The deal followed the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) ruling requiring Saint-Gobain to sell 22 of its Jewson and Build Center stores following the merger of the chains earlier this year.
The depots are in Bexhill-on-Sea and Hastings in East Sussex, and Faversham and Maidstone in Kent. The stores were three Build Center branches and one former Jewson branch, all of which included a timber store.
The acquisition, which was approved by the OFT, brings the number of Parker branches to 13. The new sites were rebranded and restocked over the weekend and reopened as Parker branches on Monday [dec 3].
Parkers said a full refurbishment programme was planned for next year.
“These acquisitions illustrate our determination to grow as a business and consolidate our position as a very strong regional player,” said Stewart Pierce, Parker finance and commercial director. “The four new branches will allow us to extend our reach into key areas of the south-east.”
The deal has increased staff to 220 from 160 and is part of an ongoing expansion programme that has included other branch additions in recent months, including a plumbing centre in Seaford.
“We will be working hard to bring our own style of working to the new branches,” said managing director Tom Parker.
