GREEN-TECH CELEBRATES
20 YEARS OF BUSINESS Green-tech supplement.indd 1
18/09/2014 09:33
• • • • • • • • • •
t es rg f la o ’s tor UK u e trib Th dis
All your essential planting equipment under one roof… Tree Shelters Spiral Guards Bamboo Canes Mesh Guards Mulch Mats Tree Belting Wooden Stakes Tree Anchoring Weldmesh Tree Ties
Call today for our latest deals on tree shelters, spirals and stakes
Visit us online at www.green-tech.co.uk
2015 LANDSCAPE CATALOGUE – ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY! Call 01423 332100 or email sales@green-tech.co.uk
Ads.indd 8
18/09/2014 09:12
GREEN-TECH 20TH ANNIVERSARY
Let’s Hear it From Richard and Rachel Kay Why and when did you start the company? Richard: I went to college to do the National Diploma in Agricultural Marketing at Brackenhurst in Southwell, Nottinghamshire. I left college in 1989 as a qualified Agronomist and worked in Agriculture for four and a half years. During that time I sold chemicals into the landscape industry and tried to persuade my boss that we should get into the market however the company wasn’t interested. So I handed in my notice and joined a well-established company called Joseph Bentley’s of Hull as Sales Manager for their amenity division. At this time Rachel and I had been married for a year and when we returned from holiday I learned the company had gone into receivership. We had often talked about working together.
Rachel: It was the ideal opportunity to work together. My background was agricultural – my father was a farmer and we both shared a passion for it. I worked in the motor industry as an accountant and then went into private practice. This was extremely interesting working with businesses of all sizes providing accountancy and business support. Richard: We went to SALTEX in the September and saw most of Bentley’s customers. We promised them goods on account and an assurance that we would make sure they got the product one way or another. On the way back from the show I visited an old colleague who suggested we name the company Green-tech.
We bought a little van and with only £200 in our account we approached my old bosses who put £5,000 in an account that guaranteed our overdraft for £5,000. Ironically we never used it but it definitely put the pressure on us not to let them down. We paid the money back within eight months. Green-tech 20th Anniversary Supplement
Green-tech supplement.indd 3
3
18/09/2014 09:35
GREEN-TECH 20TH ANNIVERSARY
Richard, did you have contacts you knew that you could sell to? I knew the contacts from Bentleys. We made a database and a catalogue from A4 paper and went from there.
• Richard and Rachel Kay have owned and run Green-tech Ltd for 20 years • Supplying products to protect, enhance and improve in the planting environment • Head office is based in Nun Monkton, Yorkshire • Employs 43 people • 6,000 product lines • Next-day delivery service
4
Did you run the business from home? Richard: Yes, my dad has a farm so we ran the warehouse from there. Rachel: We had a two bedroom bungalow at the time. The crunch day came when we had four reps in the house for a sales meeting with a supplier in the front room. I came home for a meeting with an accountancy client and had to use the spare bedroom. That was the moment I said “things have got to change”. We put a portakabin on my father-in-law’s farm in 1996 and were eventually evicted from there in 2000 by the council as we didn’t have planning permission. Were you buying the product and then selling it on or were you buying in to order? Richard: We realised that nobody was doing next day delivery at that time. We started to stock the products, so that we could always fulfil orders. We took on two reps in the first year and targeted the golf market. We had noticed that over half the turnover was from landscapers who were really nice to deal with, and the orders were larger. We started next day delivery on parcels and pallets because that’s the way I had worked in agriculture – which really moved the industry forward. We streamlined our ranges and made sure we negotiated the best deals which we could then pass onto our customers. Rachel: We took on more reps to visit people up and down the country, we quickly realised that a lot of the time they were parked up talking to customers and trading on the phone as customers were either too busy to see them or stuck in a field! This led us to move most of the operation to office sales and it has been this way for almost 15 years. Nowadays the team do hit the road to meet their customers, or visit someone on a project but are mainly office based. Our new Sales Director Ian Rotherham is road-based 50 per cent of his time and Richard Gill, who deals with some of our key accounts will be out and about more in the future.
