Huws Gray

Huws Gray is a United Kingdom building-materials and solutions supplier headquartered in Llangefni, Wales. The company serves the construction industry through a network of branches supplying trade professionals, contractors, corporate customers and other buyers of building products. Its range extends beyond basic merchant materials to include timber, civils products, drainage, insulation, plumbing and heating supplies, doors, windows, kitchens, bathrooms, power tools, plant and tool hire, and specialist manufactured products such as lintels and roof trusses. The business began in 1990 in Gaerwen on Anglesey with one branch and four employees. Its subsequent development combined organic expansion with acquisitions of established regional and specialist merchants. This approach allowed Huws Gray to retain a local-branch presence while broadening its geographic coverage and product capabilities. The acquisition of Ridgeons Ltd in October 2018 was a major step into East Anglia, adding a merchant business with more than 40 branches and giving Huws Gray a substantially larger presence in England. Huws Gray also received outside investment during this expansion phase. In April 2018, Inflexion Private Equity made a minority investment in the company. The investment was intended to support continued growth and acquisition activity. Reference material associated with the company states that headcount and profits doubled over the following years, although detailed financial figures and the applicable reporting periods are not provided here. In June 2021, Blackstone acquired a stake from Inflexion in a transaction reported to value Huws Gray at approximately £1 billion. At around the same time, Huws Gray completed its largest reported acquisition: the purchase of Grafton Group's merchanting businesses in Great Britain for £520 million. The acquired operations included Buildbase, Civils & Lintels, PDM Buildbase, The Timber Group and Bathroom Distribution Group. These businesses expanded Huws Gray's branch network, specialist categories and national reach. The resulting group is described as having more than 330 branches across England, Wales and Scotland. Its operating model combines physical branches, specialist product divisions and supply capabilities. Huws Gray's offer covers routine materials used by builders as well as more technical categories for civil engineering, roofing, timber, bathrooms, plumbing, heating and structural construction. The company therefore occupies the broad builders'-merchant segment rather than being limited to a single product category. The brand has also maintained a public profile through sports sponsorship, particularly football. It previously sponsored the Cymru Alliance, whose name became the Huws Gray Alliance during the sponsorship period, and served as principal sponsor of the 2019 Inter Games Football Tournament on Anglesey. In 2025, Huws Gray became official kit sponsor of Professional Game Match Officials Limited for the 2025–26 football season. The agreement covers branding on matchday and training apparel used by referees, assistant referees and video assistant referee officials in competitions including the Premier League, EFL Championship, FA Cup, League Cup, National League and Women's Super League.

