GraftonIrish sales up 15%

Builders’ merchants group, Grafton has seen a marked recovery in its Irish operations, with revenue here up by 14.7%, year-on-year, on a constant currency basis in the six months to the end of June.

The bulk of the Dublin-based company’s sales are generated in the UK, but in its first-half trading update it yesterday said its Irish merchanting business has “continued to perform ahead of improving trends” helped by growth in the residential repair, maintenance and improvement (RMI) market and a modest recovery in housebuilding activity here.

The Irish retail business — comprising the Woodie’s DIY chain — saw modest revenue growth in the period. Representing 7% of group revenue, Woodie’s saw a sales slowdown in the second quarter, hindered by unfavourable weather conditions, notably during the crucial June bank holiday weekend period. However, the second half of the year tends to be Grafton’s more important revenue-generating period.