Pochin heats up West Midlands presence with acquisition

Plumbing and heating merchant Pochin has made its third acquisition in the West Midlands, buying RC Bigwood in Stirchley, Birmingham.

Leicester headquartered Pochin has acquired the business and the property – a trade counter and bathroom showroom – on Pershore Road.

The deal follows the 2014 acquisitions of Redditch merchant Jack Hobbs Heating & Plumbing and Stourbridge’s Plumbwares.

RC Bigwood first opened for business in the mid 1930s and comes with six full-time and two part-time staff who will join the Pochin group which now numbers 12 outlets across the East and West Midlands.

RC Bigwood’s Adrian Gould will manage the Stirchley branch, which will be rebranded as Pochin over coming months. Overseeing its integration will be Pete Trickett, Pochin’s sales director.

Pochin bought the business from the retiring Tim Hoare, for an undisclosed sum.

Pochin’s turnover topped £21m in the year to the end of 2015, with the additional outlets expected to boost the increasing sales through all branches and online towards £24m in 2016.

Pochin managing director David Pochin said: “RC Bigwood and Pochin are an excellent fit. The Birmingham business shares the Pochin ethos of outstanding service and quality products at competitive prices.

“RC Bigwood has an excellent reputation, predominantly serving the heating and plumbing installer trade. It also has a bathroom showroom serving consumer demand from its premises at Pershore Road.

“We welcome our new colleagues to Pochin and look forward to building on RC Bigwood’s excellent reputation and mutually beneficial relationships with members of the installer trade.”