Covers Timber & Builders Merchants

What Covers Timber & Builders Merchants does

Covers Timber & Builders Merchants is an independent, family-owned building materials distributor operating under the legal entity David Cover and Son Limited, headquartered in Chichester, United Kingdom. Founded in 1846 and owned by the Green family since the 1940s, the company runs a network of 15-17 physical depots across the South of England and stocks approximately 25,000 product lines spanning timber, heavy-side building materials, light-side products, landscaping, painting and decorating supplies, and branded goods such as VELUX, Millboard, DeWalt and Sadolin. Covers imports timber directly and operates in-house timber mills for joinery, mouldings, stress grading and preservative treatment through its wholly-owned subsidiary Wingham Timber & Mouldings, and holds FSC and PEFC Chain of Custody certifications valid through 2029.

The company generates revenue primarily through physical and online sale of building materials and timber to two segments: trade and construction professionals served via depot-based trade accounts with credit facilities, personalized pricing, and linked web accounts, and retail/homeowner customers served via depots, e-commerce, free click & collect and free standard UK delivery over £350. Disclosed annual turnover is approximately £95 million, and the company is an active member of the Fortis Merchant Buying Group, which has over 40 member companies with combined turnover exceeding £2.5 billion per annum, providing collective purchasing power. A tool hire partnership with HSS Hire at selected depots (Chichester, Gosport, Portsmouth) extends the on-site service offering, and the Covers Essentials sub-brand broadens the everyday-accessories range at accessible price points. Industry recognition includes TTJ Timber Merchant of the Year awards in 2021 and 2025, a TTJ Smart Manufacturing Award in 2021, and inclusion in the Financial Times/Statista UK's Best Employers list in 2025.

Name

Covers Timber & Builders Merchants

Legal name

David Cover and Son Limited

Website

https://coversmerchants.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1846

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Covers Timber & Builders Merchants is an independent, family-owned UK building materials distributor operating 15-17 depots across the South of England, supplying timber, heavyside and lightside products, and landscaping materials to trade professionals and retail customers with ~£95M annual turnover.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Building Materials Merchandising

NAICS

Lumber, Plywood, Millwork, and Wood Panel Merchant Wholesalers (423310), Building Material and Supplies Dealers (4441)

SIC

Wholesale-Lumber, Plywood, Millwork & Wood Panels (5031), Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers (5211), Wholesale-Lumber & Other Construction Materials (5030)

akta.pro primary industry

Building Materials & Lumber Distribution (CRAOAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lumber & Timber Retail (Dimensional Lumber, Plywood, OSB) (CRAIAEAA), Engineered Wood Products Distribution (LVL, I-joists, Glulam, CLT) (IMAMAIAD), Sawmilling & Lumber Production (IMADADAA)

Keywords

• Timber merchants
• Building materials supply
• Builders merchants
• Trade building supplies
• Landscaping materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Chichester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 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. Building Materials Sales: Covers generates revenue through the sale of timber and building materials to trade and retail customers. The company offers over 25,000 product lines across categories including building materials, lightside materials, and timber products. Sales occur through physical depot locations, e-commerce website, and trade accounts with credit facilities.
2. Trade Account Services: Trade accounts provide credit facilities, personalized pricing, and account management capabilities. Customers can link depot accounts with web accounts to view invoices, statements, and make credit balance payments online.
3. Tool Hire Partnership: Through partnership with HSS Hire, Covers provides tool hire services at selected depot locations, generating referral revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Covers Timber & Builders Merchants is a family-owned merchant operating 15-17 physical depots across the South of England and an e-commerce platform, selling over 25,000 product lines including timber (imported and milled in-house at Wingham Timber), building materials (bricks, blocks, aggregates, insulation), lightside materials, landscaping products (fencing, decking, paving, sleepers), and painting and decorating supplies. The company serves trade customers via credit accounts with personalised pricing, and retail customers via walk-in, click & collect, and UK delivery, while offering tool hire through a partnership with HSS Hire at selected depots.

Product overview

Covers Timber & Builders Merchants is an independent family-owned building materials merchant operating 15-17 depot locations across the South of England with over 25,000 product lines. The company operates as a single unified merchant business with its core offerings centered on timber products (importing directly and operating its own timber mills for joinery and mouldings), building materials (bricks, blocks, aggregates, insulation), and lightside materials (building chemicals, decorating, fixings, bathrooms). The product portfolio spans multiple categories including landscaping products (fencing, decking, paving, artificial grass, decorative aggregates, sleepers, cladding), garden care (tools, hoses, lawn care, paint treatments), and painting & decorating supplies. The company offers sub-brands including Covers Essentials for everyday accessories, and stocks branded products such as VELUX roof windows, Millboard composite decking, DeWalt power tools, and Sadolin wood treatments. Services include Click & Collect, trade accounts, tool hire (via HSS Hire partnership), cutting services, brick matching, and paint mixing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wingham Timber: Timber and mouldings division of Covers Timber & Builders Merchants
• Covers Essentials

