Grafton Group plc is an independent, profit-orientated growth company, operating in the UK and Ireland whose main activities are builders and plumbers merchanting, DIY retailing and mortar manufacturing. The Group aims to achieve above average returns for its shareholders. Grafton's strategy is to build on strong positions in businesses serving the UK and Irish construction sectors, to develop in related markets, and to grow in businesses with which it is familiar. In the UK, Grafton's merchanting operations are the fourth largest in the market. These comprise 147 plumbers merchanting branches trading under the Plumbase brand, and 163 builders merchanting branches trading principally under the Buildbase and Jackson brands. In Northern Ireland, Macnaughton Blair is one of the leading builders merchants trading from 12 locations. EuroMix is the UK market leader in dry mortar with 8 plants. In the Republic of Ireland, the Group is the largest builders and plumbers merchanting business trading from 31 branches nationally under the Chadwicks brand and from 25 branches nationally under the Heiton Buckley brand. The Group is the clear leader in Irish DIY retailing with 20 Woodie's and 15 Atlantic Homecare stores nationally and, amongst other activities, has manufacturing plants in plastics and concrete products, including EuroMix dry mortar.
Grafton Group plc is predominantly a UK and Ireland-based building materials group with 591 branches and a turnover of over £2 billion.


http://www.graftonplc.com/

This company has been posting good results, has a wide consumer base in several countries and has been growing it's business through buying out a number of sectoral add-ins. Yet the SP remains stubbornly in the doldrums by and large. Sooner or later it must be due a boost or else larger predators will start hovering?