Huws Gray was established in 1990 in Gaerwen on Anglesey, Wales. It began on a small scale, operating one branch with four employees, and developed as a regional builders' merchant serving construction customers. The company's early and subsequent growth followed the general model of the builders' merchant sector: maintaining local branch relationships while expanding the breadth of materials and services available to trade customers. Over time, Huws Gray expanded through both organic growth and acquisitions. Its product scope grew from core building supplies and timber to include civils materials, drainage, insulation, plumbing and heating products, doors, windows, kitchens, bathrooms, tools and equipment hire. It also developed or supplied more specialized construction products, including bespoke lintels and roof trusses. This widening offer enabled the group to serve ordinary building work as well as more technical requirements associated with civil engineering, structural construction and property improvement. A significant change in the company's geographic profile occurred in 2018. In April, Inflexion Private Equity made a minority investment in Huws Gray. The investment provided financial backing for the company's growth strategy. In October of the same year, Huws Gray acquired Ridgeons Ltd, a well-established merchant with more than 40 branches across East Anglia. The transaction gave Huws Gray a stronger presence in the eastern and southeastern English markets and added an established regional operating platform. The next major phase came in 2021. In June, Blackstone acquired a stake in Huws Gray from Inflexion. The transaction was reported to value the business at about £1 billion. Around the same period, Huws Gray completed the purchase of Grafton Group's merchanting businesses in Great Britain for £520 million. The transaction included Buildbase, Civils & Lintels, PDM Buildbase, The Timber Group and Bathroom Distribution Group. These operations brought additional branches, specialist categories and customer relationships into the group and represented Huws Gray's largest reported acquisition. Following these developments, Huws Gray became a large national-scale merchanting group while retaining its Welsh origins and branch-based service model. Reference material describes the business as operating more than 330 branches across England, Wales and Scotland. Its activities include the distribution of imported timber, the supply of construction and civils materials, and the provision of products for kitchens, bathrooms, plumbing, heating, roofing and structural work. The group serves trade and corporate customers, with branches supporting day-to-day purchasing and specialist divisions handling more specific requirements. Huws Gray has also used sponsorship to build visibility beyond the construction-supply market. It previously sponsored the Cymru Alliance, a football competition in the second tier of Welsh football in north and mid-Wales; during the sponsorship, the competition was known as the Huws Gray Alliance. In 2019, the company was principal sponsor of the Inter Games Football Tournament held on Anglesey, connecting the brand with its home region and with island representative football. In 2025, Huws Gray entered a broader football partnership by becoming official kit sponsor of Professional Game Match Officials Limited for the 2025–26 season. The arrangement placed the brand on matchday and training kits worn by referees, assistant referees and video assistant referee officials across several prominent English competitions. The sponsorship extended Huws Gray's visibility nationally and associated the company with themes of professionalism, coordination and teamwork. Huws Gray is therefore best understood as a UK-focused corporate brand within the builders' merchant and construction-materials sector. Its history is defined by a progression from a single Anglesey branch to a multi-region group, with acquisitions and private-equity investment playing important roles in its expansion. The available reference material does not provide a separately verified current chief executive, detailed financial statements or a corporate website URL, so those fields are left unspecified.

• 2025

  PGMOL kit sponsorship begins

  [1]Huws Grayen.wikipedia.org

  Huws Gray became official kit sponsor of Professional Game Match Officials Limited for the 2025–26 football season.

• 2021

  Blackstone acquires a stake

  [1]Huws Grayen.wikipedia.org

  Blackstone acquired a stake from Inflexion in a transaction reported to value Huws Gray at approximately £1 billion.

• 2021

  Grafton Great Britain merchanting acquisition

  [1]Huws Grayen.wikipedia.org

  Huws Gray bought Grafton Group's Great Britain merchanting businesses for £520 million.

• 2019

  Inter Games Football Tournament sponsorship

  [1]Huws Grayen.wikipedia.org

  Huws Gray served as principal sponsor of the Inter Games Football Tournament on Anglesey.

• 2018

  Inflexion makes a minority investment

  [1]Huws Grayen.wikipedia.org

  Inflexion Private Equity invested in Huws Gray to support its growth and acquisition strategy.

• 2018

  Ridgeons acquisition expands East Anglia presence

  [1]Huws Grayen.wikipedia.org

  Huws Gray acquired Ridgeons Ltd, adding a regional merchant network of more than 40 branches.

• 1990

  Huws Gray founded in Anglesey

  [1]Huws Grayen.wikipedia.org

  The company began in Gaerwen, Anglesey, with one branch and four employees.

A broad, multi-branch builders' merchant and construction-solutions supplier combining local trade-counter service with national scale and specialist product divisions.

• Core merchant supplies

  Building materials

  Huws Gray supplies general building materials through its branch network to trade and corporate customers. The category forms the foundation of the company's builders'-merchant proposition and supports routine construction, repair and improvement work.

• Timber and sheet materials

  Timber

  The group distributes timber, including imported timber, for structural, joinery and general construction applications. Timber is supported by the group's specialist merchant operations, including the businesses acquired from Grafton Group.

• Civil engineering materials

  Civils, drainage and insulation

  Huws Gray provides materials used in civil engineering and site infrastructure, including drainage products, civils supplies and insulation. These categories broaden the company beyond domestic building work into infrastructure and specialist construction requirements.

• Interior and exterior building products

  Doors, windows, kitchens and bathrooms

  The product range includes doors, windows, kitchens and bathrooms for construction, renovation and property-improvement projects. Bathroom distribution became a larger part of the group following the acquisition of Grafton Group's Bathroom Distribution Group.

