Smith Brothers Stores

What Smith Brothers Stores does

Smith Brothers Stores Ltd is the oldest and largest family-owned independent HVAC merchant operating in the United Kingdom, founded in 1897 in Leicester and now operating 24 branches across England, Scotland, and Wales under the Smith Brothers (Leicester) Limited Group. The company distributes pipework, valves, air conditioning and refrigeration, commercial heating and plant, drainage, renewables, and ancillaries to mechanical services contractors serving commercial and industrial projects, with a 75,000 sq. ft. National Distribution Centre in Leicestershire (relocated and more than doubled in capacity in 2025) and 500+ employees. Each branch holds a minimum £1 million in stock across more than 20,000 product lines, enabling same-day collection and next-day delivery via a FORS Gold-accredited vehicle fleet, supported by a 24/7 online customer portal (sbsonline.net) offering access to 15,000+ HVAC products with account-specific pricing, digital invoicing, and integrated card payment processing. Revenue is generated predominantly through one-time product sales to trade account holders (transaction-based pricing) supplemented by walk-in cash sales at branch trade counters and a tool-hire arrangement with MEP Hire that provides customers with discounted hire rates through group buying. In 2023 the company launched CORE by SBS, a proprietary own-brand range with products in water treatment, pipe support, controls, consumables, valves, fittings, and pumps, protected by four UK trademarks across 13 classes; this sits alongside long-term strategic supplier relationships with Daikin (largest UK stockist), Lawton Tubes, Viega, Aquatechnik (exclusive UK Safety-Pol supplier), Isotubi, Midea, Albion Valves, Aalberts IPS, Hattersley, and IMI Climate Control. Disclosed turnover stands at £250 million per annum as stated on the company's Defining Our Business page, and the company remains family-owned (5th generation) and self-funded, holding ISO 9001 (2023), ISO 14001 (2024), and FORS Gold (2023) certifications.

Name

Smith Brothers Stores

Legal name

Smith Brothers Stores Ltd

Website

https://sbs.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1897

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Smith Brothers Stores is the UK's oldest and largest family-owned independent HVAC merchant, distributing pipework, valves, air conditioning, heating, drainage, and renewables across 24 branches in England, Scotland, and Wales to mechanical services contractors, with a 75,000 sq. ft. National Distribution Centre, an online portal, and the CORE by SBS own-brand range.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

HVAC Distribution & Merchant Services

NAICS

Warm Air Heating and Air-Conditioning Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42373), Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies (Hydronics) Merchant Wholesalers (423720)

SIC

Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070)

akta.pro primary industry

HVAC Parts & Supplies Retail (Thermostats, Filters, Ducting) (CRAIADAI)

Keywords

• HVAC product distribution
• Pipework and valves
• Commercial heating supplies
• Air conditioning wholesaler
• Plumbing materials merchant

Headquarters

HQ city

Leicester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices25 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. HVAC Product Distribution: Distribution of pipework, valves, air conditioning, and associated fittings and ancillaries to mechanical services contractors through a network of 24 branches across England, Scotland, and Wales.
2. Trade Counter Sales: Same-day collection and next-day delivery services for walk-in trade customers. Each branch holds minimum £1 million in stock with over 20,000+ stocked product lines.
3. Tool Hire: Partnership with MEP Hire providing discounted tool hire rates for mechanical, electrical and plumbing industries through group buying arrangements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Smith Brothers Stores distributes pipework, valves, air conditioning, and all associated fittings and ancillaries to mechanical services contractors across the UK. The company operates a network of 24 trade counter branches plus a 75,000 sq. ft. National Distribution Centre, stocking over 20,000 product lines from leading HVAC manufacturers alongside its own CORE by SBS brand. Customers can buy through walk-in trade counters, same-day collection, next-day delivery, or the SBS Online Customer Portal.

Product overview

Smith Brothers Stores is an independent HVAC merchant operating as a single unified distribution platform, not a modular software product. The company distributes pipework, valves, air conditioning, and all associated fittings and ancillaries across a branch network in England, Scotland, and Wales. The product portfolio is organised into distinct categories: Metal Pipe Systems, Plastic Pipe Systems, Valves, Drainage, Commercial Heating and Plant, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, Renewables (heat pumps, solar, biomass), Ancillaries and Consumables, and Tool Hire. The CORE by SBS is the company's own-brand sub-brand offering water treatment, pipe support, controls, consumables, valves, fittings, pumps, and pressurisation units. The SBS Online Customer Portal serves as the digital service layer enabling 24/7 account management, online ordering, invoice/payment access, and product information lookup across the 15,000+ product catalogue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CORE by SBS: Own-brand product range offering HVAC products representing exceptional quality and true value, including Water Treatment, Pipe Support, Controls, Consumables, Valves, Fittings, and Pumps & Pressurisation.

