As sponsor of Merchant Leader of the Year at the 25th Builders’ Merchants Awards, IKO used the June 2026 Awards publication to look at how merchants can create more value from the categories they stock. The article explores how a more connected approach to roofing, insulation and structural waterproofing can help branches support a broader mix of customer requirements, create opportunities for linked sales and give branch teams access to the product knowledge, technical guidance and manufacturer support behind the range.
As merchants look for stronger-performing categories, IKO, sponsor of the Merchant Leader of the Year, believes a more connected approach to roofing, insulation and structural waterproofing could help branches create greater value, support trade customers more effectively and drive linked sales.
In a challenging market, merchants are looking at what earns its keep in their branch. The ranges that stand out are usually the ones that solve everyday site problems, support counter conversations and create linked sales. That is one reason the wider building envelope still deserves attention.
The latest Builders Merchant Building Index showed in February 2026 that like-for-like value sales were down 4.3% year on year. When trading is tight, product categories need to justify the space they take up. For many merchants, the better opportunities sit with ranges that work across multiple roles and give branch teams more than one route into the sale.
That is where a more connected offer across structural waterproofing, insulation, flat and pitched roofing and garden building products can make commercial sense. These are not unrelated lines. On the ground, they often sit within the same customer conversations, especially across repair, maintenance, improvement and new build work.
Anyone who works close to the trade knows the value of products that are asked for on a day-to-day basis and are understood quickly. Structural waterproofing is a good example. Damp-proof course, cavity trays, pre-formed cloaks and damp-proof membranes are core products, not fringe add-ons that deliver practical, compliance-led solutions that merchants recognise immediately.
Insulation is similar. IKO enertherm gives merchants a PIR insulation offer that can be used across floors, walls, pitched roofs and flat roofs. From a branch point of view, that scope is useful. It helps staff support a wider mix of enquiries without overcomplicating the range, and it keeps the conversation under one IKO product family.
Garden building products still have a place too, particularly where branches are serving both trade and retail demand. Outdoor projects remain a dependable seasonal driver, and the products themselves are familiar, accessible and clear to understand. With IKO shed felts, IKO roofing shingles and IKOslate in the mix, merchants can support straightforward replacement and upgrade purchases without stepping away from the wider roofing category.
Flat roofing is another area where a collective range can help. Merchants are often at their best when they can support more of the build-up rather than selling a single product in isolation. A broader flat roofing offer gives branches more scope to match different project needs and installation preferences, while keeping the conversation focused on practical system choice rather than a one-line sale.
Of course, product range on its own is not enough. What gives merchants confidence is the support behind it. IKO supports merchants by area business support, technical guidance, product and range advice, training and branch engagement. What’s important to merchants is not just stock, but answers, responsive back-up and help making sure branch teams are comfortable with the products they are selling.
There is also a wider issue in play. In a market shaped by pressure on cost, availability and compliance, certainty matters. This is where UK manufacturing carries real weight. It is not just a line in a brochure. For merchants, it can mean more confidence in availability, lead times, accountability and access to technical support when questions need answering quickly.
Glenigan’s June 2025 forecast made that point more relevant, noting the risk of supply interruption and cost pressure around overseas-sourced products in a volatile trading environment. For merchants, that turns UK manufacturing into something practical. It helps reduce exposure, supports continuity of supply and gives branches a bit more confidence when demand shifts suddenly.
For merchants and distributors, that reassurance goes further than supply alone. It also helps to know they are working with a manufacturer whose UK manufacturing facilities hold recognised accreditations, including BS EN ISO 9001 for Quality Management, BS EN ISO 14001 for Environmental Management, BS EN ISO 45001 for Health and Safety Management and BES 6001 for Responsible Sourcing.
These sit alongside PAS 2080:2023 certification for carbon management in buildings and infrastructure.
Those details matter because they help support clearer, more informed conversations when customers ask about standards, sourcing and responsible business practice.
The commercial case is not about trying to stock everything. It is about stocking the right categories in a way that feels connected and useful. A merchant offer that brings together structural waterproofing, IKO enertherm insulation, pitched roofing products, garden building products and flat roofing under one IKO “roof” can help branches support customers more effectively and their trade customers with confidence.
