What Drainage Online does

Drainage Online is a UK-based online retailer of above-ground and below-ground drainage products, operating as a trading subsidiary of General All Purpose Plastics (GAP) Ltd since its August 2017 acquisition. The company runs an e-commerce platform at drainageonline.co.uk that sells a comprehensive catalogue spanning underground drainage (110mm and 160mm pipe and fittings, channel drainage, ducting, land drainage, manhole covers, MDPE water supply pipe, soakaway systems), above-ground drainage (guttering in PVC-U, steel, aluminium, copper and cast iron; soil and waste systems; roof and floor outlets), storage tanks (septic tanks and sewage treatment plants), and installation accessories. The catalogue aggregates products from leading manufacturers including Brett Martin, FloPlast, Marley, Lindab, Hargreaves, Alumasc, ACO, Clark Drain, Fernco, Polypipe, and Pipelife, with many lines certified to British Standards (BS EN 1401-1, BS EN 1433:2002, BS 8530, BS EN 12201).

The business model is direct-to-customer e-commerce with a self-serve website supplemented by telephone sales (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) and email support. Products are unit-priced with VAT-inclusive and VAT-exclusive displays; orders over £75 qualify for free delivery, and orders placed before 12 noon ship next working day. There is no subscription or recurring revenue component — all revenue is one-time hardware transactions. Customers fall into three segments: tradesmen and builders (primary), DIY homeowners, and a nascent building specifier audience (architects, surveyors). The primary operational location is March, Cambridgeshire, with a registered office in Blackburn, Lancashire.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the company operates with 11-50 employees and serves the UK market exclusively, leveraging GAP Ltd's nationwide depot network for fulfilment. Strategic differentiation rests on multi-brand product breadth, compatibility content, next-day delivery via depot integration, price matching, and 25+ years of category expertise validated by a Trustpilot "Excellent" rating across 70+ reviews. The company does not employ AI/ML capabilities in any disclosed component of its platform or operations.

Name

Drainage Online

Legal name

General All Purpose Plastics

Website

https://drainageonline.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Drainage Online is a UK e-commerce retailer of above- and below-ground drainage products and guttering systems, supplying tradesmen, builders, and DIY homeowners nationwide via its website and GAP Ltd's 100+ depot delivery network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plumbing and Drainage Supplies

NAICS

Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers (444)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Gutters, Downspouts & Drainage (Install/Repair) (HSAPAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Underground Downspout Drain Lines (Installation, Cleaning & Repair) (HSAIAKAG), Sump Pump Discharge & Exterior Drainage Connections (HSAIAKAJ)

Keywords

• Drainage products
• Guttering systems
• Underground drainage
• Rainwater management
• Building supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Drainage Online generates revenue through the sale of physical drainage and guttering products including underground drainage, above ground drainage, storage tanks, and accessories. All products are sold on a per-unit basis with prices displayed including and excluding VAT. Revenue is generated through one-time transactions rather than recurring subscriptions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Drainage Online is a UK-based online retailer supplying above and below ground drainage and guttering products. Its catalogue spans underground drainage (pipes, couplers, channel drainage, manhole covers, land drainage, MDPE water supply, soakaways), above ground drainage (PVC-U, aluminium, copper, cast iron guttering systems, soil and waste, roof and floor outlets), storage tanks (septic tanks, sewage treatment plants), and installation accessories, sourced from leading manufacturers such as Brett Martin, FloPlast, Marley, Lindab, Alumasc, Alutec, Hargreaves, Fernco, ACO, Clark Drain, Polypipe and Naylor. Orders are placed via the e-commerce website, telephone or email and shipped nationwide using the parent group's depot network.

