Thursday 17 December 2015

Look to the future now, it's only just begun...

Are you hanging up a stocking on your wall? Well, if you are looking at your future this Christmas, and a sales or marketing job in the building products industry is high on your wish list, you should write to us and let us know what you want in your stocking!

CHOOSE A PRESENT FROM OUR CHRISTMAS JOB LIST!>>

If you are interested in any our roles or are looking to develop your career, contact us today or take a look at our website for more details.
We would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Christmas closure: Please all be advised that we will be closed for Christmas from 12.30 pm Wed. 23rd Dec. 2015 but will be open again on Mon. 4th Jan. 2016 - all refreshed and ready for a great New Year!

However, please feel free to send your applications or register your interest in looking for a new job to recruit@pinnacleconsulting.co.uk over the festive break and we'll contact you and help you get what you want.

Keep informed of ALL our latest jobs when they become available on our Facebook page. Remember to click LIKE! to ensure you receive the full benefits of news, jobs, entertainment, articles, events and promotions.

Image courtesy of tiverylucky at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Wednesday 16 December 2015

Christmas Job in Focus - Superb Sales & Marketing Director's position for Interior Finish Products (£120k)

Our Christmas Job in Focus is an incredible executive level career development opportunity to become the UK Sales and Marketing Director for a luxury brand of Interior Finish Products used mainly in the hotel sector.

You would be in charge of a team of Business Development Managers as well as a National Sales Manager. One of your key objectives would be to drive and build specifications. 

The role would be based in the South.

Our Construction & Building Industry Job in Focus feature takes a detailed look at some of the fantastic sales & marketing construction and building materials job vacancies currently on our books. Job in Focus is also promoted on the home page of our website. www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk 

Job Title: Sales & Marketing Director
Job Ref: J6803
Product: Interior Finish
Location: National
Salary: £120k











EMPLOYER: Our client are a market leading Brand of Premium Interior products with a worldwide reputation for luxury and design. 

JOB DESCRIPTION: They are now looking to recruit a new Sales & Marketing Director to take full P&L responsibility for their UK division. This person will be responsible for driving the business forward from it's current solid foundations, managing sales through a team of experienced Business Development Managers via a National Sales Manager covering both Retail & Specification channels. The growth from their current position is likely to come by further developing their Specification channel so there will be a real push with Architects, Interior Designers, Developers and Hotel Groups especially within the London region. 

LOCATION: South - London, Middlesex, Kent, Surrey, East Sussex, West Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Oxon, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire etc 

CANDIDATE: This is a critical appointment for our client as well as a fantastic career opportunity for the right person - we are seeking an extremely high calibre individual who is capable of taking a prestigious brand to new levels. This person is likely to have a background from a Premium / Luxury brand and be experienced managing a sales team focused on the major London Architects, Designers, Developers & Hotel Groups. 

PACKAGE: On offer is a Basic salary likely to be between the range of £80k to £120k plus excellent bonus scheme, quality car, pension, Bupa, laptop, iPad, mobile plus the opportunity to join an aspirational brand. 

For further information or to discuss your career options contact Colin Hoy on 01480 405225 or apply online

Search for more building products sales jobs >>>

Monday 14 December 2015

One up, one down in the housing market!

Friday's figures from the ONS state that total construction output rose by 0.2% in October compared with September and was 1.0% higher than a year ago. The figures also clearly highlight the rise in private housing and the sharp fall in public housing.

Dr Noble Francis, Economics Director of the Construction Products Association, commented:  

“After the slowdown in construction activity in Q3, it was good to see an acceleration in activity for the construction industry on both a monthly and an annual basis. However, the figures also highlight contrasting fortunes for private and public house building. Private housing output rose 2.3% in October compared with September and was 4.6% higher than a year ago. Going forward, policies announced by the Chancellor in his recent Autumn Statement, such as London Help to Buy, should ensure further growth in private housing output by incentivising major house builders to increase building rates over the next 12 months. However, there are mounting concerns regarding affordability in the housing market, especially in London where average house prices are already 9.6 times average earnings.”