Products and services

• SBS Online Customer Portal Online trade account platform providing 24/7 ordering across over 15,000 HVAC products, with invoice management, card payment processing, order tracking, stock visibility, and product code lookup (GTIN, EAN and MPN). Built for mechanical services contractors and trade account holders.
• CORE by SBS Proprietary own-brand HVAC product line offering water treatment, pipe support, controls, consumables, valves, fittings, pumps, and pressurisation units as a competitively priced alternative to other branded products. Aimed at mechanical services contractors and trade account customers.
• Metal Pipe Systems Wide range of tubes, flanges, and fittings in copper, carbon steel, stainless steel, malleable and ductile iron, gunmetal, and brass. Jointing methods include press-fit, screwed, push-fit, flared, grooved, compression, and brazing. Distributed to mechanical services contractors.
• Plastic Pipe Systems Plastic pipework products from brand-leading manufacturers using multilayer, PE-X, PP-R, and PVC pipes with jointing methods including weld, electro-fusion, push-fit, compression, screwed, socket fusion, flared compression, solvent weld, and butt fusion.
• Valves Extensive range of HVAC valve solutions including ball, butterfly, gate, check, globe, mini-ball, commissioning, balancing, thermal balancing, differential pressure control, solenoid, flow regulator, strainers, safety relief, pressure reducing, drain cock, tap, test plug, PRCV, PRV, TMV, and TCV valves.
• Drainage Above-ground drainage and rainwater systems including HDPE, cast iron, PVC-U, acoustic, and pumped waste options. Covers roof outlets, shower drains, soil and waste systems, rainwater, and gullies.
• Commercial Heating and Plant Range of heating equipment including boilers, water heaters, pumps (including condensate and sump), booster sets, pressurisation units, expansion vessels, air and dirt separators, magnetic filtration, dosing pots, chemical free water treatments, meters, radiators, trench heaters, unit heaters, cabinet heaters, radiant heaters, air curtain heaters, and destratification fan heaters.
• Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (ACR) Extensive ACR stocks including Daikin and Midea products (split, multi-split, VRV/VRF, chiller, ventilation, controls, and spares). SBS is the largest Daikin UK stockist. Ancillaries include copper, insulation, pumps, chemicals, clamps, fixings, mounting, support, brackets, trunking, electrical, gas, and consumables. Cellar cooling units also available.
• Renewables Alternative energy products including heat pumps (air source, ground source, air-to-air gas absorption), biomass boilers, solar thermal and photovoltaic systems, cylinders (solar and buffer), underfloor heating (electric and wet), combined heat and power (CHP), and rainwater harvesting systems.
• Tool Hire Discounted tool hire service for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades provided through the partnership with MEP Hire. Provides access to the UK's largest press tool fleet with national mobile service engineers and coverage from 1.5m to 5.1m heights.
• Ancillaries and Consumables Complete range of consumables including Kee Safety tubular fittings, fall protection, access solutions, channel bracketry, tooling (CORE, Rems, Rothenberger, Rigid), support systems, pipe support systems (clips, malleable iron, brass, plastic, phenolic and wooden blocks), insulation (various thicknesses), and jointing/sealants.
• Branch Trade Counter Sales Walk-in trade counter sales across 24 UK branches with same-day collection. Each branch holds a minimum of £1 million in stock, supports both trade account holders and cash sales, and provides product knowledge support for mechanical services contractors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Same-day collection and next-day delivery available across UK branch network
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• MEP HirecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2012Partnership with MEP (HireStation) to support customers with tool hire services. Provides discounted hire rates through group buying arrangements. MEP has access to the largest low-level access fleet in Europe and national mobile service engineers.
• DaikincoreTechnology or IntegrationSmith Brothers is the largest Daikin UK stockist with dedicated ACR expert staff members. Stocks Daikin's extensive portfolio including splits, SkyAir, VRV 5/VRF, chillers, ventilation, controls, and spares.
• Lawton TubescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK's leading independent manufacturer and distributor of copper tubes. Partnership spanning over 30 years. Lawton Tubes supplies their own brand of traditional copper fittings to Smith Brothers. Founded Copper Sustainability Partnership (CuSP) alongside Mueller Europe.
• ViegacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership since 2015. Viega Managing Director Scott James states: 'Smith Brothers commitment to customer service is supported by first-class professionalism and product knowledge.'
• AquatechnikcoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive supplier of WRAS-approved Aquatechnik MLCP (Safety-Pol) system available exclusively through SBS since 2013. Unique flared jointing design for multilayer pipes with sizes 16mm to 75mm.
• IsotubicoreTechnology or IntegrationIsotubi's 316L Stainless Press-Fit system introduced in 2016, available in sizes up to 168.3mm. NUMEPRESS 316L stainless steel press system with max working pressure of 16 bar and 25-year warranty.
• MideamajorTechnology or IntegrationStocks Midea's extensive portfolio of air conditioning products including splits and multi-split systems for various domestic, commercial and industrial applications.
• Albion ValvesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner30 years of experience in commercial heating and HVAC industry. Managing Director Darren Baxter: 'Both Albion and SBS have expanded substantially... SBS have very similar values to our own.'
• Aalberts Integrated Piping SystemsmajorTechnology or IntegrationStocks VSH Xpress fittings and Pegler Valves from Aalberts IPS. Advanced integrated piping systems combining expertise in piping systems with proven brands.
• HattersleymajorTechnology or IntegrationOffers balancing commissioning solutions for constant and variable flow systems including PICVs, DPCVs, and bespoke pre-assembled units.
• IMI Climate ControlmajorTechnology or IntegrationStocks IMI Climate Control valves, actuators and connected products that optimise heating and cooling systems enabling significant energy savings.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Heatable: Heatable is a UK digital-first boiler and heat-pump installer marketplace. It is an emerging competitor targeting the same end-customer value chain Smith Brothers serves via contractors, particularly as heat-pump demand rises; partial overlap in renewables category positioning.

