By David Newman, Managing Director of Ad Lab

Strengthening Our Commitment to the Builders’ Merchant Sector

Ad Lab is proud to announce that we have joined the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) as a Service Provider Member. This step strengthens our long-term commitment to helping builders’ merchants modernise, grow and compete more effectively in an increasingly digital landscape.

For more than twelve years, Ad Lab has worked as an eCommerce growth agency, building high-performing online storefronts and driving measurable revenue for businesses across industries such as fashion, FMCG, construction equipment and specialist tooling. As the market evolves, so has our focus. Going into 2026, we have chosen to specialise in the builders’ merchant sector, where demand for strong digital capability continues to increase.

Why We Are Focusing on Builders’ Merchants

Many of our closest client partnerships sit within this industry. We work directly with merchants including Harlow Timber Group, Kent Blaxill, Speedy Fixings and Ironmongery Experts, supporting their digital transformation and helping them improve both customer experience and operational efficiency.

These partnerships have given us first-hand insight into the unique challenges merchants face — from complex stock management to trade pricing visibility and the need for frictionless online ordering. Joining the BMF allows us to deepen our involvement, collaborate more closely with industry leaders and contribute to the sector’s future development.

How Ad Lab Supports the Merchant Industry

We specialise in designing, developing and optimising Magento eCommerce platforms that help merchants sell more online. These platforms bring trade-friendly features, customer-focused design and performance-driven architecture together to help builders’ merchants grow sustainably.

A crucial part of this work involves connecting eCommerce platforms with major ERP systems. Our builders’ merchants platform integrates seamlessly with systems such as:

• Epicor BisTrack
• Kerridge / K8
• Intact
• Merlin
• Sage
• Various bespoke or legacy ERP solutions

These integrations deliver real-time stock, pricing, customer-specific trade rates and accurate order flows — all essential for modern digital trading.

What BMF Membership Means for Us

The BMF plays a vital role in bringing the industry together, setting standards and supporting merchants through training, collaboration and shared knowledge. By joining the federation, we gain the opportunity to:

• Engage directly with merchant leaders nationwide
• Participate in events that shape the industry’s digital future
• Share insights that help merchants adopt technology more confidently
• Strengthen the solutions we deliver through deeper sector understanding

This membership allows us to contribute more meaningfully to the industry we support and to stay aligned with the evolving expectations of merchants and their customers.

A Message from David Newman

“At AdLab, we’re an e-commerce growth agency. It typically starts by designing and developing a beautiful and well-crafted e-commerce website, and then we drive targeted traffic to that website to increase sales and leads online.

As a business, we’ve been operating for over 12 years. We’re a collection of over a dozen team members at present. We’ve operated in a variety of sectors, and we’re very proud to have clients within the builders-merchants industry. With the adoption of our builders-merchants platform — a platform specifically designed for merchants and their operational requirements — we believe we now have a solution that can be rolled out cost-effectively across the industry.”

Looking Ahead

Our BMF membership marks the next chapter in Ad Lab’s commitment to the builders’ merchant community. We aim to support merchants with practical, results-driven digital solutions that help them compete and grow. Through collaboration, deep industry engagement and ongoing innovation, we will continue to help merchants strengthen their digital presence.

If your business wants to upgrade its eCommerce store, integrate its ERP system or take the next step in digital transformation, the Ad Lab team is ready to help.