“The falls in public housing are a major concern, despite the Chancellor’s announcement of ‘400,000 new affordable homes’ in November’s Autumn Statement. Public housing output in October was 3.0% lower than September and 25.9% lower than a year ago. The ONS figures also highlight that new orders for public housing in Q3 were 26.7% lower than a year ago due to funding issues for housing associations as they face falling public sector funding, cuts in social rent and the extension of Right to Buy. As a result, the trend for public house building appears to be sharply negative over the next 12 months.”

Thursday 10 December 2015

Contract Kitchen sector is boiling hot at the moment!

Good news for the KBB market as a new report from JKMR reveals that there has been "substantial growth" during the past year for sales within the contract kitchen sector. They also predict that this trend is predicted to continue in 2016. The message is loud and clear, if you can stand the heat, get in the kitchen market now!

The report states that the contract sector will 'absorb' more than £750m worth of fitted kitchen products in 2015, equating to a 21% share of total market value.

The contract sector is now “out-performing the retail sector on a number of key measures”, JKMR says, which has been driven by the rising number of new builds and improving market place, allowing the average client spend to increase.

2015 has seem the sector achieve its highest level of market spend since 2007, which reached £840m. Total contract sector spend then began to decline in 2008, reaching less than £600m in 2011 before improvements began to be seen in 2012. Last year, sector value reached close to £700m.

If you are looking for a Sales Job in the KBB sector, you can find out more here>>

Picture: From FreeDigitalPhotos.net “Modern Apartment Kitchen” by artur84

Monday 7 December 2015

Job in Focus for December: Divisional Sales Director for Heating Products to Merchants - Southern region. £75k + bonus

Our new Job in Focus, as we move towards Christmas, is a fantastic position to take responsibility for the for Sales function of the southern region as the new Divisional Sales Director of a manufacturer for Heating Products in the domestic and light commercial sector. 

The focus of the role is to develop the distribution channel, particularly independent and national merchants and buying groups.

Our Construction & Building Industry Job in Focus feature takes a detailed look at some of the fantastic sales & marketing construction and building materials job vacancies currently on our books. Job in Focus is also promoted on the home page of our website. www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk 

Job Title: Divisional Sales Director
Job Ref: J6679
Product: Heating & Plumbing
Location: South 
Salary: £75k plus bonus











A fantastic opportunity to join a leading manufacturer in the heating sector in an influential position with great responsibility and high involvement in the growth of the company moving forward. With over 100 years experience in the sector the company provides an innovative product range with a focus on domestic and light commercial solutions. 

The selected candidate will take on the position of Southern Regional Sales Director, main responsibilities include identifying new opportunities through the supply chain, recommending and executing sales and marketing strategies across the Southern team and increasing over-all territory performance. Tasked with leading the one-off sales team and being the main point of contact for key decision makers from National and Independent merchants, buying groups and key members of the distribution network. Additional responsibilities are to coach and motivate a highly successful sales force across the South of the country, tracking performance and implementing corrective measures where appropriate. A fantastic opportunity to manage a very successful division of a highly respected and leading brand in the sector. 

The ideal candidate to take up this position must be highly structured with the ability to lead and advise at all levels with a great understanding of the heating sector. Current contacts across National and Independent Merchant and Buying Groups would be highly valued and a proven track record in leading a large external sales team is key to the success of the position. 

The area covered is the South of the UK including Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Devon, Dorset, Cornwall, Somerset, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent, Middlesex, London, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Essex. Potential candidates should be located in these locations, ideally based centrally. 

A fantastic package is offered comprising of a basic salary up to £75k plus bonus, company car or car allowance, mobile, laptop, healthcare, pension and additional company benefits. 

For further information or to discuss your career options contact Aaron on 01480 405225 or apply online.


Search for more building products sales jobs >>>

Friday 4 December 2015

Lack of skilled workers and materials shortage hits the Construction sector in November

Growth momentum softened across the UK construction sector in November, with output, new business and employment all rising at slower rates than in the previous month. At 55.3, the headline seasonally adjusted Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index® (PMI®) was down from 58.8 in October and signalled the slowest expansion of business activity for seven months. 