WE REALISED WAS THAT NOBODY WAS DOING NEXT DAY DELIVERY AT THAT TIME. WE STARTING TO STOCK THE PRODUCTS, SO THAT WE COULD ALWAYS FULFIL ORDERS Was it next day delivery that accelerated your business from others at the time? Richard: This and the fact that we were a one-stop shop – we always try to sell what the customer wants but because of the number of products we hold we can always offer an alternative if they need it urgently and their preferred product isn’t available. Most of our buyers know what they want but don’t buy until they get on site and then have to panic buy. We make rapid delivery, have a great network of hauliers who make sure orders turn up on time and can get the product delivered overnight – we’re lucky to have a great team behind us. How do you select your product range? Rachel: Initially customer requests and Architect specifications would drive the stockholding and we built a portfolio of products around that. To begin with it was chemicals, fertilisers and grass seed which was Richard’s background, and then it morphed into additional products that landscapers were asking for. Nowadays we put a lot of effort and research into providing products that the market demands but also trying to pre-empt market trends and being prepared. We stock around 6,000 product lines which fall into six main categories: rural tree planting; urban tree planting and tree irrigation, ground control, soils, grounds maintenance and interior landscaping. Having such a large portfolio of products means that we know where the price triggers are and as long as the overall margins are reasonable we’re happy. Did you find with the economic climate that you had more bad debtors? Richard: I don’t think we’ve suffered any worse than anyone else. Don’t get me wrong we’ve had our fair share of bad debt and we’ve walked away from some big jobs that just didn’t
Green-tech 20th Anniversary Supplement
Green-tech supplement.indd 4
18/09/2014 09:36
GREEN-TECH 20TH ANNIVERSARY
feel right. I think in real terms landscaping is like any other industry – you can minimise problems by managing your client relationships well, practising good credit control when setting up the account and taking references, and to be honest taking a punt. We’ve been in the industry 20 years and dealing with many of the same people all this time, so we have trust in our clients and work with them through any problems. We also support people just setting up because we remember how people did that for us when we started. We had a lot of support from the likes of Gary Lister at Rainbow, Trevor Martin from Solufeeds, Neil Herron at Avanta and Robertsons who all gave us 60 days credit which really makes a difference when you’re just starting out. When did you move here to Nun Monkton? Rachel: In 2001 we bought six portakabins which we put in the shed. It was very dark and dusty but cheap! We had about 20 staff at the time but changed and adapted the cabins as we
WE HAD NOTICED THAT OVER HALF THE TURNOVER WAS FROM LANDSCAPERS WHO WERE REALLY NICE TO DEAL WITH, AND THE ORDERS WERE LARGER
needed different space for each area. We put a shed extension on for dispatch and then created a sales office behind it in 2004. The portakabins finally went in 2008. What have been the key periods for the business? Richard: The first four years we doubled turnover each year and up until 2008 we were growing by 30 per cent a year – we’re a very ‘Nike’ business – we just do it. Over the last couple of years we have upped our marketing spend. People have
confidence in what we offer, our turnaround of quotes is rapid and I just don’t think anyone else provides a better all-round service. We get such good feedback about the team. We just do all the simple things well. How do you structure the business and development now? Richard: Rachel oversees the finance and operations, we both get involved in marketing and I still take a key role within sales. We have such a good team, now they only need us as a steer or reassurance. The key managerial team is: Richard Wall, Finance & IT Manager; Sarah Hayes, Operations Manager; Corin Clifford, Commercial Manager; Kate Humes, Marketing Manager; Ian Rotherham, Sales Director (with three sales managers under him); Mark Wood, Green-tree Manager; and Glenn Brown who is our Warehouse Manager. Rachel: We try and nail any issues on the spot and have also sent people on leadership courses based on the Dale Carnegie principles Green-tech 20th Anniversary Supplement
Green-tech supplement.indd 5
5
18/09/2014 09:36
GREEN-TECH 20TH ANNIVERSARY
WE’VE HAD PEOPLE MOVE AROUND IN THE BUSINESS TO MAXIMISE THEIR ATTRIBUTES. TO BE HONEST STAFF DEVELOPMENT IS ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING PARTS OF THE BUSINESS. (author of How to Win Friends and Influence People) and we’re really seeing the benefits of that. Training is an area we are constantly trying to develop. We generally say to our team, “if you’ve got a problem, come with what you think the solution is then we’ll discuss it”. The most important thing is to get the right people in the right job – we’ve had people move around in the business to maximise their attributes. To be honest staff development is one of the most rewarding parts of the business. Are all your staff local? Rachel: They’re all within a 40 mile radius. 6
How do you think the team see you? Richard: I think they see us as the head of the family. Green-tech is very much like a large, messy family. We work hard but we have loads of fun with the odd minor squabble, especially in our very busy winter period. The team know we like a good laugh and we have lots of company nights out – generally I will have the sorest head! Rachel: We have regular staff appraisals and the feedback is that the team love the Greentech culture, they love the relaxed style Richard and I have created but they know we expect 100 per cent commitment and hard work.
to work with them to get good deals which we can pass on to our customers.
