What Selco Builders Warehouse does

Selco Builders Warehouse is a UK trade-only builders' merchant and timber supplier, founded in 1895 in Birmingham as Sewell & Co (Timber) Ltd and rebranded to Selco in 1982 when it adopted a cash-and-carry model restricted to bona fide trade customers. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Grafton Group plc (acquired 1998) and operates 70+ branches across England and Wales, supported by a 110,000 sq ft centralised distribution centre in Cowley, Oxfordshire, and a Heavyside Delivery Hub in Edmonton serving six London branches. As of April 2025, Selco employs approximately 2,600 people across 76 locations.

Selco's product catalogue spans building materials, timber and joinery, landscaping and fencing, kitchens and bathrooms, flooring and tiling, plumbing and heating, tools and workwear, painting and decorating, electrical supplies, security and ironmongery, and fixings and adhesives. The proposition is complemented by value-added in-branch services including sheet material cutting, brick matching, paint mixing, free kitchen design with CAD drawings, and a special orders service for non-stocked items. Multi-channel fulfilment combines physical branches with Click & Collect, Click & Deliver, Dial & Deliver, and Express Delivery via TradeKart, all gated behind Trade Card registration.

The revenue model is unit-priced product sales to registered trade professionals on a pay-as-you-go basis, with free delivery on orders over £150 ex VAT. Pricing and product availability are not publicly disclosed, reflecting the trade-only positioning. Distribution is exclusively within England and Wales, and the company is a member of the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) and a signatory to the BMF Customer Charter. Customer concentration is low by design — the model targets a long tail of professional tradespeople rather than large enterprise accounts.

Name

Selco Builders Warehouse

Legal name

Selco Builders Warehouse

Website

https://selcobw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Selco Builders Warehouse is a UK trade-only builders' merchant operating 70+ branches across England and Wales, supplying building materials, timber, and trade tools exclusively to registered professional tradespeople via in-branch, Click & Collect, and delivery channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Builders' Merchant Trade Supplies

NAICS

Building Material and Supplies Dealers (4441), Lumber, Plywood, Millwork, and Wood Panel Merchant Wholesalers (42331)

SIC

Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers (5211), Wholesale-Lumber, Plywood, Millwork & Wood Panels (5031)

akta.pro primary industry

Structural & Framing Components Retail (Trusses, Joists, Beams, Engineered Wood) (CRAIAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction, Hardware & MRO Supply Clubs (Trades/Contractors) (CRAEAEAG), Workplace/Jobsite Supplies Retail (Site Consumables, Tarps, Ropes, Chains) (CRAIADAN)

Keywords

• Builders merchant supplies
• Trade building materials
• Timber and sheet materials
• Trade-only retail
• Kitchen and bathroom supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (Trade Customers): Sale of building materials, timber, sheet materials, landscaping supplies, tools, workwear, plumbing/heating equipment, electrical supplies, kitchens, and related trade products to registered trade customers. Physical branches stock thousands of products for immediate purchase. Additional revenue from special orders for non-stocked items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Selco Builders Warehouse is a trade-only builders' merchant supplying building materials, timber, sheet materials, landscaping supplies, kitchens, bathrooms, plumbing, electrical, tools and workwear to professional tradespeople across England and Wales. All purchases require a Trade Card linked to a registered trade business, and the company stocks thousands of products across 70+ physical branches supported by Click & Collect, Click & Deliver, Dial & Deliver phone ordering, Express Delivery and Special Orders channels. In-branch value-added trade services include free kitchen design with CAD drawings, brick matching, paint mixing, sheet material cutting and timber cutting.