• Building services

  Plumbing and heating supplies

  Plumbing and heating products support building-services contractors and general trade customers. The category complements the company's bathroom, kitchen and broader building-materials offering.

• Equipment hire

  Plant and tool hire

  Huws Gray offers plant and tool hire alongside the sale of construction products. This allows customers to source equipment as well as materials for building and civil-engineering work.

• Manufactured structural products

  Lintels and roof trusses

  The group distributes or manufactures specialist structural products including bespoke lintels and roof trusses. These products address more technically specific construction needs than standard merchant-stock items.

• 2025PGMOL official kit sponsorship

  United Kingdom

  Huws Gray became official kit sponsor of Professional Game Match Officials Limited for the 2025–26 football season. Branding appears on matchday and training kits worn by referees, assistant referees and VAR officials.

  Outcome. The partnership gives Huws Gray national exposure across major English football competitions, including the Premier League, EFL Championship, FA Cup, League Cup, National League and Women's Super League.

  Source
• 2019Inter Games Football Tournament sponsorship

  Anglesey · Wales

  Huws Gray was principal sponsor of the Inter Games Football Tournament held on Anglesey, the company's home island.

  Outcome. The sponsorship strengthened the brand's association with its regional Welsh roots and island football.

  Source
• Cymru Alliance sponsorship

  Wales

  Huws Gray sponsored the Cymru Alliance, a second-tier Welsh football competition covering north and mid-Wales. During the sponsorship period, the competition used the name Huws Gray Alliance.

  Outcome. The sponsorship placed the Huws Gray name on a regional football competition and connected the company with Welsh sport.

  Source

• 2021

  Acquire Grafton Group's Great Britain merchanting businessesM&A

  Background

  Huws Gray pursued a major expansion of its branch network and specialist product capabilities.

  Action taken

  It bought Grafton Group's Great Britain merchanting businesses, including Buildbase, Civils & Lintels, PDM Buildbase, The Timber Group and Bathroom Distribution Group, for £520 million.

  Aftermath

  The transaction became Huws Gray's largest reported acquisition and contributed to a network of more than 330 branches across England, Wales and Scotland.

  Purchase price. £520 million (2021)

  Source

• 2021

  Blackstone stake acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Huws Gray required continuing investment to support its enlarged acquisition-led growth strategy.

  Action taken

  Blackstone acquired a stake in Huws Gray from Inflexion.

  Aftermath

  The transaction was reported to value Huws Gray at approximately £1 billion and coincided with the Grafton merchanting acquisition.

  Reported business valuation. Approximately £1 billion (June 2021)

  Source

• 2018

  Acquire Ridgeons LtdM&A

  Background

  Huws Gray was expanding beyond its original Welsh base and sought a stronger presence in English regional markets.

  Action taken

  The company acquired Ridgeons Ltd, adding more than 40 branches across East Anglia.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition materially extended Huws Gray's geographic reach in England.

  Source

• Unconfirmed

  Reported2026.08.25

  Huws Gray appoints first Showroom Director[2]Huws Gray任命首位展厅总监buildersmerchantsnews.co.uk

  Huws Gray, a UK building materials supplier, announced the appointment of James Davis as its first ever Showroom Director, responsible for leading its national showroom strategy.

• 2021.12.13

  PermaRoof and Huws Gray extend partnership[3]PermaRoof与Huws Gray延续合作关系briefingwire.com

  PermaRoof announced an extension of its partnership with builders merchant Huws Gray, marking the fourth consecutive year of collaboration.

Read more

1. 1Huws Grayen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Huws Gray任命首位展厅总监buildersmerchantsnews.co.uk
3. 3PermaRoof与Huws Gray延续合作关系briefingwire.com
4. 4Huws Gray appoints Managing Director for Southern regionbuildersmerchantsnews.co.uk
5. 5Huws Gray continues investing in its showrooms and appoints new director to lead this offeringretailtimes.co.uk