Case Study: Howarth Timber & Building Supplies achieves accurate stock control and 24/7 online trading with Kerridge Commercial Systems' K8

Howarth Timber makes the right software choice

Howarth Timber & Building Supplies is a UK timber and building materials merchant with 29 sites and around 1,000 employees. Facing no reliable stock control, the need for robust financial controls, flexible trading mechanisms and a 24/7 online capability to support next‑day delivery and consistent omni‑channel pricing, they selected Kerridge Commercial Systems and its K8 ERP (later upgraded to K8 Babbage) to drive their merchant operations.

Kerridge Commercial Systems implemented K8 branch‑by‑branch and upgraded to K8 Babbage, delivering strong financial controls, accurate stock control with suggested ordering, enhanced data‑mining and a near‑continuous online platform (reducing the overnight blackout to just 45 minutes). The result: dependable stock figures for sales, optimized inventory levels, replication of best practice across branches, reduced reliance on collateral EDI systems, a 24/7 capability for online sales and more consistent pricing and operational performance.

Howarth Timber & Building Supplies

Paul Cornford

Group Information Systems Manager