Materials Supply - 3rd Quarter 1999 A total of 37 firms indicated some delay in the supply of materials, the same number as in the second quarter. With a slightly lower total number of respondents, this was equivalent to 15% of the total response before replies were weighted by size of firm, and 17% after weighting. Of the 37, 11 reported delays under two weeks, whilst only three indicated that they had to wait more than two months for supplies. Of the 23 saying that they were experiencing delays of between two weeks and two months, as seven - just under 3% of the total response - cited joinery products including windows and doors. The next highest figures were five, for timber, and four, for bricks. The latter two figures are slightly up on last time, but that for firms concerned over deliveries of joinery was slightly lower. For this quarter there was a very marked regional divide in answers to this question. In broad terms, and as is to be expected, reports of delays come mainly from those regions in the South of England where growth of building activity is strongest. More specifically, however, Almost one third of the firms indicating materials supply difficulties were in the South West, though that region only provided an eighth of the total number of respondents to this survey. There were a number of written-in comments about materials supply, mostly expressing concern over increasing concentration following the merger of leading builders' merchants. This appears to have had the effect of reducing the amount of trade credit available to some firms. First posted: 19 October 1999. Last modified: 21 January 2000.