BUILDERS MERCHANTS Market Report - Western Europe 2007

Table of Contents

1.INTRODUCTION AND MARKET OVERVIEW

F FRANCE

F2. SUMMARY

F3. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BACKGROUND

• F3.1 GENERAL
• F3.2 DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE
• F3.3 ECONOMIC BACKGROUND
• F3.4 CONSTRUCTION
• F3.5 THE HOUSING MARKET

F4. TRADING WITH FRANCE

• F4.1 THE EURO
• F4.2 INVOICING AND PAYMENT
• F4.3 VAT
• F4.4 AGENTS OR LOCAL REPRESENTATION
• F4.5 PRODUCT STANDARDS
• F4.6 TRADE EXHIBITIONS
• F4.7 TRADE MAGAZINES AND ASSOCIATION

F5. BUILDERS MERCHANTS MARKET IN FRANCE

• F5.1 MARKET SIZE
• F5.2 BUILDERS MERCHANT MARKET STRUCTURE
• F5.3 KEY COMPANIES
  • F5.3.1 Heavyside
  • F5.3.2 Lightside

F6. FUTURE PROSPECTS

F7 SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMATION

GERMANY

G2. SUMMARY

G3. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BACKGROUND

• G3.1 GENERAL
• G3.2 DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE
• G3.3 ECONOMIC BACKGROUND
• G3.4 CONSTRUCTION
• G3.5 THE HOUSING MARKET

G4. TRADING WITH GERMANY

• G4.1 THE EURO
• G4.2 INVOICING AND PAYMENT
• G4.3 PACKAGING
• G4.4 VAT
• G4.5 TRADE EXHIBITIONS
• G4.6 TRADE MAGAZINES AND ASSOCIATION

G5. BUILDERS MERCHANT MARKET IN GERMANY

• G5.1 MARKET SIZE
• G5.2 WHOLESALE BUILDING MATERIALS MARKET STRUCTURE
• G5.3 KEY COMPANIES

G6. FUTURE PROSPECTS

G7. SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMATION

B BELGIUM

B2. SUMMARY

B3. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BACKGROUND

• B3.1 GENERAL
• B3.2 DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE
• B3.3 ECONOMIC BACKGROUND
• B3.4 CONSTRUCTION
• B3.5 THE HOUSING MARKET

B4. TRADING WITH BELGIUM

• B4.1 THE EURO
• B4.2 INVOICING AND PAYMENT
• B4.3 EU EXPORT DOCUMENTATION
• B4.4 PACKAGING/RECYCLING
• B4.5 VAT
• B4.6 TRADE EXHIBITIONS
• B4.7 TRADE MAGAZINES AND ASSOCIATION

B5. THE BUILDERS MERCHANTS MARKET IN BELGIUM

• B5.1 BUILDERS MERCHANT MARKET SIZE
• B5.2 MARKET STRUCTURE
• B5.3 KEY COMPANIES

B6. FUTURE PROSPECTS

B7. SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMATION

N THE NETHERLANDS

N2. SUMMARY

N3. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BACKGROUND

• N3.1 GENERAL
• N3.2 DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE
• N3.3 ECONOMIC BACKGROUND
• N3.4 CONSTRUCTION
• N3.5 VALUE OF CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS - SPLIT BY TYPE

N4. TRADING WITH NETHERLANDS

• N4.1 THE EURO
• N4.2 EU EXPORT DOCUMENTATION
• N4.3 VAT
• N4.4 TRADE EXHIBITIONS
• N4.5 TRADE MAGAZINES AND ASSOCIATION

