Across the heating, plumbing and renewables sector, change is no longer a future consideration, it’s happening now.
From the growth of low-carbon technologies to ongoing supply chain pressures and shifting customer expectations, merchants and their customers are operating in an
environment that demands both speed and reliability. Getting the right product, at the right time, with the right support behind it, has never mattered more.
Behind the scenes, category management plays a critical role in making that happen, often in ways the trade doesn’t immediately see.
Established in 2013, The IPG has built a strong reputation for supporting independent businesses across the UK. Today, it brings together plumbing merchants alongside bathroom retailers and specialists, uniting them under a shared commercial model designed to strengthen their offer and competitiveness.
While both operate within the same wider network, their focus can differ. Plumbing merchants are typically geared towards the day-to-day needs of installers and engineers, supplying essential products quickly. Bathroom sales, meanwhile, are delivered through a mix of dedicated showrooms and merchant environments, ranging from full retail displays to trade counters offering bathroom products as part of a broader range.
This flexibility reflects the independent nature of The IPG members, allowing each business to serve its local market in the way that works best for them, whether that’s a design-led showroom experience or a more trade focused approach.
Working collectively
At its core, The IPG model is simple: by working collectively, independent businesses can access stronger supplier partnerships, more competitive pricing
and a structured category approach, while still operating independently at a local level. Crucially, it also gives members the scale and support needed to compete
more effectively with national merchants, without losing the local knowledge and service that set independents apart.
At The IPG, that responsibility sits with a category team focused on practical delivery, ensuring that what’s agreed at a strategic level translates into something that works on the ground — whether at the trade counter or in a retail showroom.
Category Managers Lisa Maestranzi and Sofia Chaouachi are central to that approach, bringing experience from complex, fast-paced industries where execution is everything. Their mindset is straightforward: simplify where possible and focus on what works.
For Lisa, the group’s Bathroom Category Manager, performance comes first, shaped by a career spanning supply chain, operations and commercial strategy. “Strategy only matters if it delivers in practice,” she says.
It’s a view that reflects the realities of today’s bathroom showroom environment, where customer expectations are high and product, design and availability all need
to align. Her focus is on strengthening supplier partnerships and ensuring that bathroom categories deliver consistently — something that directly impacts service,
choice and value for both retailers and end customers.
Alongside this, Sofia Chaouachi leads the plumbing and heating category at a time when the sector is undergoing significant transition. With a background
across manufacturing, aviation and construction, she brings a practical approach to an increasingly complex market.
“I’m interested in what actually works,” she explains. “You can have the best strategy in the world, but if it doesn’t translate into action, it doesn’t mean much.”
With growing demand around renewables, efficiency and new technologies, her role centres on alignment — bringing suppliers and merchants closer together to create a category that works now and is fit for the future.
“This is about building something that lasts,” she says. “Better relationships, clearer structures and decisions that make sense not just now, but in the long term.”
A practical response
While plumbing and heating has traditionally been a male-dominated industry, roles like these also reflect a broader shift. More women are playing a part across commercial and operational areas, helping shape how the sector evolves — not through headlines, but through consistent, day-to-day impact.
For installers and engineers, the result of all this work is practical. It shows up in better product availability, more relevant ranges and merchants who are part of the
group that are better equipped to support changing customer needs — whether that’s core plumbing lines or the growing demand for renewable solutions.
In many cases, the businesses you deal with are independently owned, with The IPG providing support behind the scenes. Alongside buying power and strong
supplier partnerships, members receive a wide range of support, from marketing initiatives to tools like The IPG App — helping them attract and retain customers
in an increasingly competitive market.
For independent plumbing merchants and bathroom showrooms operating outside of a group, it’s a model that’s becoming increasingly relevant, offering the scale, structure and support needed to keep pace with industry change, while still maintaining independence.
What stands out in The IPG’s approach is its emphasis on steady, practical progress. In a sector where reliability is paramount, that matters.
Rather than chasing short-term gains, the focus is on building a supply base that performs consistently, strengthening partnerships that can adapt over time
and ensuring that category decisions are grounded in everyday operations.
Because, for engineers and installers at the sharp end and merchants on the counter, success isn’t about strategy documents or long-term plans. It’s about whether it works.