All three broad areas of construction activity experienced a slowdown in output growth during November. Residential building activity increased at the weakest pace since June 2013, while civil engineering activity rose at the slowest rate for six months and was the worst performing sub-category. Commercial construction activity topped the growth table, but the latest expansion was less marked than October’s eight-month high.

Construction companies mainly commented on supportive economic conditions and rising workloads at their units. However, there were some reports from survey respondents that cited a lack of new work to replace completed projects in November, which in turn acted as a drag on business activity growth. Reflecting this, latest data indicated a weaker rise in overall new business volumes. In some cases, construction firms suggested that more cautious spending patterns among clients had weighed on new order inflows.

Slower growth patterns across the construction sector contributed to a moderation in job creation from the 11-month high recorded during October. Although still strong in a historical context, the latest rise in staffing levels was the weakest September 2013. Sub-contractor usage continued to rise at a solid pace in November, but their average charges increased at the least marked pace for almost two years.

In line with the trends for output and new work, latest data highlighted a slowdown in input buying growth across the construction sector. Supplier performance continued to deteriorate in November, which survey respondents linked to stock shortages and pressure on capacity. That said, the latest lengthening of delivery times was modest in comparison to those seen on average so far this year. At the same time, input price inflation moderated in November and was well below the long-run survey average. Construction firms noted that lower prices for some raw materials (particularly metals) had partially offset rising labour costs.

Meanwhile, survey respondents remain highly upbeat about the business outlook, with over half (55%) forecasting a rise in output over the year ahead and only 5% expecting a fall. The degree of positive sentiment was down only slightly since October and still well above the post-crisis average.

Commenting on the report, David Noble, Group Chief Executive Officer at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, said:


“Suppliers continued to struggle this month, citing shortages in key materials, supply chain capacity and skilled capability as the causes. But there is a question mark over the coming months as the housing sector, normally the star performer, may drag back on recovery along with the lack of availability of skilled staff. Many firms were forced to use more expensive contractors and, further combined with the hoped-for continued job growth failing to materialise, this may leave commentators wondering what’s next. 
“Though there will inevitably be some disappointment that last month’s strong activity has largely petered out, the sector still operates in a positive environment of low interest rates, low inflation and lower commodity prices which has been reflected by respondents’ continued optimism for a good future.” 

Wednesday 2 December 2015

Builders’ merchant market is set for healthy 2016

A new report on the builders’ merchant market from MTW Research provides a fresh, comprehensive review of the UK Builders Merchants Market in 2015 with forecasts to 2019. It has found that 70% of merchants are experiencing growth in revenue and profitability in come the end of the year and also expect sales set to rise above inflation in 2016. 

The report has been written specifically for building product manufacturers, distributors and builders merchants, and is available now in a variety of formats for use in your market intelligence reports, presentations and is designed for sharing with colleagues.

The report represents a review of the UK builders merchants market providing statistically valid, reliable and vital market intelligence for any company selling to builders merchants or for the merchants themselves to undertake an in-depth review of their competitive environment.  

If you are are interested in a sales job in the builders' merchant market, you can find out more here.>>>

The methodology for this report is based on the last 3 years of financial data from more than 100 builders merchants, coupled with a wide range of secondary sources from websites, Companies House, HM Government, trade journals, credit reference agencies, industry commentators and our own experience of researching this market for more than a decade. The report is also unique in that a 2014 turnover and profit estimate is provided for every company reviewed. 

There was encouraging news for the building product manufacturers and suppliers as, based on industry sales, the research untaken for the report showed that their was sustained growth in heavyside sales this year. The report also revealed that key growth sectors have included domestic new build and commercial refurbishment.

The report forecasts market sales growth to 2019, and although this does vary across different markets, the general message is one of optimism for most building product sectors.

Contractors are set to increase their expenditure on tools and equipment in 2016 which should further boost the merchants next year.


Commenting on the findings, Mark Waddy, director at MTW Research, said: “There are clear indications of strengthening profitability for most merchants, tempered to some extent by rising debt levels. Nevertheless, our forecast models indicate that merchants profitability will rise by around 30% in the next few years, underlining a fundamental strength in the market for 2016 and beyond.”

Prospects are for builders’ merchants to benefit from growth in several end use sectors, notably the private house building market and private refurbishment within housing and non-housing applications.

