First established in 2004, Liverpool Mutual Homes became the newest Housing Association in Liverpool when it took transfer of the City Council’s remaining housing stock in 2008. Since the stock transfer, Liverpool Mutual Homes has invested over £1.5 million a week improving homes and services and, in 2011, set up Housing Maintenance Solutions (HMS), a subsidiary organisation to undertake the extensive repair and maintenance requirements.
When responsibility for maintenance and repairs was transferred to HMS, it needed a supply partner to provide all of the materials needed to maintain Liverpool Mutual Homes’ 15,500 strong housing stock throughout the city.
Following a tender process, Wolseley UK’s Integrated Services was chosen to run the dedicated stores facility to provide all the supplies needed for both reactive repairs and planned maintenance. This includes timber, joinery, ironmongery, heating spares, kitchens, sanitary ware, plumbing and construction materials. Integrated Services also provides a delivery service and van stock management for the operatives out in the field.
Wayne Booth, Commercial Director for HMS, explains: “Integrated Services was an existing supply partner for contractors working for Liverpool Mutual Homes. We chose to continue the contract with them because they offered us the most cost effective service and were able to use their expertise, knowledge and facilities in the area to provide a seamless transition of the repair and maintenance service to HMS.”
Grant Richardson, Trading Director Integrated Services & New Channel Development Director - Wolseley UK, comments: “We have been supplying materials for Liverpool Mutual Homes since it was established in 2004. Being an integrated supply partner is about more than just supplying bricks and mortar.
"Flexibility and continuous improvements to deliver better service and achieve further efficiencies is a critical part of the supply partnership, particularly in the housing sector where budgets are becoming tighter. We have worked with HMS to provide solutions to waste management, van stocks, controlling HMS owned stock and also introducing an online portal which provides them with live spend reports and key management information to track performance.”
Wayne Booth adds: “LMH is planning to invest over £900 million over the next 30 years to continually improve and maintain homes and services in Liverpool. Finding efficiencies, while maintaining quality and improving service, continues to be a key objective for HMS.
"Despite the ongoing financial challenges in the housing and construction industry, in our first year we have met all of our customer and operational targets and increased turnover. Integrated Services has played a key role in helping us to identify efficiencies throughout the supply chain, helping us to control cost and stock levels and dramatically improving service levels, particularly in the areas of responsive maintenance.”
Integrated Services is a specialist division within Wolseley UK, offering bespoke integrated supply chain solutions, including stores management and procurement models, to clients responsible for large residential social housing estates, major construction projects and off-site construction.