Ideal Standard was among a select group of suppliers invited to a reception at the House of Commons by a fast-growing plumbing and heating business.
Dave Larreta (pictured, above), Channel Manager – Independents, represented the company at the event in the stately Pugin Room, which was organised by PHIL (Plumbing and Heating Investment Limited) Group as a “thank you” to its major suppliers.
As one of only three sanitaryware manufacturers among 40 suppliers present, the invitation was an indication of the importance of our relationship to their growth plans.
PHIL Group has acquired a number of businesses over the past 24 months, taking its number of branches nationwide to 96.
In the UK, the group also own Edmundson Electrical, which has a network of about 250 branches to date.
At the reception, the company revealed that they would be changing their name to UK Plumbing Supplies as they are a merchant business, not an investment company.
Dave said: “PHIL Group have grown very quickly over the past two years and it’s clear they have ambitions to continue this growth.
“We have been developing relationships with the company at a national, regional and local level, and this event was an opportunity to cement that with their senior management team.”
PHIL are wholly owned by Marlow Holdings, who own a large plumbing and heating business in the US and Canada, and also have a business in Australia.
They decided to enter the UK plumbing and heating sector and since then have acquired Willbond, Plumbcity, HPS, Plumbstore, Plumbstop and UKPS, with further acquisitions planned in the near future.