What Owlett Jaton does

Owlett Jaton, trading as Hexstone Ltd, is a UK-based B2B wholesale distributor of fasteners, fixings, ironmongery, and associated hardware products, supplying builder's merchants, construction suppliers, engineering companies, architectural ironmongers, and department stores. Founded in 1947 and headquartered in Stone, Staffordshire, the company positions itself as the largest stockholder in the UK fasteners and fixings industry, offering over 30,000 product lines spanning construction fixings, engineering components, fencing and garden products, ironmongery, stainless steel products, consumables, and solar mounting systems. The product portfolio combines eight proprietary own-brand labels (JCP, JRP, Thunderbolt, Unifix, Vortex, Timberdrive, Hookstop, REDtip) with distribution agreements for established third-party brands including Lindapter, Starrett, Abracs, Heico Group, Holo-Krome, and Philidas.

The company operates a sales-led go-to-market combining a 24/7 account-gated e-commerce platform with bulk order pad functionality, a field sales team of Area Sales Managers, and phone and email enquiry handling. Revenue is generated through wholesale product sales with free next-day delivery across the majority of the UK mainland and low minimum order levels, complemented by merchandising, technical support, and non-standard product sourcing services. Differentiated product features include the Vortex high-performance woodscrew range with proprietary 'Saw Fix' serrated thread technology, recessed double countersunk heads, and Gleitmo dry lubricant coating, and the REDtip complete solar mounting system for photovoltaic installations. The company is privately held under Hexstone Ltd (Company Registration No: 00436243), does not disclose revenue, has no external funding history, and is led by Chief Executive Officer Ian Doherty.

Name

Owlett Jaton

Legal name

Hexstone Ltd

Website

https://owlett-jaton.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Owlett Jaton (trading as Hexstone Ltd) is a UK-based B2B wholesale distributor of fasteners, fixings, and hardware supplying builder's merchants, construction suppliers, and engineering companies with over 30,000 product lines across own and third-party brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fastener and Fixing Wholesale Distribution

SIC

Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080)

akta.pro primary industry

Automotive, Tools & Industrial Supplies (B2B) (CRAEAEAH)

Keywords

• Wholesale fasteners distribution
• Construction fixings supply
• Ironmongery hardware trade
• Woodscrews and anchors
• Solar mounting systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Stafford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

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 - Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale distribution of fasteners, fixings and associated products across multiple categories. Account holders order via website, phone, or through field sales team. Revenue generated from sale of physical products with free next-day delivery across UK mainland.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Owlett Jaton is a UK wholesale distributor of fasteners, fixings, ironmongery, hardware and associated products serving the distributor and merchant trade. The company offers over 30,000 product lines from its own brands (JCP, JRP, Thunderbolt, Timberdrive, Unifix, Vortex) and distributed manufacturer brands (Abracs, Action Can, Blind Bolt, Bond-It, Lindapter, Starrett, Heico, Holo-Krome, Philidas, UltraGrime). Customers order 24/7 via an account-based e-commerce portal, by phone, or through Area Sales Managers, with free next-day delivery across UK mainland and low minimum order levels.

Product overview

Oarlett-Jaton is a wholesale distributor of fasteners, fixings, and associated products, offering over 30,000 product lines as the largest stockholder in the UK industry. The company operates a multi-brand portfolio strategy combining six own brands (JCP Fixings, JRP Riveting Products, Thunderbolt, Timberdrive, Unifix, and Vortex) with distribution of third-party manufacturer brands. The product portfolio spans construction fixings (anchors, bolts, screws, nails), engineering components (bolting, machine screws, socket screws, nuts, washers), ironmongery (hinges, locks, handles), fencing and garden products, stainless steel products, consumables (abrasives, adhesives, sprays), and solar mounting solutions (REDtip, Hookstop). The company also offers trade and retail bagged products for point-of-sale display. Key own-brand products include the Unifix range of steel and stainless steel woodscrews, the Vortex high-performance woodscrew line with Saw Fix technology, JCP construction fixings across duty ratings, and the REDtip solar mounting system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JCP: Fastener and fixing products brand
• JRP
• Thunderbolt
• Unifix
• Vortex
• Timberdrive
• Hookstop
• REDtip

