The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) has cancelled its conference in Portugal next year following the National Merchant Buying Society’s (NMBS) decision to hold a conference in Spain with similar dates.
The BMF has now thrown its support behind the NMBS event, after the latter approved a BMF suggestion that its conference should be opened to the whole industry – both nationals and independents.
The agreement follows BMF concerns that the industry would be faced with an independents-only event organised by the NMBS. The BMF’s own conference, which had been due to be held just a week before the NMBS event, had been targeted at independents and nationals to bring the whole industry together.
“We are already talking with NMBS about how to work together to ensure the very best quality and most-inclusive programme for all participants,” said the BMF.
NMBS said it expects demand to be high for the event and is encouraging merchants and suppliers to book early.
“By making the event open to all in the industry we believe it will be even more successful,” said NMBS chairman Rod Bennion.
The NMBS conference takes place in Marbella on June 21-24 at the Don Carlos Hotel.
