The UK’s £40 billion building materials sector is notorious for being fragmented, outdated, and inefficient. With thousands of local suppliers and minimal digital infrastructure, over 70% of builders’ merchants still depend on manual quoting and order systems. The result is billions lost each year due to delivery delays, inventory mismanagement, and sluggish procurement processes. Materials Market, a fast-growing online marketplace that’s revolutionising how the industry operates.
The platform uses real-time supplier bidding, proprietary tech, and a vast supplier network to deliver low prices and fast service to both DIYers and trade professionals. Customers typically save up to 20% compared to traditional procurement channels, all while enjoying a more transparent and reliable buying experience.
This week, Materials Market secured £2 million in fresh funding. The round was led by existing investor Fuel Ventures and joined by newcomers Active Partners and experienced angel investors. The investment will be used to expand its supplier, sales, marketing, product, and operations teams—laying the groundwork for wider national reach and continued tech innovation.
Reinventing Procurement in Construction
Founded in October 2020 by seasoned construction buyers Samuel Hunt and Andrew Haehn, Materials Market was born out of frustration with the inefficiencies they experienced daily in procurement. Hunt, now CEO, noted, “The fragmented nature of the construction industry creates a frustrating trading environment for both customers and suppliers alike. With rising economic pressures and ambitious government infrastructure targets, efficiency in procurement is more critical than ever.”
Materials Market’s ambition is bold: to become the UK’s go-to online marketplace for heavy-side building materials. And it’s well on its way. From humble beginnings in a spare bedroom, the company now partners with over 750 supplier branches—more than any other UK building material supplier—and serves more than 2,000 monthly customers.
Compared to digital competitors like CMO Group and ProBuild Direct, Materials Market boasts a supplier network more than twice the size—2.3x larger to be exact. This breadth enables a wider product range, greater pricing competition, and faster delivery. Its asset-light business model allows for quick scalability without the burden of owning warehouses or trucks. Instead, the platform partners with logistics providers to offer customers delivery reliability comparable to traditional merchants.
The site’s real-time bidding engine helps suppliers compete for orders, giving customers the best available prices while allowing suppliers to access a wider market without needing to build their own e-commerce systems.
On Trustpilot, Materials Market earns high marks for pricing and service (4.7/5), though a few customers have reported delivery inconsistencies. To address this, the company is forming new logistics partnerships and rolling out real-time delivery tracking.
Backed by Strategic Investors for the Next Stage
James McKensie, a newly appointed Non-Executive Director, praised the company’s impact: “The building materials sector is one of the last major industries to undergo digital transformation. Materials Market is doing exactly what this industry needs—simplifying a fragmented supply chain with smart tech.”
Tom Profumo, Partner at Active Partners, added, “Materials Market is reshaping one of the most inefficient and overlooked sectors. Samuel and Andrew bring unmatched expertise, and the platform’s traction shows they’ve nailed product-market fit. We’re excited to support their national and international expansion.”
As Materials Market gears up for its next growth phase, the company stands out as a key innovator in modernising the construction supply chain—combining marketplace dynamics with digital efficiency. With a growing customer base, robust tech, and strategic backing, the company is well-positioned to become the go-to solution for building material procurement across the UK and beyond.