N5. THE BUILDERS MERCHANTS MARKET IN THE NETHERLANDS

• N5.1 MARKET SIZE
• N5.2 BUILDERS MERCHANTS MARKET STRUCTURE
• N5.3 KEY COMPANIES

N6. FUTURE PROSPECTS

N7. SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMATION

TABLES AND CHARTS

• TABLE I COMPARISON OF KEY ECONOMIC INDICATORS - FRANCE, GERMANY & UK - 2006 IX
• CHART II EUROPEAN UNION - BUILDERS MERCHANT MARKET - BY MAJOR COUNTRY 2006 X
• CHART III INDEX OF BUILDERS MERCHANTS SALES 2004-2007 (2004=100) - FRANCE, GERMANY, UK, BELGIUM AND NETHERLANDS XI
• TABLE F1 EXCHANGE RATE CONVERSIONS 1999-2006
• TABLE F2 MAJOR CENTRES IN FRANCE
• TABLE F3 POPULATION OF FRANCE BY AGE 2007
• CHART F4 POPULATION DEVELOPMENT 1962-2007 PROPORTION IN AGE GROUPS
• TABLE F5 GDP AT MARKET PRICES - 1998-2006
• TABLE F6 GDP (AT REAL PRICES) 2006-2008
• TABLE F7 CONSUMER PRICE INDEX 1998-2006
• TABLE F8 CONSUMER SPENDING 1998-2006
• TABLE F9 CONSTRUCTION MARKET VALUE - 1995-2006 AT CURRENT PRICES
• TABLE F10 CONSTRUCTION MARKET IN FRANCE - BREAKDOWN BY PRIVATE AND PUBLIC WORK 2006
• CHART F11 PRIVATE BUILDING IN FRANCE IN 2006 SHARE BY NEW AND RMI OUTPUT BY VALUE
• CHART F12 PRIVATE BUILDING IN FRANCE IN 2005 SHARE BY HOUSING AND NON-HOUSING OUTPUT BY VALUE
• TABLE F13 FRANCE - NO. OF DWELLINGS STARTED 2001-06
• TABLE F14 FRANCE - BUILDERS MERCHANT MARKET SIZE 1998-2007
• CHART F15 FRANCE - THE BUILDERS MERCHANTS MARKET BY HEAVYSIDE AND LIGHTSIDE SALES - 2006 BY VALUE
• CHART F16 AVERAGE MARKET MIX OF PRODUCT SALES - 2004 BY VALUE
• TABLE F17 FRANCE - MARKET SHARE OF MAJOR SUPPLIERS - 2006 HEAVYSIDE BUILDERS MERCHANTS
• CHART F18 SALES BY GEOGRAPHICAL REGION 2005
• TABLE F19 SAINT GOBAIN TURNOVER BY DIVISION 2004- 2005
• CHART F20 SALES BY DIVISION 2005
• TABLE F21 WOLSELSY PLC - TURNOVER BY DIVISION 2005-2006
• CHART F22 WOLSELEY EUROPEAN DIVISION REVENUE FOR 2006
• TABLE F23 CRH GROUP - SALES - SHARE BY SECTOR 2005
• TABLE F24 FRANCE - MARKET SHARE OF MAJOR SUPPLIERS - 2006 LIGHTSIDE BUILDERS MERCHANTS
• TABLE G1 EXCHANGE RATE CONVERSIONS 1999-2006
• TABLE G2 THE GERMAN FEDERAL STATES - BY POPULATION
• TABLE G3 MAJOR CENTRES IN GERMANY
• TABLE G4 POPULATION OF GERMANY BY AGE
• TABLE G5 GERMANY - GDP AT MARKET PRICES 2000-2006
• TABLE G6 GDP FORECASTS 2007-2008
• TABLE G7 CONSUMER PRICE INDEX 1995-2006
• TABLE G8 CONSUMER SPENDING 2000-2006 (AT CURRENT PRICES)
• TABLE G9 CONSTRUCTION MARKET VALUE 1995-2006
• CHART G10 VALUE OF CONSTRUCTION IN GERMANY 1995-2006 AT CURRENT PRICES
• TABLE G11 NEW BUILD CONSTRUCTION MARKET IN GERMANY 1997-2005
• CHART G12 NEW BUILD CONSTRUCTION IN GERMANY IN 2005 BREAKDOWN BY VALUE OF BUILDING COMPLETIONS
• TABLE G13 RMI CONSTRUCTION MARKET IN GERMANY 1997-2005 COMPLETIONS
• CHART G14 RMI CONSTRUCTION IN GERMANY IN 2005 BREAKDOWN BY VALUE
• TABLE G15 NUMBER OF NEW DWELLINGS - COMPLETED 1991-2005
• TABLE G16 GERMANY- TOTAL BUILDERS MERCHANT MARKET SIZE 1998-2006
• CHART G17 GERMANY - THE BUILDERS MERCHANTS MARKET BY HEAVYSIDE AND LIGHTSIDE SALES - 2006 BY VALUE
• TABLE G18 GERMANY- BUILDERS MERCHANT MARKET HEAVYSIDE AND LIGHTSIDE 2004-2006
• CHART G19 AVERAGE MARKET MIX OF PRODUCT SALES - 2006 BY VALUE
• TABLE G20 GERMANY - MARKET SHARE OF MAJOR HEAVYSIDE SUPPLIERS - 2006
• CHART G21 SALES BY GEOGRAPHICAL REGION 2005
• TABLE G22 SAINT GOBAIN TURNOVER BY DIVISION 2004- 2005
• CHART G23 SALES BY DIVISION 2005
• TABLE G24 BAYWA GROUP TURNOVER 2001-6 € BILLION
• TABLE G25 BAYWA GROUP TURNOVER BUILDING MATERIALS DIVISION 2004-6
• TABLE G26 CRH GROUP - SALES - SHARE BY SECTOR 2005
• TABLE G27 GERMANY - MARKET SHARE OF MAJOR LIGHTSIDE SUPPLIERS - 2006