Products and services

• JCP Fixings Own-brand range of construction fixings including heavy duty anchors, medium duty anchors, light duty fixings, chemical anchors, nylon and cavity fixings, PA and gas-powered nails, self-drilling screws, and drill bits, sold wholesale to trade customers.
• Unifix Woodscrews and Fasteners Own-brand range of steel woodscrews, stainless steel woodscrews, timberdrive screws, coach screws, brass woodscrews, drywall screws, hooks and eyes, and fixing accessories including wall plugs, plasterboard fixings and specialist fixings.
• Vortex High-Performance Woodscrews Own-brand high-performance woodscrew range featuring multi-purpose screws, TX screws, exterior screws, floorboard screws, and tongue and groove screws with proprietary Saw Fix serrated thread technology for quicker start and self-drilling.
• JRP Riveting Products Own-brand range of riveting products including rivets, rivet nuts, and associated tooling for industrial applications, sold wholesale to trade customers.
• Thunderbolt Anchors Own-brand anchor range including hexagon head anchors in zinc yellow phosphate (ZYP), galvanised, and CE-approved variants, as well as countersunk and flange head options for construction applications.
• Timberdrive Timber Fixings Own-brand range of timber fixings and connectors designed for fencing and garden applications, sold wholesale to trade customers.
• REDtip Solar Mounting System Complete solar mounting system including roof hooks, express rail, swift rail, clamps, fixings, and A2 hanger bolts for photovoltaic panel installation, targeted at solar installers and construction suppliers.
• Hookstop Roof Tiles Roof tile replacement solution designed for solar panel mounting applications, distributed wholesale to solar installers and roofing merchants.
• General Construction Products Construction product category including blind bolts (Geomet 500B, A4 stainless steel, heavy duty, galvanised, thin wall), channel bracketry, Lindapter fixings, nails, roofing products, Thunderbolt anchors, and builders metalwork, sold wholesale to trade customers.
• Engineering Products Engineering products category including bolting (Grade 8.8, 10.9, 12.9 bolts), express range nuts, hank rivet bushes, hose clips (Ace, Jubilee), machine screws, nuts, nylon range, self-tapping screws, socket screws (Holo-Krome range), studding, and washers.
• Ironmongery and Hardware Ironmongery products including branded hardware (Astroflame fire seals, Prosolve shelving, Squire, Stormguard), door accessories, handles, hinges, window furniture, locks, and general ironmongery for trade and retail customers.
• Fencing and Garden Products Fencing and garden products including barbed wire, chain and rope, chain link fence, coiled wire, galvanised wire netting, hinged joint stock fence, Kestrel Easypost system, and light gauge welded mesh, sold wholesale to fencing and garden merchants.
• Stainless Steel Products Stainless steel products including A2/A4 chipboard screws, coach screws, cup square bolts, hexagon bolts, setscrews, machine screws, nuts, security fasteners, self-tapping screws, socket screws, studding, washers, and woodscrews, sold wholesale to trade customers.
• Consumables Consumables including abrasives (cutting/grinding discs, diamond blades, flap discs, wire brushes), Action Can sprays, Bond-It adhesives and sealants, cable ties, JCP expanding foam, Starrett hole saws and blades, and UltraGrime wipes.
• Trade and Retail Bag Range Retail-ready packaged products including Unifix trade bags (nails, threaded fasteners), JCP trade bags, retail bags for fasteners and fixings, and Kit-Master assorted kits for point-of-sale display at trade counters.
• Abracs Abrasives and Cutting Tools Distribution of the Abracs manufacturer brand of abrasives and cutting tools to UK trade customers.
• Action Can Maintenance Sprays and Paint Products Distribution of the Action Can manufacturer brand of maintenance sprays, line marking and paint products to UK trade customers.
• Blind Bolt Fixings Distribution of the Blind Bolt manufacturer brand of blind fixing products to UK trade customers.
• Bond-It Adhesives, Sealants and Cleaning Solutions Distribution of the Bond-It manufacturer brand of adhesives, sealants, building products and cleaning solutions to UK trade customers.
