HEITON Holdings, the builders' merchants and Atlantic DIY group, has acquired McCormack Brothers, the Gorey«MDBO» «MDNM»based builders' merchants, for £800,000.

McCormack is the leading builders' merchants in the Gorey area and operates from freehold premises in the centre of the town.

Mr Richard Hewat, Heiton's chief executive, said the operation is located nicely between Heiton's Bray and Waterford branches. It increases the group's market share and its potential.

McCormack had a turnover of £2.1 million last year and is "profitable", said Mr Hewat. No profit figures have been disclosed but the operating profit margin is understood to be less than the 6 per cent achieved by Heiton in its last results.