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Four Out of Five Roofing Merchants Affected by Supply Issues
A survey undertaken in March by MRA Reports showed that just under four in five specialist roofing merchants are experiencing problems with product availability and long lead times.
MRA Reports’ latest survey investigates the roofing distribution market in terms of sales expectations, market and business confidence, key product and market trends, as well as the most important problems, issues and challenges faced by specialist roofing merchants. The survey forms part of a new wider report on the UK Roofing market, to be released at the end of April.
When asked what problems and issues they had faced recently, nearly eight out of ten (79%) of specialist roofing merchants said they faced problematic lead times, while 77% had experienced problems with product availability, particularly for concrete tiles and lead products. Lead times for plain concrete tiles were reported to be 52 weeks or more.
Over the past year, there has been a big spike in demand for plain concrete tiles, and roofing merchants say it is because prices have increased while customers have less money to spend, and many are switching to cheaper alternatives. Concrete tiles cost less than slate and some other alternatives. Another factor contributing to the shortage is the loss of a couple of suppliers in some markets over the past year.
Other problems faced by roofing merchants include squeezed margins, experienced by 70%, and supplier price rises (69%). Competition is also becoming increasingly fierce. Roofing merchants say competition is coming mainly from other local suppliers, such as general builders’ merchants that are increasingly turning to roofing supplies, but also from online channels.
Over half (51%) had seen competition from online suppliers increasing.
Asked about their single biggest issue, roofing merchants put product availability at the top.
“It’s not just the general state of the construction market that is causing problems for roofing merchants,” said Anna Eriksson of MRA Reports. “They also complain about product availability and lead times on popular products, and competition is getting increasingly fierce. But, interestingly, specialist roofing merchants have higher sales expectations and stronger market confidence than general builders’ merchants, who we also surveyed in Q1.
“Specialist roofing merchants had a lot to say about the market. The survey report is packed with insightful comments on where they believe the market is now, where it is going, what is trending and the main challenges they face.”
MRA Reports was set up last year by two leading researchers in building markets intelligence and commercial due diligence, Anna Eriksson and Mike Rigby, to provide companies in the building materials supply chain, advisors and investors with a better understanding of the rapidly changing structure and dynamics of building product supply chains.
The UK Roofing Systems Market: Supply Chain Focus 2026-2030 report, which includes the survey, is available for pre-order by contacting MRA Reports. Aside from problems, this includes specialist roofing merchants’ sales expectations, market confidence levels, comment on market trends as well as trends in the flat roofing, pitched roofing and roofline sectors.
