The Federation has been clearly targeting buyers’ groups with its collective membership offer, and Fortis is the fifth of the top seven to sign up since June 2013. It officially joins on April 1.
Fortis was formed in January by the 30 member companies of the CEMCO buying group, and eight members of the Combined Buying Association. Their combined turnover is in excess of £1bn.
Members include Covers Timber and Builders Merchants, Alsford Timber, Ridgeons, Sydenhams, Howarth Timber and Building Supplies and Howarth Timber Engineered Solutions.
"Sixteen of the CEMCO and CBA companies belonged to the BMF individually, but the organisations were not in collective membership," said BMF managing director John Newcomb. "The agreement with Fortis brings us an additional 23 merchants."
He said that discussions with the group had lasted several months and the BMF was delighted it had come on board.
"We will have 18 of the UK’s top 20 merchants by turnover in membership, and more than 450 members for the first time since 2007," he said.
The improved economic climate had helped bring more members to the BMF, but the main reason for its growth were the recent changes at the Federation in terms of organisation and services offered.
"They can see the real benefits to their business of membership," said Mr Newcomb. "There is also a growing appreciation of the important role a trade association can play for the sector and the more companies that join, the stronger that role and the merchant’s voice in the construction industry will be."
He added that the BMF’s membership drive would continue and that it would welcome the other buyer’s groups to join.
Fortis joint-chairman, Stuart Mason-Elliot said its members had voted "overwhelmingly" to join and that it would work closely with the BMF to develop its role.
All companies that join Fortis will also now auto-enroll in the BMF.
