2022.FORT September Newsletter

FORT Progress Update

As always we never stand still at FORT, and the last month has been no exception as we've added a new truck to the fleet and filled up our new roofing products yard with clay and slate roofing tiles and all the relevant accessories. Away from FORT HQ, the team enjoyed an outing to Barbury Shooting School to see who was the worst shot (it was Matt) and enjoyed a BBQ to see who could eat the most (it was also Matt).

General Availability & Price Update

Depending on how far back your memory goes, you might feel that the Summer of 1976 was better, but we’ve had a glorious piece of weather this year. The best Summer ever? Schools return in September, days shorten and those wonderful warm nights disappear, autumn has begun and we head for Christmas! The news is full of gloomy predictions and the R word is being banded around. So, how’s business? FORT has continued to see strong trading and our customers still report strong order books. The feeling is that the economic impacts of inflation and higher interest rates must catch up, but so far that hasn’t happened.

FORT Has Excellent Stock Levels!

We’ve been reporting this for some time now, and the stock team at FORT keeps plugging away to ensure that we have our products in stock when you need them. It isn't all back to "normal", though, as bricks, roof tiles and some blocks are still in short supply, but we are still managing to keep our Customers on track. As you’ll see from the reports below, the stronger £ of early August has dissolved and is under pressure from the $. This adds to the pain on many items. Inflation is still rampant and energy costs are way beyond any previous highs. On that happy note, let’s look at the different indicators:

£ Exchange
As you can see, the £ is still bumping around on the bottom. This has a huge effect on imported material costs; all shipping and fuel is priced in $.

Containers
Container rates continue to fall from all time highs. They are still expensive in historical terms, but way down on their peak. This will help on shipping costs, especially for heavy/low value items.

Steel
Steel rebar prices were historically running at around $450/tonne until Covid times, when they grew. The Ukraine war then forced prices up dramatically. They have now fallen back but are still running at around $650. This seems to have settled in and of course as higher energy costs come through the pressure for higher prices will continue.

Timber
This link is to the US market, so it does not reflect the exact UK position, but is a handy guide. Timber prices have fallen back but appear to have levelled off.

Inflation
Without doubt, this is the most scary indicator! Looking back (if you can remember!) we have to go to the 1970’s to see inflation like this. It’s also global and looks to be ‘baked in’ for some considerable time. Inflation eats into people’s savings and is bound to have an impact on overall demand.

Supply
With all the recent news on rising energy bills and soaring costs, that unfortunately ties in with FORTs supply chain. Bricks, Clay Machine Made Tiles & Aircrete Blocks have proven harder to source. We are working hard to monitor the situation and will update accordingly.

Cement
Our stock of cement will soon be changing to Cemex Rugby Premium Cement.

Our advice remains the same:

• We strongly urge you to NOT give any firm price commitments beyond a very short timeframe – availability and inflationary pressures are extremely high
• Fort continue to hold excellent stock levels in most areas. Contact our sales team for further advice.

Fencing – We Treat This Seriously!

As you’ll know by now, FORT is quite ‘nerdy’ about timber; making sure that our Customers get the right products that are fit for purpose is really important to us. Timber fence posts have been an issue, because sourcing the volumes that we buy, at UC4 (User Class 4 – suitable for ground/air contact) has been tricky. But we’re delighted to say that’s no longer the case – all FORT fence posts are now UC4. This means that when you buy fence posts from FORT you’re giving your Customers the right product; buying from us also means they’re at the right price too!

As always, please do not assume stock availability - check with the sales office!

Our reputation relies on word of mouth and testimonials from our valued customers, and as such we'd love for you to share reviews of your experiences with us on either Google, Facebook or TrustPilot if you have the time.

Thank you very much for your understanding and support at this time.

Best regards,

Matt, Tim & Keith
The Directors