Bricklink shrugs off difficult market and continues path of growth

YORKSHIRE brick merchant, Bricklink, has shrugged off an unpredictable and challenging market as it looks to “significantly” improve on its results. 

The Leeds firm, which works within the construction industry, has reported gross profits of £949,083 for the year ended December 31, 2012, up from £675,146 the previous year.

Bricklink, which has a second operation in Scotland, said it has achieved success in the face of “great adversity” in the construction sector as a whole.

It made an operating profit of £99,249 compared to a loss of £120,052 the previous year and the firm reported a pre-tax profit of £70,651 compared to a £119,878 loss last year.

Bricklink was launched in 1988 by David Monkhouse and director Martyn Green and is currently celebrating 25 years in business.
 
In 2009, Calum Currie became managing director and in 2011, an MBO was completed and Mr Currie became sole owner of the business. Mr Monkhouse is retained as the non-executive chairman.

Mr Currie said: “We are doing better this year down to planning and moving forward with the teams.

“In very difficult times when the construction industry is struggling, it is great to say we are doing ok.”

Mr Currie said the firm, which has a workforce of 40, has focussed largely on sales, “key” suppliers and customers for the business, and has tried to maximise the business with these people.

He said: “I think the market will be as tough this year, but with all of the changes we have put in place, this is a better year for us.

“Everyone in the business is very positive, forward thinking and are working together to achieve this.

“Last year we restructured the company and focussed a lot more on the sales side of our operation. We looked at ways of improving computer software and hopefully, we will be able to maintain and potentially grow this sales side now.”

According to Mr Currie, this is something which is often not the number one priority in tough times but it has helped Bricklink develop.

“Now, we are looking to significantly improve on our good 2012 results and I think this will happen,” Mr Currie added.

The businessman said Bricklink’s first quarter has already proved to be good.

He said: “It is now a case of doing what we are doing and keeping going with our plans.

“We are a vibrant and enthusiastic company and we now want to invest in the youth and training them up. We want to pass on our knowledge to young people who we want to being into the business and have a long career here. We are going to reinvest and bring young people into the company.

“Last year was a transition year for us and we turned it around. This year, we are aiming to build on that.”

In its results, the company said: “With the market continuing to demonstrate little in the way of growth, further restructuring and improvements to the infrastructure of Bricklink are required to meet this demanding situation.

“Bearing this in mind, 2013 will be another difficult year, however, with further reductions, to our overhead costs and specific targeting of partnership suppliers and contractors, we aim to improve our solid result for 2012. 2013 should see turnover and profitability increase and administrative costs further reduced. This will create opportunity for growth in 2014.”