The 1840 Podcast - Building Knowledge in Construction

In this episode of the 1840 Podcast we uncover the true story behind BrickBud, a construction safety system designed to prevent dangerous wall blowdowns on building sites. BrickBud was born from a life-changing accident. Carl Harris, an experienced bricklayer and site manager, was working on site when an untied brick wall collapsed in high winds, crushing his leg under hundreds of bricks. The inci...

In this episode of the Howarth Timber & Building Supplies 1840 Podcast , host Paul Bullivant sits down with Barry Shorrock , Sales Director at Flex-R — one of the UK’s most proactive and trusted names in EPDM rubber roofing. From the surprising history of EPDM and its 60-year track record, to why it’s becoming the go-to solution for everything from extensions to garden rooms, Paul and Barry br...

Join us for a story of grit, friendship, and an unbelievable challenge about to unfold on the Atlantic Ocean - starting 24th January 2026. Only around 2,000 people have ever rowed across the Atlantic. Soon, two more names will join that list: Johnny Towers and Shaun Phelps — lifelong friends whose bond was forged in the Royal Marines and strengthened through years of hardship, humour, and hard gra...

Join host Paul Bullivant for a special episode of the 1840 Podcast, as we sit down with industry legend Andy Moore of Kronospan, alongside timber category manager Gary Froggatt. In this milestone conversation, Andy reflects on an extraordinary 45-year career in the timber and wood panel industry, clocking up over 1.3 million miles and witnessing seismic changes in the merchant market. From his ear...

In this episode of The 1840 Podcast, host Paul Bullivant sits down with Becki Hughes from Talasey to discuss the 2025 landscaping season: what’s shaping the market, which materials are leading the way, and what merchants and landscapers can expect heading into 2026. From views on the market, why porcelain sales have overtaken natural stone, and Becki’s predictions on the trends for next year. She...

In a comprehensive conversation, Kronospan's Andy Moore and timber expert Gary Froggatt from Howarth Timber & Building Supplies delve into the history, characteristics, and future of key engineered wood products—OSB, MDF, and chipboard. Drawing on decades of industry knowledge, they explore how these materials have evolved from basic substrates to high-performance components used across modern...

Join us as we focus on our Cheadle branch with Branch Manager Stuart Wilkinson and Sales Executive Dipak Naran, as they share the stories and focus on the community spirit that make Cheadle a vital part of the Howarth family. Get a true behind-the-scenes look at what makes this branch tick.

The 1840 Podcast is back for Series 2. We kick off with Imogen Howarth-Waugh, Alistair Howarth & Louis Howarth who are the youngest generation of the Howarth family working in the business. Starting from summer jobs in the branches in their teenage years they've seen how their family business has turned into one of the largest independent merchants out there.

The first season of the 1840 Podcast has flown by and in the final episode of season one the hosts return to take a look back at their favourite moments.

Howarth x Andy’s Mans Club. We recently chose the UK’s fastest-growing men’s suicide prevention charity for our company charity and in this episode, we have Lucas Whitehead their head of Marketing and Partnerships. Him and our host Paul, dive into why men, especially in construction, still struggle to talk. Lucas shares how the charity grew from one group in Halifax to 300 nationwide, supporting n...

Host: Paul Bullivant Guests: Paul Cornford & Professor Alan Timothy AI - the buzzword everyone's talking about. In this episode, Head of IS Paul Cornford and Professor Alan Timothy, CEO of Bubo. AI, explore its origins, real-world impact, and what it means for the future of work and business. Tune in to discover how AI can empower not replace, and why understanding it is key to staying ahead.

 In this episode, host Danielle is joined by her twin brother and Wrexham AFC footballer, Will Boyle. Instead of focusing solely on football, they dive into the value of learning skills outside your main trade. From coaching and counselling to studying for a degree, Will shares how expanding his skillset has shaped his journey—on and off the pitch. A relatable conversation for anyone navigating ca...