Products and services

• Timber Products Comprehensive timber range covering softwoods, boards, flooring, doors, structural timber, carcassing, and treated timber, sold to trade and retail customers through depots, e-commerce, and trade accounts.
• Building Materials Heavy-side building materials including bricks, blocks, aggregates, insulation, and civils drainage products for construction and trade customers.
• Lightside Materials Lightside building products including building chemicals, decorating supplies, fixings, and bathroom products for trade and DIY customers.
• Landscaping and Garden Products Landscaping and garden product range including fencing panels, softwood and composite decking (including Millboard), natural stone and porcelain paving, hardwood and softwood sleepers, composite and timber cladding, decorative aggregates, and Namgrass artificial grass.
• Painting and Decorating Supplies Full range of painting and decorating supplies including paints, brushes, rollers, varnishes, wood stains and dyes, with branded ranges such as Sadolin, Harris, and Hamilton For The Trade.
• Covers Essentials Everyday accessories sub-brand offering essential building and trade materials such as fixings, joist hangers, and basic consumables at accessible price points for trade and DIY customers.
• Tool Hire Tool hire service delivered in partnership with HSS Hire, providing access to construction tools and equipment at selected Covers depot locations (Chichester, Gosport, Portsmouth) for trade and retail customers.
• Trade Account Service Trade account programme for builders, contractors, and trade professionals, offering credit facilities, personalised pricing, linked depot and web accounts, web-exclusive deals, free delivery, and money-off vouchers.
• Millboard Composite Decking Premium Millboard composite decking boards with realistic wood-look finish, offering durability and low maintenance, sold within the decking product category.
• DeWalt Power Tools DeWalt professional power tools range, including cordless combi drills with accessories and battery packs, stocked as a branded line within the tools and equipment category.
• VELUX Roof Windows VELUX roof windows and skylights sold as a featured branded range within the doors, windows, and flooring category.

Named customers2 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

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HSS HirecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCovers has formed a partnership with HSS Hire to supply tools and equipment. HSS Hire team members are present at selected Covers depots including Chichester, Gosport, and Portsmouth, providing advice and tool hire services to customers from foundation to finish.
• Fortis Merchant Buying GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCovers is an active member of Fortis Merchant Buying Group, which has over 40 member companies across the UK with combined turnover exceeding £2.5 billion pa. The partnership provides purchasing power advantages and access to trade agreements with suppliers.
• Sussex Heritage TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCovers has been supporting the Sussex Heritage Trust Awards for 11 years, providing sponsorship for this regional heritage recognition event.
• Southdowns Folk FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCovers provides sponsorship support for the Southdowns Folk Festival.
• Chestnut Tree HouseminorOthersCharity partnership supporting children's hospice care.
• Brighton and Hove Football ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSports sponsorship of local football club.
• Portsmouth Football ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSports sponsorship of local football club.
• Worthing Rugby ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCovers renewed partnership with Worthing Rugby Club to support local rugby community.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Travis Perkins: The UK's largest builders merchant group with national network of trade-only and retail branches across timber, building materials and tool hire. Directly comparable in product mix and trade/retail customer base, but at vastly greater scale.
• Jewson: Saint-Gobain-owned national builders merchant offering timber, building materials and kitchens to trade customers. Closely comparable product mix and customer profile; broader geographic footprint and corporate backing.
• Selco Builders Warehouse: National trade-only builders merchant chain owned by Grafton Group. Comparable core product offering (timber, building materials) for trade customers, but with a different trade-only, larger-format model.
• Wickes: UK home improvement retailer with strong DIY and trade customer overlap. Sells comparable timber, building materials and landscaping categories, though distribution model is more retail-led than trade-merchant.

Direct peers

• MKM Building Supplies: One of the UK's largest independent builders merchants with a depot network across the country. Highly comparable independent merchant model with trade and retail customers, timber, building materials and kitchens.
• Bradfords Building Supplies: Long-established independent builders merchant in the South and South West of England with comparable depot footprint, trade account model, and timber/building materials focus.
• Howarth Timber and Building Supplies: UK-wide timber and builders merchant with direct import capabilities and timber processing operations, closely mirroring Covers' vertically integrated timber model and trade/retail positioning.
• Arnold Laver: Major UK timber importer and processor supplying builders and contractors, with similar direct-from-source timber sourcing, in-house processing and distribution-to-trade business model.
• Gibbs & Dandy: Saint-Gobain-operated independent builders merchant with depots across the South and East of England. Comparable product mix (timber, building materials) and strong trade customer focus.
• Buildbase (Hirebase): UK builders merchant group with depot network serving trade customers across timber, building materials and landscaping. Comparable independent-merchant positioning and customer mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCW1N1tQO5V7HR8NUYKXketw
• Facebookfacebook.com/CoversTimber
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/covers-timber-and-builders-merchants
• Instagraminstagram.com/coverstimber1
• Xx.com/coverstimber

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Covers Timber & Builders Merchants