FR Cathcart Ltd has sold the merchanting division of its store to a Newry-based business which has branches across Northern Ireland and in Dublin. 
FR Cathcart Ltd has successfully operated as a family business since 1972 when it was set up by Roy Cathcart as a builder’s merchants and hardware store. The business developed over time offering a wider range of goods such as garden and outdoor products, home decor, household goods and gifts.  
With this acquisition by Murdock Builder’s Merchants, the group now brings its total number of branches to twelve. Twelve existing members of FR Cathcart staff are transferring over to Murdock as part of the acquisition agreement, joining the company’s 300-strong workforce.
Speaking yesterday (Wednesday), Mrs. Roisin Cathcart explained that they had sold the builder’s yard and the hardware shop. “We have retained the  property. It is really just an asset sale. We have kept the property. They have the business end,” she said.
As for the cafe and home decor side of the business, she said: “We have kept it and continue to run it. We have expansion plans for that end of things. This is allowing us to do that.
“It was a difficult decision. The Cathcart family has been running that particular business for many, many years and obviously [my husband’s] Richard’s father started it. Because of him passing away, it was a more difficult decision but we just felt the business as a whole had got too big for ourselves to run it and when Murdock approached us, it was a similar family business which was very, very important to us and they were very customer-focused and are great employers to their staff who they look after,” she added.
Roisin and Richard will remain on the premises. “The two of us will be there. We also have a warehouse in Killyhevlin Industrial Estate for the online side of the business for e-commerce and we will continue with that as well. 
“This has been a life decision to enable that part of our business to grow. That was the driving force behind it,” she said.
Mr. Richard Cathcart said: “The Cathcart family is confident that this is the right time to hand over the reins of the merchanting division of FR Cathcart Ltd to Murdock Builder’s Merchants.
“We are extremely proud of the business that we have built up since 1972 and the wonderful staff relationships that have been developed over those years.  Looking to the future, our priority was to take the business to the next level, so it was vital that we found an independently-owned and progressively-minded company such as Murdock’s to take over our merchanting division.
“We wish all our employees and our customers continued success with Murdock’s and thank them for their loyalty and friendship over the past years.”
The acquisition is seen a strategic opportunity for the Murdock group to extend its reach across Northern Ireland where it already has nine branches, as well as two outlets in Dublin.  The closest store to the new Enniskillen base is Dungannon.