What is your pricing like in relation to others? Richard: We’re very competitive. We’ll get an enquiry which could be for tomorrow or three years down the line – we’ll look at the spec for the job, take into consideration the timescales and transport and come up with the very best price that we can. We have great relationships with our suppliers and try
Where’s future development for Green-tech? Richard: We’ve got a few ‘own brands’ that we own manufacturing tools for (John Chambers Wildflower Seed, Mona irrigation, Green-tree topsoil, Dales Collection grilles and guards and Holdfast belting blocks). We can set a quality standard and offer better deals to our customers on these products. Three of the brands were
In terms of sourcing products – do you care where they come from? Richard: Yes we do. We have to ensure quality, traceability (for ISO) and longevity. We spend a lot of time building great relationships with our suppliers for the benefit of our customers. Our own brand products means we source raw inputs or work with contract manufacturers who use our tooling or specification to achieve the desired quality.
Green-tech 20th Anniversary Supplement
Green-tech supplement.indd 6
18/09/2014 09:37
GREEN-TECH 20TH ANNIVERSARY
WE HAVE REGULAR STAFF APPRAISALS AND THE FEEDBACK IS THAT THE TEAM LOVE THE GREENTECH CULTURE, THEY LOVE THE RELAXED STYLE RICHARD AND I HAVE CREATED BUT THEY KNOW WE EXPECT 100 PER CENT COMMITMENT AND HARD WORK bolt-on acquisitions and we want to continue development in this area. Rachel: We need to expand to meet demand and we’re out of space in our current premises. We’ve recently bought a 10 acre farm, called Rabbit Hill, in a really good location with good routes to motorways. Planning permission and profile drawings have just gone in and the council are cautiously supportive so we are optimistic it will happen. One of our team, Tom Parker, has a background in construction and he’s going to project manage the build so we don’t need to be fully involved at all times. We have lots of plans for bolt on acquisitions such as an agricultural store, garden machinery business, animal feeds and also an ecological habitat and plant centre. We did feel the bite at the tail end of the recession which was a surprise to us as we thought we were through it but 2014/15 is looking really rosy. Richard: We enjoy exhibiting and being involved with shows, we get good critique and feedback and it’s always good for raising the profile of the company. Generally we plan to continue with more of the same, build the new business premises and continue to be at the forefront of the landscape supply chain. How do you feel about the associations? Richard: We fell out of love with them for a while but Wayne Grills is doing a great job at BALI and it’s transformed into a good organisation. The social side of it is great, with events such as the go-karting earlier this year. Vetting and quality control has improved and it’s a good place to run ideas by people with experience. One of our Sales Development Managers, Richard Gill is on the local committee for BALI and I did some work last year for sustainable growing media for landscapes which was interesting. Our aim in the next year is to attend more BALI and APL events. Green-tech 20th Anniversary Supplement
Green-tech supplement.indd 7
7
18/09/2014 09:38
GREEN-TECH 20TH ANNIVERSARY
FOCUS ON
gtSpecifier designs, and we knew how to piece together an installation using our products. So this led to the creation of gtSpecifier. We knew that we needed to dedicate more personnel, resources and time to this arm of the business and gtSpecifier has grown organically over the last three years. gtSpecifier isn’t a sales motivated During 2011 we witnessed an increase in department; it’s about working with Designers requests from Landscape Architects and and Architects, building relationships and Contractors to assist them at specification, helping them find the best solutions for their estimating and drawing stage. We had the projects. We recently worked with Specimen product knowledge and the technical expertise Trees and Steve Martlew, who were involved in to make suggestions and recommendations for moving the Coronation Street studio from its old location to the new Media City in Salford. They were half way through the scheme when they realised that uplifting the tree and re-rooting it was just not feasible and they needed an exact replica! Steve contacted us to get the new tree in the ground with minimal disruption. They had a limited amount of space and needed us to come up with a solution that would protect the tree roots. They asked for our advice on what product we had to help integrate this mature tree into the scheme. This is what gtSpecifier is all about – we look at projects on a The gtSpecifier team: Sherry Bonnett, Callum Dawson, job-by-job basis and create Richard Wexham and Barry Browne solutions for that particular area. Barry Browne of gtSpecifier talks to Joe Wilkinson about the arm of the Green-tech business that focusses on technical specification and finding landscape solutions for Landscape Architects, Contractors and Garden Designers.