• TABLE B1 EXCHANGE RATE CONVERSIONS 1999-2006
• TABLE B2 POPULATION SIZE - THE BELGIAN REGIONS 2005
• TABLE B3 POPULATION OF BELGIUM BY AGE 2006
• TABLE B4 BELGIUM - GDP AT MARKET AND CONSTANT PRICES 1998-2006
• TABLE B5 BELGIUM - GDP GROWTH - 2005-08
• TABLE B6 CONSUMER PRICE INDEX 2000-2008
• TABLE B7 CONSUMER SPENDING 2000-2008
• TABLE B8 CONSTRUCTION MARKET VALUE 1996-2006 AT CURRENT PRICES
• TABLE B9 HOUSING/NON-HOUSING CONSTRUCTION 1998-2006 BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED
• CHART B10 HOUSING SECTOR BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED IN BELGIUM IN 2006 BREAKDOWN BY VOLUME (NO. OF DWELLINGS)
• CHART B11 NON-HOUSING SECTOR BUILDING PERMITS IN BELGIUM IN 2006 BREAKDOWN BY VOLUME (NO. OF BUILDINGS)
• TABLE B12 DWELLING STARTS - 1980-2006 BY VOLUME
• TABLE B13 BELGIUM - BUILDERS MERCHANT MARKET SIZE 1998-2007
• TABLE B14 BELGIUM- BUILDERS MERCHANT MARKET HEAVYSIDE AND LIGHTSIDE 2004-2006
• CHART B15 BELGIUM - THE BUILDERS MERCHANTS MARKET HEAVYSIDE AND LIGHTSIDE SALES 2006 BY VALUE
• CHART B16 BELGIUM - MIX OF PRODUCT SALES
• TABLE B17 BELGIUM - MARKET SHARE OF MAJOR HEAVYSIDE SUPPLIERS /BUYING GROUPS- 2006
• CHART B18 SALES BY GEOGRAPHICAL REGION 2005
• TABLE B19 SAINT GOBAIN TURNOVER BY DIVISION 2004- 2005
• CHART B20 SALES BY DIVISION 2005
• TABLE B21 WOLSELSY PLC - TURNOVER BY DIVISION 2005-2006
• CHART B22 WOLSELEY EUROPEAN DIVISION REVENUE FOR 2006
• TABLE B23 BELGIUM - MARKET SHARE OF MAJOR LIGHTSIDE SUPPLIERS /BUYING GROUPS- 2006
• TABLE N1 EXCHANGE RATE CONVERSIONS 1999-2006
• TABLE N2 THE DUTCH PROVINCES - POPULATION MIX
• TABLE N3 MAJOR CENTRES IN THE NETHERLANDS
• TABLE N4 POPULATION OF THE NETHERLANDS BY AGE GROUPS
• TABLE N5 GDP AT MARKET AND CONSTANT PRICES 2000-2006
• TABLE N6 GDP GROWTH - 2006-2008
• TABLE N7 CONSUMER PRICE INDEX - 2002-2006
• TABLE N8 CONSUMER SPENDING - 2002-2006
• TABLE N9 CONSTRUCTION IN THE NETHERLANDS BY VALUE 2000-2003
• CHART N10 CONSTRUCTION OUTPUT BY SECTOR - 2004 BY VALUE
• CHART N11 BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED IN THE NETHERLANDS IN 2006 % BY VALUE
• TABLE N12 DWELLINGS - CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED 1980-2006
• CHART N13 DWELLINGS COMPLETED IN THE NETHERLANDS 1998-2006
• TABLE N14 DWELLINGS - CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED BY TYPE 2000-2006 (VOLUME)
• CHART N15 RENTED DWELLINGS - CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED BY TYPE BY VOLUME - 2006
• TABLE N16 RENTED DWELLINGS - CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED BY TYPE 2000-2006
• CHART N17 PRIVATE DWELLINGS - CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED BY TYPE BY VOLUME - 2006
• TABLE N18 NETHERLANDS - BUILDERS MERCHANT MARKET 2004-2008 (€ MILLIONS)
• TABLE N19 NETHERLANDS- BUILDERS MERCHANT MARKET HEAVYSIDE AND LIGHTSIDE 2004-2006
• CHART N20 THE NETHERLANDS - THE BUILDERS MERCHANTS MARKET - HEAVYSIDE AND LIGHTSIDE SALES - 2006 BY VALUE
• CHART N21 NETHERLANDS - PRODUCT MIX BY VALUE - 2001
• TABLE N22 NETHERLANDS - BUILDER MERCHANTS MARKET SHARE OF MAJOR DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES 2006
• TABLE N23 CRH GROUP - SALES - SHARE BY SECTOR 2005
• CHART N24 SALES BY GEOGRAPHICAL REGION 2005
• TABLE N25 SAINT GOBAIN TURNOVER BY DIVISION 2004- 2005
• CHART N26 SALES BY DIVISION 2005
• TABLE N27 NETHERLANDS - MARKET SHARE OF MAJOR LIGHTSIDE BUILDERS MERCHANTS - 2006
• TABLE N28 WOLSELSY PLC - TURNOVER BY DIVISION 2005-2006
• CHART N29 WOLSELEY EUROPEAN DIVISION REVENUE FOR 2006