While public expenditure will decline in the current Parliament, MTW Research indicates that this ‘slack’ will be more than accounted for by growth in the private sector refurbishment and newbuild sectors.

The report also points to an increase in demand from the industrial construction and refurbishment sector as business confidence strengthens, sustaining demand growth for builders’ merchants.

The report forecasts relatively healthy sales growth for the next few years to 2019 and indicates that profitability has now fully recovered from the legacy of the recession when income troughed at 60% of current levels. While there remains turbulence for some sectors in the builders’ merchants market, MTW Research’s report presents a generally positive view of current trading conditions, identifies several opportunities for growth and forecasts positive future prospects for builders’ merchants and their suppliers.

Prospects are for builders merchants to benefit from growth in several end use sectors, notably the private house building market and private refurbishment within housing and non-housing applications. Whilst public expenditure will decline in the current Parliament, MTW indicate that this ‘slack’ will be more than accounted for by growth in the private sector refurbishment and new build sectors.   The report also points to an increase in demand from the industrial construction and refurbishment sector as business confidence strengthens, sustaining demand growth for builders merchants.

The research report is available now from MTW Research’s website here, or by calling 0845 652 4324.

Tuesday 1 December 2015

CPA predicts more Construction output growth

The Construction Products Association has announced that despite activity slowing in Q3 this year, they expect further growth for the construction industry in the coming months.

Construction output is expected to increase 3.6% and 3.8% in 2015 and 2016, respectively, revised down from 4.9% and 4.2% in the Summer Forecast. The slowdown in Q3 activity is expected to be temporary and construction output is expected to rise by 19.7% between 2015 and 2019, driven by growth in the three largest construction sectors; private housing, commercial and infrastructure. 

Highlights from the forecasts include a total construction output forecast to rise 3.6% in 2015 and 3.8% in 2016, and private housing starts anticipated to rise 7.0% in 2015 and 5.0% in 2016. 

Take a look at the latest construction products sales jobs >>>

Public housing starts are expected to fall 10.0% in 2015 and 5.0% in 2016, and infrastructure output is forecast to rise 13.2% in 2015 and 7.6% in 2016. As expected, the key risks include skills shortages and government austerity. 

Dr Noble Francis, economics director at the CPA, said: "We remain positive about prospects for the construction industry. The slowdown in Q3 activity is expected to be temporary and construction output is expected to rise by 19.7% between 2015 and 2019, driven by growth in the three largest construction sectors; private housing, commercial and infrastructure. 

"Private housing starts are forecast to rise, with major house builders signalling their intention to build more homes over the next 12-18 months. Help to Buy accounts for one quarter of new build purchases and will help to sustain demand. House prices continue to increase in most regions, especially in London and the South East, illustrating a strong underlying demand. 

"Public housing, however, is expected to be adversely affected by uncertainty and a lack of funding due to the extension of Right to Buy to housing associations and cuts to social rent. As a result, public housing starts are estimated to fall 10.0% in 2015 and a further 5.0% in 2016. 

"The commercial sector is forecast to enjoy growth from 2016 averaging 3.9% per year through to 2019. New offices construction is expected to be the primary driver of this growth, with increasing activity in cities such as Birmingham and Manchester as well as growth in the capital. Retail construction is expected to improve but a consolidation of expansion plans by major supermarket chains will constrain growth rates. 

"Infrastructure activity continues to thrive. Output in the sector is forecast to grow 11.2% on average per year between 2015 and 2019, supported in large part by the £411 billion National Infrastructure Plan. The roads and energy sub-sectors will be strongest but work is forecast to increase throughout the forecast period in all key sub-sectors; roads, energy, rail, water and sewerage. 

"Whilst growth prospects in construction remain positive, there are significant risks. Government austerity focuses on current spending rather than capital investment but the risk remains that if government cannot reduce current spending as much as it anticipates, it may cut public construction projects to achieve its aims of eliminating the public sector deficit. 

"In addition, within the construction industry, the key concerns regard skills shortages, which have already been reported in the housing sector but may become more prevalent across the wider industry over the next 12-18 months due to the forecast growth."