Host: Paul Bullivant Guest: Audrey Bodman   Speaking to people on the telephone has largely been replaced by Whatsapp and endless texts, but in the workplace it is still an art worth mastering. Audrey tells Paul how she goes about training people to get the most out of telephone conversations, from the start to the end of calls.   Audrey trains people in sales, customer service and employer engage...

Ever wondered about the fine line between control and chaos in our lives? In episode 20 of the 1840 podcast, we're joined by Reece Casey and Sam Lowe for what turns out to be an emotional, educational, and ultimately inspiring conversation about the impact of gambling addiction and the remarkable path to recovery.

In episode 20 of the 1840 podcast, host Paul Bullivant is joined by David Campion, the former England Squash Coach. Under his leadership, England secured 25 medals across four Commonwealth Games, became World Team champions five times, and European Team champions 42 times at both junior and senior levels.  We talk about some of the lessons David has learnt through elite coaching over the last 20+...

Host: Paul Bullivant Guests: Nicola Ryan and Jason O'Hara In episode 19 of the 1840 podcast, host Paul Bullivant is joined by Nicola Ryan (Rochdale) and Jason O’Hara (Fallowfield) to discuss a day in the life of a sales executive. We talk about the highs and lows of the role and what the crucial traits are to being successful and interestingly where do they find the resilience to keep bouncing bac...

Host: Paul Bullivant Guests: Jim Stafford, John Houston. Paul is joined by Tim Whitehead and Jim Stafford from E.Tuplings and our P&H Category Manager John Houston to talk Air Source Heat Pumps and dispel some common myths about them. We also look back at the history of builders merchants and ask the question - where have all the builder merchant smock jackets gone?!

Host Gavin Knowles Guest: Angie Carless Explore the language of colour with Anjie Carless from Cortex Training.  By recognising customers, colleagues or even family members' different colour energies, it can help you to improve your own communication and how you come across to others. Anjie helps guide us through the Insight Discovery psychometric tool rooted in Carl Jung's psychology that utilise...

Host: Alix Maude Guest: Ginny Brown Ginny Brown, Regional Sales Manager at Restec Roofing Systems, joins us to discuss how we can encourage young people to choose the construction industry as a career. From her own second-career journey to her work promoting the industry in schools, Ginny shares insights on changing perceptions and attracting fresh talent to the trade.

Host Paul Bullivant Guests: John Houston, Matt Binney & Simon Parker In this episode, we’re getting into the history of Plumbing and Heating at HTBS: how it all kicked off, when it started, and how it’s grown over the years. With Plumbing & Heating Category Manager John Houston, Barnsley P&H Manager Matt Binney & Grimsby P&H Manager Simon Parker they get stuck into the Builders Merchant vs. Plumbe...

Host: Gavin Knowles Guest: James Ballinger Supermarkets deliberately ensure the smell of fresh bread makes it way on to the aisles to encourage us to buy fresh bread. James Ballinger from the Behavioural Agency takes us on this journey to briefly explains of how businesses use behavioural sciences and customer bias' to influence behaviour. 

Host: Paul Bullivant Guests: Hayley Parker & Tom Howe Our heritage goes back all the way to 1840 with some members of staff serving over 40 years of service but how do we encourage the younger generations into this old-school, well-established industry. Hayley and Tom are two of our youngest Branch Managers both completing the BMF diploma in merchanting which helped them progress through their car...

With Paul Cornford and Jonathan Read they talk about how IT has changed since they joined the business in 1987…pre smart phones and the internet! What challenges they faced to get PC’s in each branch and the various systems we’ve adopted between then and now. 

Ben Jewell joins Paul Bullivant to talk about his experiences on both sides of the merchant and supplier fence.  And, very topically with the news at the moment, Ben also discusses social media and the adverse impact that it can have on our children.

With Martyn Hughes and Steve Baxter, a Wakefield branch focus talking about what makes the branch stand out in the business. Learning all the stories of the branch past and present!