• Lindapter Steelwork Clamp Fixings Distribution of the Lindapter manufacturer brand of clamp-style fixings for steelwork applications to UK trade customers.
• Starrett Precision Cutting Tools Distribution of the Starrett manufacturer brand of precision cutting tools including hole saws, jigsaw blades, hacksaw blades, and reciprocating saw blades to UK trade customers.
• Merchandising Services Merchandising service offered to trade customers to support product presentation, category management and point-of-sale display at merchant and trade counter locations.
• Non-Standard Products Sourcing Sourcing service for non-standard or specialised fastener and fixing products not held in standard stock, supplied to trade customers on request.
• Technical Support Technical support service offered to trade customers to assist with product selection, specification and application advice across the fastener and fixing range.
• Export Services Export service offering Owlett Jaton fastener and fixing products to trade customers outside the UK mainland.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30,000+ product lines available from single supplier
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Grafton Group: Grafton owns Selco, Buildbase, and other UK builders' merchants distributing fasteners and fixings alongside broader building materials. Comparable as a B2B trade distribution operator serving similar merchant and trade customer segments.
• Travis Perkins: Travis Perkins is the UK's largest builders' merchant, serving trade customers with a wide range of construction products including fasteners, fixings, and ironmongery. It overlaps with Owlett Jaton across merchant customers but operates at much broader scope.
• Screwfix: Screwfix, part of Kingfisher, is the UK's largest trade catalogue and online retailer of hardware, fasteners, and fixings serving tradespeople. Comparable end customer base to Owlett Jaton though at far greater scale and with a multi-category offering.
• Toolstation: Toolstation is a UK trade retailer of tools, fixings, and building accessories serving tradespeople and small builders. Comparable customer overlap and fixings assortment though broader than Owlett Jaton's wholesale model.
• SIG plc: SIG is a UK-listed specialist distributor of building products including fixings, insulation, and interior solutions. It serves many of the same trade customers and operates a similar specialist B2B distribution model to Owlett Jaton but across wider product categories.
• ITW (Illinois Tool Works): ITW is a global diversified manufacturer with significant fastener divisions (including its construction products segment). Comparable as a fastener specialist, though ITW is a manufacturer with far broader scope and international reach.

Emerging players

• Lindapter: Lindapter is a UK-based manufacturer of clamp-style steelwork fixings that Owlett Jaton distributes. Comparable as a specialist fixing specialist serving the same construction and engineering customers, though Lindapter is primarily a manufacturer that controls its own distribution.

Direct peers

• Würth UK: Würth is the world's largest specialist fastener and fixing distributor with a major UK operation. It directly competes with Owlett Jaton across construction, engineering, and trade customers, and is the most direct comparable business globally.
• Ironmongery Direct: Ironmongery Direct is a UK online specialist in ironmongery, fixings, and hardware serving trade customers with next-day delivery. Directly comparable as a UK digital-first specialist distributor in Owlett Jaton's core categories.
• Fastenright: Fastenright is a UK specialist fastener and fixing distributor serving construction and engineering customers. Directly comparable niche specialist wholesale distributor competing for the same trade accounts as Owlett Jaton.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/owlettjaton?lang=en
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPTbeEdIvi7g2RwEbXjCvKQ/about
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/owlett-jaton-limited
• Facebookfacebook.com/netefficiency

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 Owlett Jaton