Toolstation is a retailer, supplying tools, accessories and building supplies to the trade, home improvers and self-builders. Toolstation has more than 400 branches nationwide, a website and a phone line. In 2014, Toolstation became a wholly owned subsidiary of Travis Perkins. Toolstation's Managing Director is James Mackenzie. Toolstation has a separate business operating in Europe. In the Netherlands, founded in 2006 and has direct mail and over 30 branches. In 2014, Toolstation expanded with a website in France, in 2017 a few stores were opened in the Lyon region. In 2016 and 2017 websites were launched in Germany and Belgium respectively.
History
Toolstation was formed in February 2003 by Mark Goddard-Watts, one of the founding family members of Screwfix Direct. It started life in a former petrol filling station in Clifton, Bristol and this original location gave the company its name. From the outset, Toolstation was designed to be a multi-channel retailer with an emphasis on convenience and reliability. In November 2003, Toolstation opened its first Distribution Centre in Bridgwater, Somerset, and the second branch followed in February 2004 in the same location. By 2008, there were twelve branches in the United Kingdom and a partnership was created with Travis Perkins, which allowed Toolstation to open a further 20 branches. Every year after 2008 at least 20 branches were added and by December 2013 there were 146 Toolstation branches in the UK. In 2009, a dedicated retail Distribution Centre was opened in Redditch. Toolstation has been rapidly opening stores ever since with over 65 opened in 2019 and at least 60 planned for 2020. This has included newer format high street stores in addition to the standard larger retail outlets. In 2012, Mark Goddard Watts agreed to sell his remaining UK shares and in January 2014, as planned, Toolstation became a wholly owned subsidiary of Travis Perkins plc, a supplier of building products for over 200 years and a FTSE 250listed company. With the backing of the new parent company, Toolstation continued the rapid expansion of its UK branch network and opened another Distribution Centre in Daventry. The Middleton, Greater Manchesterdistribution centre opened in August 2018.
