Screwfix

History

Based in Yeovil, Somerset, Screwfix started life as the Woodscrew Supply Company in 1979. The company’s first mail order catalogue consisted of a single page, solely dedicated to screws and, in 1987, this was increased to a four page version offering hardware to DIY and trade professionals, in the name of Handimail.

The first catalogue to be produced in the name of Screwfix Direct appeared in 1992, and, with a turnover of £4 million, the company moved into larger premises at Pen Mill, Yeovil, in 1994. This was to herald the start of significant growth, in 1998, with a turnover that had virtually doubled year on year to £28 million, the company moved to a purpose built site at Houndstone Business Park in Yeovil.

The first website was launched in February 1999, just five months prior to the company being acquired by Kingfisher Plc. Later that year, the company expanded its Houndstone site, with the opening of a new contact centre, employing five hundred people. In January 2000, Screwfix announced a turnover of £58 million, and trading hours were extended to seven days a week. The thousandth employee joined the organisation in March 2000, and a month later, next day deliveries within mainland United Kingdom were introduced.

In January 2001, turnover first exceeded £100 million, and after further expansion in the contact centre. Screwfix announced sales of £185 million in 2002. The company re launched the website later that year, and was awarded Retailer Of the Year. In September 2004, to continue to meet the increased demand, a fully automated, 325,000 sq ft distribution centre was opened in Trentham, Stoke on Trent, fulfilling next day orders. The innovative Screwfix Community, an online forum pre dating Facebook, was also launched later that year.

In 2008, there was the launch of Plumbfix, offering qualified plumbers a wider range of specialist goods at better prices, this was followed by the launch of Electricfix the next year. In July 2011, Screwfix launched its Click & Collect service, which enables customers to order and pay securely online, and collect in store in five minutes. Also that year Screwfix's mobile website was set up enabling customers, with an easier shopping experience when not at home. Click & Collect was introduced onto this platform in January 2012, since then sales from mobiles have increased by 250%.

By 2013, Screwfix launched its three hundredth store, and with this success, they moved into new markets in 2014, opening seven stores in Northern Ireland and four stores in Germany. Since 2013, the web and mobile site extended the range to include 27,000 products available online, and the contact centre extended their opening hours to deliver a 24/7 service.

2015 saw the launch of Screwfix's Quickshop app, which allows customers to build their order on their smartphone and generates a QR code which can be scanned at the till point in store. Screwfix currently has a network of over stores totalling 490 across the United Kingdom, and nine stores in Germany (as of January 2017^[update]), with a further two hundred stores in the United Kingdom planned to open in the next couple of years.

Screwfix.com attracts 2.2 million unique visitors per week and the Screwfix Click & Collect service means customers can purchase supplies online (or over the phone) and then collect from store in as little as one minute.

Stores

In August 2005, the first Screwfix store opened in Yeovil, Somerset, followed by further stores, and a new distribution centre. In 2008, there was an aggressive rollout of stores, including the three hundredth store opening. In January 2014, the company moved into Northern Ireland, opening seven stores and Germany, opening four. Screwfix currently has a network of over 500 stores across the United Kingdom (as at March 2017), with a further two hundred planned to open in the next couple of years.

Contact

In 1998, Screwfix's Contact Centre opened, it is based in Yeovil, Somerset. In 2010, the contact centre were finalists in the Top 50 Call Centre Awards, and in 2014, they won two accolades at the South West Contact Centre Awards; Contact Centre of the Year and Support Person of the Year. The centre handles up to 45,000 calls per week and 90% of calls are answered within ten seconds.

The Screwfix Foundation

In April 2013, Screwfix launched its first charity, The Screwfix Foundation, which supports charity projects involved in building, fixing, maintaining, or improving the charity buildings or facilities for those in need throughout the United Kingdom.

The Screwfix Foundation works with both Macmillan and Barnardos and also donates to local charities throughout the United Kingdom (as of January 2017). The Screwfix Foundation has raised over £1.5m since it was launched and it has donated to hundreds of local charity projects including Macmillan and Barnardo’s.