BMA issues warning to merchants as coronavirus difficulties for bathroom manufacturers are being exacerbated by merchants’ and distributors’ refusal to pay their first quarter bills. Several large and well-financed companies have sent letters to manufacturers unilaterally changing payment terms. That is despite action by the Government to ensure liquidity in the construction industry.
The Bathroom Manufacturers Association has raised the issue with the Government’s business department, BEIS, and has written to the Construction Leadership Council (CLC). In a move welcomed by the BMA, the CLC’s co-Chair Andy Mitchell has released a statement saying companies should “think hard about how their reputation could be damaged by not doing the right thing”.
In a video posted on the association’s website, where the BMA issues warning to merchants, Chief Executive Tom Reynolds said:
“It seems that some, typically cash-rich, companies would rather see the cash in their bank accounts than spent on their financial obligations. Quite apart from being part of the national effort, that’s a national disgrace. So today I’m asking those companies to examine their conscience and make sure they pay their suppliers if they can. That will make a real difference to important parts of the construction supply chain.”