Smith Brothers Stores
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1897
- HeadquartersLeicester, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
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.
Smith Brothers Stores firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Smith Brothers Stores industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Smith Brothers Stores is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leicester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices25 records
Markets served
Smith Brothers Stores business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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.
- Tool Hire: Partnership with MEP Hire providing discounted tool hire rates for mechanical, electrical and plumbing industries through group buying arrangements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Trade Account Holders |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cash Sales |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Tool Hire via MEP |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Smith Brothers Stores product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Smith Brothers Stores
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Smith Brothers Stores technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Smith Brothers Stores partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- MEP HirecorePartnership 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.
- DaikincoreSmith 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 TubescoreUK'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.
- ViegacoreLongstanding partnership since 2015. Viega Managing Director Scott James states: 'Smith Brothers commitment to customer service is supported by first-class professionalism and product knowledge.'
- AquatechnikcoreExclusive 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.
- IsotubicoreIsotubi'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.
- MideamajorStocks Midea's extensive portfolio of air conditioning products including splits and multi-split systems for various domestic, commercial and industrial applications.
- Albion Valvesmajor30 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 SystemsmajorStocks VSH Xpress fittings and Pegler Valves from Aalberts IPS. Advanced integrated piping systems combining expertise in piping systems with proven brands.
- HattersleymajorOffers balancing commissioning solutions for constant and variable flow systems including PICVs, DPCVs, and bespoke pre-assembled units.
- IMI Climate ControlmajorStocks 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
Smith Brothers Stores competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging 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
Smith Brothers Stores social profiles
Digital presenceSmith Brothers Stores compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Smith Brothers Stores financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smith Brothers Stores leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Smith Brothers Stores funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smith Brothers Stores M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Smith Brothers Stores
What does Smith Brothers Stores do?
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.
Is Smith Brothers Stores a public or private company?
Smith Brothers Stores is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Smith Brothers Stores founded?
Smith Brothers Stores was founded in 1897. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Smith Brothers Stores based?
Smith Brothers Stores is headquartered in Leicester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Smith Brothers Stores make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. HVAC Product Distribution is the primary driver. The others are trade Counter Sales and tool Hire.
Who are Smith Brothers Stores's main competitors?
Heatable is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Wolseley UK (Ferguson Enterprises), Plumb Center, EH Smith Builders Merchants, City Plumbing Supplies and James Hargreaves Plumbing Depot. Broad incumbents are Saint-Gobain Distribution, Travis Perkins (BSS Industrial / BSS) and Screwfix. MEP Hire (Hire Station) is listed as an others.
Does Smith Brothers Stores have an API?
No public API is recorded for Smith Brothers Stores.
What industry is Smith Brothers Stores in?
Smith Brothers Stores's product category is HVAC Distribution & Merchant Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAIADAI, HVAC Parts & Supplies Retail (Thermostats, Filters, Ducting). Its NAICS code is 42373 and its SIC code is 5070.