Product overview

Selco Builders Warehouse is a trade-only builders' merchant operating as a single unified retail platform with physical branches and online ordering capabilities. The core offering consists of an extensive product catalog spanning building materials, timber & joinery, landscaping & fencing, kitchens & bathrooms, flooring & tiling, plumbing & heating, tools & workwear, painting & decorating, electrical supplies, security & ironmongery, and fixings & adhesives. These are complemented by value-added trade services including Click & Collect, Click & Deliver, Dial & Deliver, free kitchen design with CAD drawings, brick matching, paint mixing, sheet material cutting, special orders, and a materials calculator tool. The company operates 70+ branches across England and Wales, serving trade professionals and businesses exclusively.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Building Materials Comprehensive range of building materials including bricks, blocks, aggregates, roofing, plaster, dry lining, insulation, plastics and drainage, cement products, builders metalwork, lintels, cladding, weatherproofing, render, and floor levelling compounds, stocked for professional trade buyers.
• Timber & Joinery Timber and sheet materials including treated timber, plywood, OSB, MDF sheets, chipboard, hardboard, sawn timber, doors, windows and stairs, planed timber, skirting, architrave, CLS timber, timber cladding, laminated boards, mouldings and floorboards for trade buyers.
• Landscaping & Fencing Landscaping range covering fencing panels, posts and gravel boards, paving slabs, timber and composite decking, landscaping and decorative aggregates, sleepers, driveways, block paving, drainage, groundwork tools, artificial grass, landscaping fabrics and walling materials.
• Kitchens & Bathrooms Self-assembly kitchens from Rapide+ (Verona, Paris, Capri and Lisbon models), appliances, kitchen sinks, accessories, taps, splashbacks, plus bathroom suites including shower enclosures, toilets, basins, baths and bathroom furniture.
• Flooring & Tiling Flooring options including laminate, luxury vinyl tile (LVT), engineered flooring, solid wood, underlay and flooring trims, plus tiling products covering wall tiles, floor tiles, tile trims, spacers and tiling tools.
• Plumbing & Heating Plumbing and heating supplies including wastes and pipework (solvent weld, traps, pushfit), radiators, heated towel rails, underfloor heating, copper pipe and fittings, plumbing tools and heating accessories.
• Tools, Equipment & Workwear Tools and workwear covering safety wear and PPE, power tools (drills, saws, grinders, multi-tools), hand tools, builders equipment (ladders, props, cement mixers), power tool accessories and tool storage solutions.
• Painting & Decorating Wide paint selection from Dulux, Leyland and own-brand trade paint including emulsions, exterior paints, gloss and primers; decorating tools, wood care products, fillers, wallpaper, sandpaper and abrasives.
• Electrical, Lighting & Ventilation Electrical supplies including cable, flex, switches, sockets, consumer units, internal and external lighting, alarms, detectors and ventilation equipment.
• Security & Ironmongery Door furniture, handles, locks, bolts, security products including padlocks and safes, hinges (butt, gate, cabinet, fire door) and ironmongery brackets and hardware.
• Fixings & Adhesives Fixings including screws (woodscrews, drywall screws, self-tapping, timber screws, concrete screws), sealants, adhesives, bolts, nuts, washers, wall plugs, nails, pins and rivets.
• Click & Collect Online ordering service allowing trade customers to purchase items and collect from their local Selco branch, ready in as little as one hour.
• Click & Deliver Online ordering with free next-day delivery on bulky item orders over £150 ex-VAT, delivered directly to the customer's site.
• Dial & Deliver Phone ordering service where trade customers call 03331 886 388 to place orders directly with the sales team for delivery.
• Free Kitchen Design Service FREE kitchen design service complete with CAD drawings. Customers bring initial plans and measurements to their local branch for professional kitchen design assistance.
• Brick Matching Service FREE brick matching service offering colour matching, size matching and strength matching for bricks, available across the entire branch network.
• Paint Mixing Service In-branch paint mixing service for custom colours using Leyland, Dulux and other trade paint brands in various finishes including matt, gloss, silk, eggshell and masonry.
• Sheet Material Cutting Service In-store sheet material cutting using a vertical panel saw. First two cuts are free; additional cuts cost £1 each. Available seven days a week on materials purchased in store.
• Special Orders Service Specialist product ordering service where the trade desk can source and order products from suppliers if not stocked in branch.
• Trade Card Trade Card allowing registered trade businesses to purchase products online and in-branch at trade-only pricing; customers upload proof of business to receive a card number immediately.
