Corporate News
Lords strategically acquires the trade and assets of CMO
09 June 2025
Lords, one of the UK's largest specialist distributors of building materials,
announces that it has acquired the trade and assets of CMO Group
Limited1 ('CMO'), the UK's largest online-only retailer of
construction products following a CMO pre-pack administration process (the
'Acquisition').
The Acquisition brings together Lords' infrastructure and merchanting
expertise with CMO's digital-first online model and reflects Lords'
continued focus on growth, diversification, and digital innovation in the
construction materials distribution sector.
Founded in 2008 as Construction Materials Online, CMO has built a
market-leading e-commerce platform serving homeowners and trade
professionals through a suite of specialist superstore websites. With over
140,000 listed products and a unique hybrid approach combining online
convenience with expert technical support, CMO has brought true disruption
to a traditionally offline industry.
The Acquisition, further details of which are set out below, marks a new
chapter for CMO and its c.120 colleagues who will join the Group. Lords
acknowledges that the events leading to the Acquisition have had an impact
on a number of stakeholders, including creditors and suppliers. The pre-pack
administration process was undertaken with careful consideration and in
close coordination with legal and financial advisers, with the intention of
preserving as much business continuity, employment, and value as
possible.
Commenting on the Acquisition, Shanker Patel, CEO of Lords, said:
“We are delighted to welcome CMO into the Lords family. CMO brings a
well-established digital platform, strong customer reach, and a specialist
product-led approach that complements our own. This partnership allows us to
blend traditional merchanting strengths with cutting-edge digital
capabilities.
“We are also mindful of the impact of the pre-pack administration process on
affected parties and are committed to conducting the transition with
respect. Our focus now is on ensuring a stable and successful future for the
CMO business and all its stakeholders.”
All trading activity continues under the new ownership without interruption. Customers, suppliers, and partners are being contacted directly to ensure continuity and alignment.
For further enquiries:
Lords Group Trading plc | Via Burson Buchanan | |
Shanker Patel, Chief Executive Officer | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000 | |
Stuart Kilpatrick, Chief Financial Officer | ||
Burson Buchanan |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000 |
|
Henry Harrison-Topham / Steph Whitmore / Abby Gilchrist | LGT@buchanan.uk.com |
NOTE
1 The trade and assets of CMO subject to the Acquisition exclude
the 'Tiles' business formerly owned by CMO Group Limited and generated
revenue in the year ended 31 December 2024 of c.£52 million. The total cash
consideration payable of £1.8 million will result in Lords acquiring a
property valued at £1.2 million.
Notes to editors:
Lords is a specialist distributor of building, plumbing, heating and DIY
goods. The Group principally sells to local tradesmen, small to medium sized
plumbing and heating merchants, construction companies and retails directly
to the general public.
The Group operates through the following two divisions:
Merchanting: supplies building materials and DIY goods through its
network of merchant businesses and online platform capabilities. It operates
both in the 'light side' (building materials and timber) and 'heavy side'
(civils and landscaping), through 31 locations in the UK.
Plumbing and Heating: a specialist distributor in the UK of plumbing
and heating products to a UK network of independent merchants, installers
and the general public. The division offers its customers an attractive
proposition through a multi-channel offering. The division operates
over 16 locations enabling nationwide next day delivery service.
Lords was established over 40 years ago as a family business with its first retail unit in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire. Since then, the Group has grown to a business operating from 47 sites.