What Sanbra Group does

Sanbra Group is an Irish-owned and managed private group of companies (Sanbra Limited T/A Sanbra Group) headquartered in Dublin and Lisburn, operating as a multi-brand manufacturer and wholesale distributor of plumbing, heating, bathroom, kitchen, and hardware products. The group is organized into four divisions — Plumbing & Kitchens, Showering, Bathroom, and Hardware — comprising 17 wholly-owned subsidiaries, including heritage brands such as Riddels (1803), Sanbra Fyffe / Instantor (1926/1934), Flair Showers (1952), Majestic (1968), Marflow (1968), R.T. Large (1969), Allgrip (1991), and more recent additions like Hilltop Designer Radiators (2007) and Neptune. Operations span 13+ facilities across Ireland and the UK, combining in-house manufacturing (shower enclosures, brassware, shower pods, OEM brass/copper components) with wholesale distribution to builders merchants, plumbers merchants, bathroom showrooms, hardware retailers, and DIY chains, plus export markets in Europe, the USA, the Middle East, and China.

The group's revenue model is primarily B2B hardware sales and wholesale distribution, supplemented by OEM brass and copper component manufacturing (Sanbra Fyffe) for electrical, automotive, plumbing, heating, and furniture industries, and licensing/royalty-type arrangements around patented design collections such as Flair Showers' Harmony Collections (ORO, ETO, ILI, AYO). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led through dedicated field sales teams and an established network of trade merchant and builders merchant relationships, supported by individual brand websites and presence in trade publications. The group is privately held with no identified parent company, institutional investors, or public listing.

Differentiation rests on a long-standing brand portfolio, in-house manufacturing and CAD design capability, patented shower enclosure designs, OEM brass machining services, and a geographically broad Ireland/UK distribution network with growing export reach. Notable product and IP assets include Flair Showers' patented Harmony Collections, the St James and Marflow brassware lines hand-assembled in Birmingham, Riddels' modern stock and information management systems in Lisburn, and Allgrip's 10,000+ SKU fastening and fixing inventory.

Name

Sanbra Group

Legal name

Sanbra Limited T/A Sanbra Group

Website

https://sanbragroup.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Sanbra Group is an Irish-owned private multi-brand manufacturer and wholesale distributor of plumbing, heating, bathroom, kitchen, and hardware products, operating 17 wholly-owned subsidiaries across Ireland and the UK, serving builders merchants, plumbers merchants, retailers, and OEM clients in domestic and export markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plumbing & Bathroom Products Manufacturing and Distribution

NAICS

Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies (Hydronics) Merchant Wholesalers (423720)

SIC

Heating Equip, Except Elec & Warm Air; & Plumbing Fixtures (3430)

akta.pro primary industry

Plumbing Fixtures (Faucets, Sinks & Bath Fixtures) (IMADALAA)

Keywords

• Plumbing heating supplies
• Shower enclosure manufacturing
• Bathroom brassware distribution
• Wholesale hardware distribution
• Kitchen fittings wholesale

Headquarters

HQ city

Santry

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Distribution of Plumbing & Heating Products: Sanbra Group generates revenue through wholesale distribution of manufactured and sourced plumbing, heating, and related products to builders merchants and trade customers across Ireland, UK, and export markets.
2. Shower Enclosure Manufacturing & Sales: Manufacturing and distribution of shower enclosures, screens, and wetroom solutions through brands like Flair Showers, Majestic, and The Shower Lab. Products are sold as finished goods to retailers and trade merchants.
3. OEM Brass & Component Manufacturing: Sanbra Fyffe offers specialist OEM services for stamping, casting and machining of brass and copper alloy components to industries including electrical, automotive, plumbing, heating and furniture sectors.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Sanbra Group designs, manufactures, and wholesale distributes a wide range of quality approved plumbing, heating, bathroom, kitchen, and hardware products and brands through 17 wholly-owned subsidiaries to a long-established network of retail and trade merchant customers in Ireland, the UK, and other export markets. The group operates in-house manufacturing facilities for shower enclosures, brassware, and OEM brass and copper alloy components, supplying sectors including Plumbing & Heating, Electrical, Bathrooms, Kitchens, Construction, Agricultural, General Hardware, DIY, and OEM.

Product overview

Sanbra Group is an Irish-owned and managed group of companies operating as a multi-brand manufacturing and wholesale distribution business across four divisions: Plumbing & Kitchens, Showering, Bathroom, and Hardware. The portfolio includes 17 distinct brands spanning plumbing and heating products (Sanbra Fyffe/Instantor, Elemex), kitchen components (MVI Hazel), brassware (St James, Marflow), showering solutions (Flair Showers, Majestic Shower Company, The Shower Lab, Neptune), bathroom distribution (R.T. Large, Kristen Bathrooms, Kelso Agencies, Hilltop Designer Radiators), and general hardware (Herron & Son, Riddels, Allgrip, Irish Abrasives). Products serve sectors including Plumbing & Heating, Electrical, Bathrooms, Kitchens, Construction, Agricultural, General Hardware, DIY and OEM, distributed to retail and trade merchant customers in Ireland, the UK and export markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sanbra Fyffe: Manufacturer and Ireland's largest wholesale distributor of plumbing and heating supplies, home to the iconic Instantor® brand.
• Elemex
• MVI Hazel
• St James
• Marflow
• Flair Showers
• The Shower Lab
• Majestic
• Neptune
• R.T. Large
• Kristen Bathrooms
• Kelso Agencies Ltd.
• Hilltop Designer Radiators
• Herron & Son
• Riddels
• Allgrip
• Irish Abrasives

