Murdock Builders Merchants plans on cross-border growth

MURDOCK Builders Merchants, a construction materials supplier from Northern Ireland, has invested €4.5m into a plan to further expand south of the border.

The Newry-based company, established in 1982, opened its first store in the Republic 12 years ago in Balbriggan, Co Dublin. As part of the €4.5m investment into its Irish growth plan, Murdock’s recently opened its Finglas, Dublin store, and the company has confirmed it will open a new branch in Bray, Co Wicklow, along with extending its Ballymount, Co Dublin, outlet next year.

It currently has 14 stores across the island of Ireland, with four in the Republic including a specialised civil engineering division in Kilbarrack, Co Dublin.

Murdock’s currently employs 65 people across its Irish outlets, with the planned Bray store set to add a further 15.

Barry Thornton, managing director for Murdock Builders Merchants in Ireland, said the growth plans reflect the confidence the company has in the Irish construction sector.

“With a minimum of 30,000 new homes needed each year for the foreseeable future, we anticipate growing demand for the products and specialist services we provide,” he said. “Our expansion has been planned to meet this need.

“At heart, we are a family-owned business which understands the market and focuses on delivering exceptional service, expertise and quality. We’ve been here throughout the busts as well as the booms and, as such, have earned the trust and loyalty of our customers.”

Ann Morgan, the group chief executive, said that despite the concerns cross-border businesses have over Brexit, the company was confident about the growing momentum behind its presence here.

According to its most recent set of accounts, Murdock Builders Merchants had revenue of over £66.8m (€77.3m) in 2018, up from £65.2m. The group employed an average of 351 people, while its operating profit fell slightly to around £3.5m.

Murdock Builders Merchants’ Irish subsidiary had a turnover of over £8.6m in 2018, up from nearly £5.2m the previous year.