Product overview

Drainage Online is a UK-based online supplier of drainage and guttering products operating as a division of General All Purpose Plastics (GAP) Ltd. The company offers a comprehensive product portfolio organized into four main categories: Underground Drainage (including channel drainage, drainage pipes and fittings in 110mm and 160mm sizes, ducting, land drainage, manhole covers, MDPE water supply pipe, and soakaway products), Above Ground Drainage (featuring guttering systems in multiple materials including PVC-U, steel, aluminium, copper, and cast iron from brands such as FloPlast, Brett Martin, Lindab, Alumasc, Alutec, Hargreaves, and Marley; roof and floor outlets; and soil and waste systems), Storage Tanks (septic tanks and sewage treatment plants), and Accessories (sealants, foams, and adhesives). The product range emphasizes compatibility across leading manufacturers including Pipelife, Brett Martin, FloPlast, Marley, Fernco, ACO, and Clark Drain, with many products meeting British Standards such as BS EN 1401-1 and BS EN 1433:2002.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Underground Drainage Complete range of below-ground drainage solutions including 110mm and 160mm pipes and fittings (Pipelife, Brett Martin), channel drainage (ACO HexDrain, Manthorpe SmartDrain), ducting, land drainage (Naylor), manhole covers and grates (Clark Drain), MDPE water supply pipe (BS EN 12201), and soakaway/geotextile systems (Polypipe Polystorm). Sold to trade installers, builders and homeowners in the UK.
• Above Ground Drainage Above ground drainage range covering guttering systems in PVC-U, aluminium, copper and cast iron; roof and floor outlets (Marley Alutec); and soil and waste systems (Brett Martin, Hargreaves, Marley dBlue acoustic). Available in 82mm, 110mm and 160mm push-fit and solvent-weld formats.
• Guttering Systems Multi-manufacturer rainwater guttering range including FloPlast PVC-U (10-year guarantee), Brett Martin, Hargreaves cast iron (40+ year life), Lindab steel (70-year life, 15-year guarantee), Alumasc aluminium (BS 8530, BBA approved), Marley Alutec marine-grade aluminium (50+ year life), Brett Martin Cascade cast iron effect uPVC, and Coppa 100% UK-manufactured copper. Profiles span Half Round, Square, Ogee, Niagara, Hi-Capacity, Deepflow and Xtraflo.
• Channel Drainage Linear drainage channel systems for driveways and pavements including ACO HexDrain (recycled polypropylene, Load Class A15, click technology) and Manthorpe SmartDrain, CE marked to BS EN 1433:2002. Sold to trade and domestic customers.
• Soil and Waste Systems Above ground soil and waste management systems including Brett Martin (BS EN 1329-1), Hargreaves cast iron push-fit, and Marley dBlue acoustic soil pipe. 82mm, 110mm and 160mm push-fit plus solvent-weld options, with 32mm, 40mm and 50mm push-fit and solvent-weld waste ranges.
• MDPE Water Supply Pipe Medium Density Polyethylene water pipes with Plasson compression fittings, blue for potable water and black for non-potable, manufactured to BS EN 12201-2 and WRAS approved. Available in 20mm to 63mm sizes.
• Manhole Drain Covers and Grates

Quantifiable outcome

• Orders placed before 12 noon delivered next working day to UK mainland (subject to stock availability)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Screwfix: UK trade retailer with ~900 stores stocking plumbing, drainage, and guttering products alongside a comprehensive trade catalogue. Competes with Drainage Online for the tradesmen segment on price, click-and-collect convenience, and stock depth.
• Toolstation: UK trade catalogue and click-and-collect retailer with 500+ branches, increasingly stocking plumbing and drainage categories. Targets the same tradesmen/builder primary segment as Drainage Online with aggressive price positioning.
• B&Q: UK's largest home improvement and DIY retailer stocking a wide range of guttering, soil/waste systems, and underground drainage products. Overlaps most strongly with Drainage Online's DIY/homeowner customer segment.
• Wickes: UK home improvement retailer serving both DIY consumers and trade customers, stocking gutters, soil pipe, underground drainage, and bathroom/plumbing products. Competes for the DIY homeowner segment with in-store pickup and nationwide delivery.
• Travis Perkins: UK's largest builders' merchant operating 1,900+ branches, supplying drainage, plumbing, and heavyside materials to trade customers. Overlaps with Drainage Online across underground drainage, manholes, and guttering SKUs at trade price points.

Direct peers

• Drainage Superstore: UK-based online drainage and guttering retailer with a closely overlapping product range (underground drainage, above ground guttering, channel drainage, soil & waste) and a similar trade/DIY customer base. The most direct head-to-head competitor to Drainage Online in the UK drainage e-commerce niche.

Others

• Polypipe: One of Europe's largest manufacturers of piping and water management systems, supplying underground drainage, soakaway crates, and MDPE pipe carried by Drainage Online. Sells through national merchant networks as well as direct.
• ACO Technologies: Manufacturer of channel drainage (ACO HexDrain, ACO Drain), stormwater management, and surface water systems stocked by Drainage Online. A specialist supplier brand that increasingly sells direct to specifiers and merchants.
• Brett Martin Plumbing & Drainage: UK and Ireland manufacturer of uPVC gutters, soil & waste, and underground drainage pipe/fittings — a key supplier brand for Drainage Online. Sells direct and through merchant partners, making it both a supplier and a partial competitor.
• FloPlast: UK manufacturer of PVC-U rainwater, soil & waste, and underground drainage systems with a 10-year guarantee. One of Drainage Online's flagship stocked brands, but also sells direct and through national merchants.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/drainage-online-limited

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Drainage Online