The overall winner in the fifth Octabuild Builders Merchant Awards Northern Ireland is JP Corry Lisburn, while JP Corry’s latest addition, Coleraine, scooped an award for Best Premises.
Recognising excellence in the builder’s merchant industry, the awards were presented on Thursday 12th April at a gala event in the Hilton Belfast Hotel before an audience of almost 250 people.
Pictured: JP Corry Team
Described by the Award’s judges as an “exceptionally well-run business”, JP Corry Lisburn was crowned Builders’ Merchant of the Year. An impressive and extensive product range combined with a knowledgeable and friendly team has elevated this branch, making it a most deserving winner of the overall Octabuild award.
Michael Gilvary, Branch Manager at JP Corry Lisburn, attributes the branch’s exceptional win to the efforts made by the team to continuously strive for improvement, both at Group and branch level. “Having already won Octabuild awards in our branch, including the best overall award in 2012, we listened to the judges’ feedback and used it to help us identify target areas for improvement. That, along with engaging with and listening to our customers, has helped us to identify and implement improvements across all areas of our business.” Michael adds that extensive improvements have been made at the branch including a remerchandising project to make it more customer friendly, a refurbishment of the trade centre with a new entrance created and new showrooms.
Pictured: Overall Best Builders Merchant Award - JP Corry Lisburn - Collected by Michael Gilvary
An impressive landscaping and roofing display as well as a doors and floors showroom have also contributed to the branch scooping the overall award. All members of staff at JP Corry Lisburn are well experienced and are regularly trained on new products and changes to building regulations. Upon visiting the branch, awards judge James Burke remarked that JP Corry, Lisburn, was a very energised branch with a strong team spirit. An extremely well laid out external site with good signage combined with an enthusiastic “Have a go” attitude has made it a builders’ merchant to be reckoned with.
As JP Corry’s newest branch, the team in Coleraine also have a lot to be happy about. The branch scooped the coveted Best Premises accolade at the Awards, beating off stiff competition from more established builders’ merchants from around the province.
After acquiring H&T Bellas in 2017, JP Corry undertook a complete refurbishment of the Coleraine-based branch. It now offers an extensive new product range and an enhanced shopping experience for local tradespeople and DIY enthusiasts. Branch Manager Ryan Orr says the makeover has provided better-quality facilities for both customers and staff. “A full DIY and building supplies range was introduced as part of the development while the shop also boasts an impressive showroom which highlights JP Corry’s door and flooring ranges.”
Pictured (L-R): Best Premises Award - JP Corry Coleraine - David Shirley, Donna Tannahill, Ryan Orr and Wayne Law
“The shop and yard redesign combined with a new landscape centre, showroom, car parking facilities and expanded product offering makes the store a welcoming environment to local tradespeople and DIY customers. As soon as customers come into the premises, they notice the changes we have made. The wealth of knowledge and experience of staff in store and breadth of product range keeps them coming back”.
Click to find out more about JP Corry H&T Bellas or JP Corry Lisburn.