About Mica (DIY & Hardware)

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About Mica

We aim to offer the best product knowledge & service to our customers

What exactly is Mica?

Mica is a vehicle which helps its members compete with the larger corporate stores. Mica is a co-operative voluntary trading group owned by its Members who are all first class independent hardware stores. It is retailer owned and directed, and management run. In many ways it is similar to Nisa - what they are to grocery stores, Mica is to hardware/DIY stores.

History of Mica

Mica was set up in the UK in 1995/6 by two former senior members of staff at the BHF (British Hardware Federation), David Braun and Belinda Barnard. The former was Manager Director of Mica from its inception to 2005, and Belinda was MD from 2005-2009. They set up the company with initial assistance from Mica South Africa, a group of independent retailers who came together in the 1980’s to create a company to Market themselves more cost effectively through joint branding.

Mica in the UK took the branding and the concept of the retailer group and adapted it for the British market. It kept the core brand design, and until 2014 followed the South Africa development and changes as they were made, including the switch to ’Mica Blue’ from a previously grey colour in 2001.

The new British company, majority owned by the member stores who joined up, quickly built up trading relationships with some of the biggest names in the business, who were keen to have a partner to drive business for them in the independent sector. Names such as Akzo Nobel (owners of the Dulux brand), Draper Tools, LG Harris, Brabantia, Ronseal (now part of Sherwin-Williams) and Phoenix Security (now Sterling Locks) were all early sign ups to work with the group, who remain suppliers to this day.

The numbers of stores quickly grew, with the help from store owners in South Africa who could explain how to concept works to British independents. Several founder members (Halls Mica, St Annes Mica, Saundersons Mica & more) are still members of the group, some in their second generation of the family business working with us.

The founding members of the group, and most stores who have signed up since, joined Mica to achieve this same goal, although today Mica offers not just Marketing, but also a powerful buying group, store development and setup, and digital support for independent retailers.

Mica is now a fully registered retailer co-operative group and has been since 2010. Mica DIY is fully owned by the member stores and run by a CEO who acts based on what the members decide we should do. We have no external influence, ownership or voting rights except for the principle of representation by election, and one member one vote. We are certainly unique in our industry, and possibly in the UK as a whole.

How much should you advertise yourself?

Business Consultants recommend that all retail businesses spend a minimum of 2% of their turnover on marketing themselves to encourage growth and stave off decline.
Using our promotional leaflets regularly is the most direct, cost effective and simple way of reaching out to your local consumers, so use that two percent wisely! By branding your store clearly as a Mica shop, you tie in the benefits of the Mica leafleting with your own store. This way you remind customers of your range of products, tempt them in with special offers, and keep you firmly in the front of their mind when it comes to looking for the goods you offer.

Why should I visit a Mica shop rather than a multiple?

Every Mica shop shares one main aim - to help you the customer. After all it is you who keep us in business! We try to help you in every way we can and hope that by doing so whenever you need a DIY/Hardware product you will visit us - we all have ’regular’ customers who wouldn’t think of going anywhere else.

Each shop is owner run and managed - with the kind of care and attention to detail that only an interested owner can bring. Personal service is guaranteed - a thing so often lacking these days. If you need something we don’t have in stock we’ll try and get it for you.

Another benefit of visiting a Mica shop is that we know what we’re talking about! When it comes to advice, we’re second to none. With years of experience in the DIY/Hardware trade and expert knowledge of the products we stock, we can help you to choose the right product to meet your needs - whether it be a fixing for a cavity wall, a specialist primer for painting tiles, or a stainless steel cookset.

Aren’t the big boys cheaper?

Regular advertising by the multiples convinces consumers that they are cheaper - in fact this usually isn’t the case. Normally a few key items are priced very aggressively to get customers into the stores, whilst the sundry products are more expensive to make up the shortfall. As Mica shops we ensure that our prices are competitive.

Mica has member shops throughout the UK - all of whom purchase their stock through the group. This gives us enormous spending power with our suppliers - which in turn means that you, the customer, can be sure of getting good, honest, value for money.

Good service, expert advice and great value... In other words we are able to offer you the customer a better deal all round!