ST Andrews Timber & Building Supplies has announced it is increasing its stock options at the firm’s Stenhouse base after ‘significantly modifying’ the Edinburgh facility.
Work has been completed on a ‘slap through’ which will expand the site by linking two separate warehouses previously used for deliveries and customer collections.
The move is the biggest change to the branch since opening in 2016, when it became the third addition to the firm’s chain after Prestonfield and Paisley.
Offering a greater selection of stock including a wider range of bespoke skirtings and mouldings such as old Victorian profiles for listed buildings and old-style townhouses often found in the centre of Edinburgh, St Andrews said it hopes the change will appeal to the bespoke and specialised joining trade while ‘filling a gap’ in the market for customers.
A range of metal and insulation has also been introduced, having been previously unattainable at Stenhouse due to the logistics of the restricted space.
Stenhouse branch manager Tam Whitehead said, “We had noticed in recent years that it was becoming harder and harder for joiners to source the old-style finishing pieces, skirtings and facings. If we couldn’t help them, we would often send them on to other merchants. Now that we have completed the ‘knock through’, we are able to stock all this and more, such as more metal, specialised insulation and a wider range of sizes of items such as marine, hardwood and finished plywoods.
“The new arrangement will not only allow a greater variety of stock options from our smallest branch, it will also reduce waiting times for our customers as the logistics and layout of the yard have been drastically improved. Previously, if a customer needed an item that was housed in our other warehouse, they would have to be sent out of the estate and around the corner to reach the other area. Now the items can be loaded straight through into the main yard without the customer moving.
“The improvements complement the existing Stenhouse offering which includes a cutting service and a rapid response pick-up for same day deliveries.”