Direct peers

• Wolseley UK (Ferguson Enterprises): Wolseley UK (part of Ferguson Enterprises) is the UK's largest plumbing, heating and HVAC merchant with a national branch network and digital portal. Directly comparable to Smith Brothers in target customers (mechanical services contractors), core HVAC/plumbing assortment and trade-counter plus delivery model.
• Plumb Center: Plumb Center is the dedicated plumbing and heating division of Wolseley/Ferguson, operating a national trade-counter and delivery network. It is one of Smith Brothers' closest direct competitors, sharing target customers, product categories (boilers, radiators, pipework, valves) and the trade-counter plus portal proposition.
• EH Smith Builders Merchants: EH Smith is a long-established UK independent builders' and plumbing merchant with multi-branch coverage in the Midlands and South. It is comparable to Smith Brothers as an independent, multi-generational merchant serving mechanical and HVAC trade customers with overlapping pipe, valve and heating assortment.
• City Plumbing Supplies: City Plumbing Supplies is a major UK distributor of plumbing, heating and bathroom products with national branch coverage. It competes directly with Smith Brothers for trade-counter and delivery business from mechanical and HVAC installers, with overlapping pipework, valves and heating categories.
• James Hargreaves Plumbing Depot: James Hargreaves Plumbing Depot is a UK independent plumbing and heating merchant with branch coverage primarily in Northern England and the Midlands. It directly competes with Smith Brothers in pipework, valves, boilers and heating plant for trade customers.

Broad incumbents

• Saint-Gobain Distribution: Saint-Gobain Distribution UK operates merchant brands (e.g., Graham, Jewson, Ideal Bathrooms) distributing building products including HVAC and plumbing supplies. Comparable as a national-scale distribution competitor overlapping in pipework, valves and HVAC categories, but with a broader construction-materials portfolio.
• Travis Perkins (BSS Industrial / BSS): Travis Perkins plc operates the UK's largest builders' merchant group including BSS Industrial for HVAC and pipeline products. Comparable because it serves the same mechanical-services and HVAC contractor base across a national branch network, though as a broader portfolio play rather than a specialist HVAC merchant.
• Screwfix: Screwfix is the UK's largest trade tools, accessories and hardware retailer with ~900 stores and a strong click-and-collect e-commerce model. It is a broader incumbent that overlaps with Smith Brothers on ancillary consumables and tools, competing for trade-counter spend though not a specialist HVAC pipe/valve merchant.

Others

• MEP Hire (Hire Station): MEP Hire is a UK tool-hire specialist that is already a strategic partner of Smith Brothers, providing discounted press-tool hire to its customers. Included as an ecosystem peer—adjacent rather than directly competitive—because it represents a channel and partnership model relevant to SBS's own tool-hire offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKNo2VNhuAX_cNu4nrawTjA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smith-brothers-stores-ltd
• Xx.com/SBS1897

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Smith Brothers Stores