagues’ time to spend more time supporting our customers and building relationships and less time on internal processes. Alongside this, we are reviewing our product offering, including kitchens, timber and bricks, to enhance and tailor them to better serve our customers” he reveals. 

Selco’s longstanding legacy of supporting the trade industry, combined with its commitment to providing a welcoming, convenient, and customer-centric experience, positions it as a leader in the builders’ merchant space.  

www.selcobw.com