Midland Chandlers

Midland Chandlers, canal and narrowboat supplies since 1979

Midland Chandlers is a British supplier specialising in equipment for inland waterways craft. The company presents itself as the market leader in this segment in the United Kingdom and states that it has the largest and most diverse range of canal and narrowboat related products. Its online catalogue contains over 10,000 items and combines everyday consumables with more complex technical components.

The company serves both private customers and the trade, and sells its products through three own stores as well as its online sales platform.

A catalogue covering everything from coal to onboard electronics

The range is organised into major areas that cover practically all the maintenance and equipment needs of an inland waterways craft:

• Electrical: batteries, generators, inverters and chargers, lighting, low voltage appliances, rectifiers and converters, solar power and TV equipment.
• Heating: electric, solid fuel, diesel and gas heating, as well as water heating.
• Paint: abrasives, aerosol paint, antifouling, bilge paint, brushes and accessories, high temperature paint, hull and tank blacking, non slip paint, paint additives, thinners and strippers, top coat gloss, undercoat and primer, varnish and wood treatments.
• Consumables: antifreeze, cleaning and degreasing, damp absorption, deionised water, fuel additives, lamp oil, LPG consumables, oils and grease, sealants and adhesives, self adhesive film, tapes and sealing strips, toilet chemicals and toilet paper, and water treatments.
• Cabin and deck: cabin fittings, deck and hull fittings, seawear and bags, and ventilation.
• Safe and secure: binoculars, detectors and alarms, fire safety, first aid, horns, padlocks, PPE, buoyancy aids, key floats, lifejackets, life saving, recovery magnets, safes and secure it systems.
• Engineering and tools: adaptor plates, anodes, cooling, drive belts, drive plates, engine mounts, engine spares, exhaust system, air filters, fuel filters and oil filters, fluid transfer, fuel system, gauges and instruments, gearbox, marinising parts, rudder, sound insulation, steering and controls, stern gear, tanks and accessories, tiller, tools, trailer accessories and trolleys.
• Cruising: anchors, chain, hardware, fender hooks, fender lines, fenders, mooring equipment, pick up and marker buoys, planks, poles and hooks, ropes, bungees and blocks, sailboat hardware and windlass and keys.
• Galley: appliance spares, kettles, kitchen sinks, kitchen taps, kitchenware, laundry equipment, microwaves, ovens and hobs, refrigeration and toasters.
• Water and gas: bathroom, gas, hot water, accumulators, calorifiers, immersion heater, pressure relief valves (PRV), radiator key, thermostatic valves, plumbing, pumps, taps, mixer valves and shower equipment, and toilets.
• Leisure and gifts: camping and outdoor equipment, dog accessories, maps and guides, and tables, chairs and storage.

Brands and featured products

Among the brands it distributes are International Paint, Thetford, Jabsco, AG, Johnson, Surecal, Osculati and Seaflow. The catalogue includes examples such as rubber tubular fenders with rope, automatic bilge pumps, magnesium weld on hull anodes for fresh waters, Surecal calorifiers, galvanised chimneys, mooring lines with spliced eye and marine wet exhaust hose.

The company also sells products specifically for fibreglass repair, such as kits, polyester resins, gelcoat, flowcoat, fillers and tools. It also offers gift vouchers redeemable in any of its three stores.

Services for customers and the trade

Midland Chandlers offers its customers a parts identification service, expert help and advice and trade enquiries. The company offers free delivery on all products with no minimum spend, applicable to UK Mainland only and excluding the Scottish Highlands and Islands and drop ship orders. It also has a discount programme for IWA (Inland Waterways Association) members and allows customers to apply for a credit account or trade access.

History and structure

The company started trading in 1979 from a boatyard shed situated at Parkgate Lock in Penkridge, and has over four decades of experience in supplying equipment for inland waterways. It is currently part of LKQ Leisure & Marine, a group that has been supplying the leisure sector for over 50 years. Its corporate headquarters are at Birch Coppice Business Park in Tamworth.

Location and contact

LKQ Leisure and Marine, Birch Coppice Business Park, T2 Danny Morson Way, Tamworth, B78 1SE