Products and services

• Sanbra Fyffe / Instantor Manufacturer and Ireland's largest wholesale distributor of plumbing and heating supplies, offering compression fittings, press systems, copper press, PEX pipe, Eirline taps, Immertec immersion heaters, Leisure Rangemaster sinks and taps, and HANSEN fittings and valves, plus OEM services for brass and copper alloy components.
• Elemex
• MVI Hazel One of the largest independent wholesale distributors of kitchen fittings including bedroom and furniture fittings, serving kitchen furniture shops, hardware retailers, DIY stores, shop fitters, and joinery companies.
• St James Brassware manufacturer offering bathroom brassware designs with mix-and-match handle and finish options, including the Traditional Collection hand-assembled in Birmingham and recognised by the Made in Britain initiative.
• Marflow UK designer and manufacturer of luxury bathroom brassware including taps, showers and accessories for traditional and contemporary styles, with in-house CAD design and rigorous product testing.
• Flair Showers Shower enclosure and wetroom designer and manufacturer producing award-winning showering solutions for the European market with patented Harmony Collections including ORO, ETO, ILI and AYO product ranges.
• The Shower Lab Shower door manufacturer designing and manufacturing innovative showering spaces for homes and hotels worldwide, focused on quality, beauty, and versatile design.
• Majestic Shower Company Premium glass shower screens and enclosures manufacturer known for elegant, timeless, and understated design in bespoke shower solutions.
• Neptune Market leader in leak-free shower enclosures and shower pods, offering innovative product designs that combine beauty with practical showering solutions.
• R.T. Large Ireland's leading sanitary ware wholesale distribution company with branches in Dublin and Dungannon, stocking brands such as Tavistock, Trojan, Ultra Finishing, Hudson Reed, Ariston, and Saniflo.
• Kristen Bathrooms Distributor of quality bathroom solutions offering showers, enclosures, trays, sanitary ware, baths, whirlpools, bathroom furniture, and brassware for the Northern Ireland market.
• Kelso Agencies Ltd. Distributor to plumbers merchants and bathroom retailers throughout Northern Ireland, sourcing high-quality products with substantial stock holdings and delivery service.
• Hilltop Designer Radiators Market leader in distribution of lifestyle and designer radiators as well as towel rails and heating accessories, with over 25 years of industry experience.
• Herron & Son Wholesaler of agricultural and hardware merchandise, specialist supplier of wire and fencing products with the WORKMAN brand of everyday tools.
• Riddels Northern Ireland's leading hardware wholesale distributor servicing leading trade merchants in Ulster from a modern warehouse facility in Lisburn with state-of-the-art stock and information management systems.
• Allgrip Leading wholesaler of fastening and fixing products providing over 10,000 stocked SKUs to builders merchants across Ireland with decades of technical knowledge in the hardware trade.
• Irish Abrasives Trusted name in grinding and cutting solutions for 40 years, offering Super Quality Orange and Green grinding and cutting discs, diamond blades, grinding wheels, flap discs, wire brushes, burrs, sandpaper, and specialist abrasives for industrial manufacturing, construction, auto repair, and home improvement.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bristan Group: UK-based manufacturer and distributor of taps, showers, and bathroom brassware, directly comparable to Sanbra's Marflow, St James, and Flair Showers brands in product category, trade channel focus, and UK/Ireland market positioning.
• Vaillant Group: European heating and hot-water product manufacturer with strong UK presence, comparable to Sanbra's Elemex and heating-product distribution businesses in product category and trade-channel go-to-market.
• Methven: Designer and manufacturer of shower and tapware products with UK and Ireland distribution, comparable to Sanbra's brassware and shower enclosure brands in product mix and trade-merchant go-to-market.
• Croydex: UK manufacturer of bathroom accessories, shower enclosures, and hardware products sold through builders merchants and DIY retailers, directly comparable in product range and trade-channel distribution.
• Norcros plc: UK-listed group of bathroom and kitchen products businesses holding multiple brands, structurally similar to Sanbra's multi-brand roll-up model across shower enclosures, brassware, and accessories in UK and Ireland.
• Ideal Standard (UK): Major manufacturer of bathroom ceramics, brassware, and showering solutions serving UK and European trade and specification channels, overlapping with Sanbra's bathroom and showering portfolio across multiple sub-brands.

Broad incumbents

• Grohe (LIXIL): Global leader in sanitary fittings, kitchen and bathroom products owned by LIXIL, competing with Sanbra's brassware and shower brands at the premium end of the UK and European markets.
• Roca (Roca Sanitario): Global Spanish-headquartered bathroom manufacturer with extensive UK and European presence in sanitaryware, brassware, and showering, competing with Sanbra's portfolio at the broader bathroom category level.

Regional players

• Grafton Group plc: UK and Irish builders merchants and DIY retailer group operating Selco, Woodie's, and Chadwicks, directly comparable to Sanbra's distribution and merchant-supply model in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
• Travis Perkins plc: UK's largest distributor of building materials operating builders merchants across the UK; comparable to Sanbra's wholesale distribution arms (Riddels, Allgrip, Kelso, Kristen) in trade-merchant channel and product range.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries17 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 Sanbra Group