The UK's largest specialist online retailer of bathrooms, Plumbworld, has today launched a new e-commerce site selling power tools, hand tools and accessories.

The new site DeWalt, Bosch and Makita power tool brands initially but the range on offer will grow rapidly.

"We have a market share in UK online bathroom retail of over 30%. A lot of which is down to our expertise in online marketing , highly automated internal systems and efficient logistics.

None of these areas of competitive advantage are related to the bathroom industry, so we decided to expand into another product area. Since the plumbworld business was acquired by the Grafton Group in 2006, we now have access to a wide range of building related products at market beating prices.

With the buying power of a multi billion Euro turnover business and the backing of the major brands behind us, we intend to make a serious assualt on the UK online power tool market," said James Hickman, managing Director.

The UK market for power tools is estimated to be worth around £285 Million pounds a year with an increasing proportion of sales being made online.

Plumbworld was a pioneer of online trading in the building products market, first trading online in 1999. The company now has an annual turnover in excess of £20 Million and is growing at 30% a year. The Company is based in Evesham in Worcestershire and employs 72 people.

Founded by the Current Managing Director James Hickman, the company was sold to Grafton Group Plc in December 2006.

Grafton Group Plc is listed on the Dublin and London Stock Exchanges, has an annual turnover exceeding 3 Billion Euros and employs more than 11.000 people wordwide.