Haldane Fisher tops in first all-island awards for builders merchants

Haldane Fisher Newry has won the overall Octabuild Award for Excellence 2022 at the first-ever all-island Octabuild Builders Merchant Excellence Awards.

The company also won the Northern Ireland Regional Award. Other winners came from Dublin, Galway, Longford, Louth, Meath and Waterford.

The Octabuild Builders Merchant Excellence Awards ceremony was held at a gala event in the Mansion House in Dublin.

It was attended by over 300 guests including shortlisted merchants and representatives of the builders merchant trade from across the country. The event was hosted by the eight Octabuild members, Dulux, Etex, Glennon Brothers, Grant Engineering, Gyproc, Irish Cement, Kingspan Insulation and Wavin

Haldane Fisher Newry is the main headquarters of the Haldane Group.

According to the independent judging panel "it is an incredibly impressive store kept in pristine condition".

It has highly developed management systems and acts as a feeder depot for other Haldane Group branches. The staff are knowledgeable and well-motivated with the firm having cultivated a Buddy system to mentor new employees.

Overall, the judges were really impressed with the store, its systems, customer service initiatives, strong health and safety ethos, community involvement, staff training, sustainability initiatives and new website sales platform, all led by a team of 160 employees adhering to high standards of workmanship.

Since these prestigious awards were first introduced in 1986, this is the first year they have been held on an all-island basis. Previously awards were held in Ireland and Northern Ireland on alternate years.

This year builders merchants competed for four regional awards, five Individual Category Awards and a Rising Star Award, which acknowledged up-and-coming talent in the industry.

An Octabuild Lifetime achievement Award was also presented to Brian Wogan, Dunleer Hardware, Dunleer, Co Louth.

Octabuild chairperson, Ray Molyneaux, said: “It’s important for Octabuild that the Awards highlight to the building and construction industry the excellence of Irish builders merchants amidst its ever-changing landscape. Congratulations to all finalists and winners who represented absolute excellence in the industry.”

Chair of the independent Judging Panel, Liam O’Gorman, added: “It is evident that the industry has evolved hugely and that merchants have led the way in embracing this changed landscape. These merchants have transformed their processes, systems and operations to reflect this new way of doing business.”