• Project Tool App Mobile app for trade customers supporting ordering and project-related functionality, released as a transactional app in 2017.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free delivery on orders over £150 ex VAT
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Laser Tools Racing with MB MotorsportmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Sponsoring Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport for 2026 British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) campaign, supporting drivers Aron and Gordon. MB Motorsport also works alongside Selco on community engagement initiatives.
• Cancer Research UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Current charity partner since 2022. Selco has raised over £500,000 cumulatively for Cancer Research UK. All money raised funds scientists, doctors and nurses to help beat cancer sooner.
• Professional Darts Corporation (PDC)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerSelco stepped up to sponsor PDC in 2019 and continued partnership through subsequent years.
• Salford Red DevilsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partners of Rugby League World Cup 2021 and continuing relationship with Salford Red Devils.
• HSS HireminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHSS Hire partnership at Rochester branch - satellite desk at trade counter offering specialist tool and equipment hire advice.
• Chiltern BricksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to offer The Brick Store, a brick matching service.
• HozelockminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier partnership for garden hose pipes and spray guns in watering equipment range.
• Rob BentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTV Carpentry & Joinery Specialist serving as special guest judge for Selco Community Heroes 2026 campaign.
• Builders Merchants Federation (BMF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a member of BMF, Selco is signatory to the BMF Customer Charter laying down minimum service standards including quality stocks, value pricing, prompt deliveries, structured credit facilities, and technical advice.
• National Centre of DiversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with National Centre of Diversity for guidance and auditing on best practice in workplace diversity.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Toolstation: Trade-only retailer owned by Travis Perkins with 500+ UK and EU branches. Closely overlaps Selco on tools, fixings and smaller building supplies; competes for the same trade customer and digital procurement workflow.
• Travis Perkins plc: UK's largest builders' merchant with a broad branch network serving trade customers across building materials, timber, plumbing and civils. Closest large-scale direct competitor to Selco with similar product range and trade-customer focus.
• Huws Gray: UK builders' merchant chain with 100+ branches across Wales, the Midlands, North West and East Anglia. Comparable scale and trade-customer focus, with similar product breadth across building materials and timber.
• Screwfix: Trade-only retailer owned by Kingfisher with 800+ UK branches and ~15,000 trade products. Directly competes for trade customer wallet share via frictionless digital ordering, click-and-collect, and rapid delivery - a key digital benchmark for Selco's Trade Card model.
• MKM Building Supplies: Regional UK builders' merchant chain with branches across northern England, Scotland and Wales. Similar trade-customer focus, branch model and product range to Selco, with comparable scale and operating approach.
• Bradfords: Regional UK builders' merchant with branches across the South and South West of England. Comparable trade-customer focus and product range, with local market overlap in regions where both Selco and Bradfords operate.
• Jewsons: Major UK builders' merchant with extensive branch coverage including Scotland (a Selco gap), offering building materials, timber, kitchens and joinery to trade professionals. Highly comparable in product range and trade-customer serving model.
• Howdens Joinery: UK trade-only kitchen and joinery supplier operating depot networks serving kitchen fitters and builders. Comparable trade-only model with value-added in-depot design services and direct customer relationships.

Broad incumbents

• Wickes: UK home improvement retailer selling building materials, kitchens and DIY ranges to both consumer and trade customers with omnichannel ordering. Overlaps Selco's product catalogue but operates a broader, more consumer-led proposition.

Others

• Buildbase: UK builders' merchant chain that is also a subsidiary of Grafton Group plc and sister company to Selco within Grafton's UK merchanting portfolio. Comparable offering and customer base, but operates within the same corporate group rather than competitively.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/selcobw
• Facebookfacebook.com/SelcoBW
• Instagraminstagram.com/selcobw
• TikToktiktok.com/@selcobw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/selco-builders-warehouse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Selco Builders Warehouse