Initially launching in London, the app solves inventory issues, meaning that tradespeople become more productive and merchants are able to build better customer relations with live online stock availability.  This in turn helps them grow sales and attract and retain increasingly demanding customers, thousands of whom may have already been helped to source materials up to 30 per cent faster on the first trial of Buildiro earlier this year.

Chief executive and founder, Luke Polach, who ran his own building business in the UK, says: “Not only do tradespeople need to save time and money in their search for supplies, but in the hyper-competitive materials-supply trade, builders’ merchants need innovative ways to attract current and potential customers to their stores.

“Buildiro delivers just that. When merchants post their inventories to Buildiro, they are not only helping tradespeople source supplies faster, more cost-effectively and in a more environmentally-friendly way, they are also opening themselves up to new sales opportunities.”

Buildiro was trialled by merchants including Bradfords Building Supplies, JMD Building & DIY Supplies and Lakedale Power Tools.

Commenting on the app, Lee Church of JMD Building & DIY Supplies, said: “I’ve been in the industry 20 years, and Buildiro is something that I knew the industry needed. We won’t have people turning up wanting things and then being disappointed if we don’t have them. Because stock availability is already in the app, tradespeople know what we have and what they are coming in to collect.”