At a recent Board meeting of HAI, it was decided to accept an invitation to host the 2023 UFEMAT Conference in Dublin. Details will be available later this year. The conference was last held in Dublin in 2002.
UFEMAT is the permanent liaison body and centre for relations between national trade bodies and associations representing builders’ merchants and building material manufacturers in various European countries. Its aim is to promote communications and best practice between member associations, as well as supporting their commercial and economic interests.
At the recent UFEMAT Conference 2022 in London, delegations from 11 different countries attended. In an around the table discussion, it emerged that all are challenged by price inflation in building materials, all are challenged by scarcity of products, and all are challenged by recruiting and retaining staff. And, in most the demand for our products is still high. Digitisation featured strongly at the conference as did the subject of sustainability. An interesting takeaway comment from one of the speakers was that “unlike retail, we (builders’ merchants) haven’t lost the personal relationships with our customers.”
Ukraine was also foremost in the minds of attendees, Irina Salii, the wife of the CEO of the Ukraine Trade Association, was guest of honour at the conference and a total of £60,000 was donated to charities helping Ukraine.
Those wishing to donate to the Irish Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal can do so at www. donorbox.org/hardware-association-ireland-ukraine-crisis-appeal or by contacting Martin Markey at HAI directly at 01 2980969