8
We work on quite a lot of projects like the one at Coronation Street. The team includes myself as Technical Specification Manager, my main role is to visit Architects, provide educational seminars and devise with solutions at specification stage. I work with Richard Wexham who is our Product Specification Manager; he has a really good
Green-tech 20th Anniversary Supplement
Green-tech supplement.indd 8
18/09/2014 09:58
GREEN-TECH 20TH ANNIVERSARY
relationship with Architects all over the country; if an Architect has a problem, they will pick up the phone to him and he’ll talk them through it. We also offer a CAD service so if an Architect is struggling with drawings or if they need to change something quite late into a project, they’ll send it over to us and we will help. We also have Sherry Bonnett and Callum Dawson who provide support functions to the gtSpecifier department in the form of providing communications, estimating advice and product guidance for the Green-tech team. It shows how much this side of the Green-tech business has grown; we now need to employ four people to meet the demand for this area of the business. It’s not a simple role for the team, it’s not just picking up the phone and selling a product, it’s actually talking someone through, finding out what obstacles they have got in their plan, what key features they require, or if there is anything they have to avoid or include in the project. We have to take that all on board and present solutions. We have thousands of products that we use with gtSpecifier. It mirrors what we have in the Green-tech range but it is directed more towards the Architect market. Contractors are keen to know the costs of products, whereas an Architect wants to know what product fits their project and specification. It’s just pitching our products to a different side of the market. We offer CAD drawings of our products; we provide a library of drawings that Architects can insert into their scheme. We are constantly developing this. Every day we are asked for a different drawing. We might be asked for a drawing of a tree next to underground utilities, and we will need to show how the tree will grow
IT’S ABOUT WORKING WITH DESIGNERS AND ARCHITECTS, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND HELPING THEM FIND THE BEST SOLUTIONS FOR THEIR PROJECTS alongside these services. There might even be a building involved. Part of the team’s role is to continually present innovative ideas for Architects to incorporate trees into new projects. In 2011, we teamed up with Permavoid, now Infragreen, which offers a specific solution for urban tree planting. It’s a raft system that reduces impact on trees roots and prevents soil compaction. Permavoid were looking for a route to market, they approached us and we thought it was a fantastic product. It’s really flexible, and through our contacts we knew it would be well received by the landscape industry. This really gave us momentum to take gtSpecifier to the next level. We have been able to build up a tree pit package for Architects and designers that includes irrigation, grilles, guards and soil to name a few. The system has recently been renamed gt AborRaft System to bring it closer to the landscape industry. The gt AborRaft System always receives fantastic feedback and everyone that witnesses the simple installation of the system is immediately bowled over by it. We also offer seminars, the equivalent of CPD seminars. We currently do one or two each week which cover urban tree planting, the guide to good soils, irrigation and ground
reinforcement. We find that the Architects are really positive about these; we take some lunch and they get an hour of me talking about trees! For the future, we want to work closer with Architects. We are looking to expand the team’s roles. We are already working with key construction contractors that are interested in our expertise from a ground workers perspective. Product development is key to the expansion of gtSpecifier, we are planning to expand our range to offer more grilles and guards and we are looking at a range of living wall products. It’s a massive growth market for us and we’re really excited about the future of gtSpecifier. For more information about gtSpecifier, speak to Barry: barryb@green-tech.co.uk
Green-tech 20th Anniversary Supplement
Green-tech supplement.indd 9
9
18/09/2014 09:58
GREEN-TECH 20TH ANNIVERSARY
FOCUS ON
Green-tree topsoil Mark Wood, Green-tree Business Manager, explains why Green-tech started producing their own soils and how the brand is going from strength to strength... Our chairman Richard Kay identified a shortage of high quality soils, certainly in the Yorkshire area. We were sourcing materials from different locations but the consistency and quality was always questionable. He started looking at how we could come up with a solution to that and a chance meeting with Yorkshire Water at the Yorkshire Show 10 years ago started discussions. At that point Yorkshire Water was focusing on the Sludge Phytotoxic Conditioning (SPC) System. They were looking at a solution for sewage sludge that comes off the back end of their process – traditionally it all goes to the agricultural market. They were already looking at a process of combing and mixing the sludge with green waste such as grass clippings, and had devised a process where they mixed the sewage sludge with the green waste. It was then laid out in fields, on a 17 hectare concrete slab at their Bradford site. The fields are laid out in metre depths and we sow a specific crop of grass on there. The grass helps to dewater the material which 10
stabilises and dries it out which in turn promotes the microbial activity. The process gains the heat which enables the composting process. This initial process lasts six to nine months. It is then lifted up into windrows and it carries on composting for another three months. After about 12 months it is stable and becomes usable. We then took the resulting material and blended it with different mineral types. Initially we
started off with over-burdened soil from quarries of which there was an abundance of at the time. We created a usable mix whilst working with Tim O’Hare that met the British Standard and that’s where the Green-tree brand of manufactured soils started really. We started off at Dewsbury with one site, and then another one at Esholt in Bradford which is now the main site. From there, it just snowballed.
OUR AIM IS TO HAVE ENOUGH SOIL SITES GEOGRAPHICALLY TO HAVE FULL MAINLAND UK COVERAGE
The Green-Tree Soil team: Mark Wood with Roxanne Lupton and Frankie Helliwell
Green-tree now have 15 sites, of which seven have been added in the last three years. In the midlands and the north we are very strong, we pretty much have full coverage. Our focus now is expanding our presence in London. We get a lot of queries from southern based landscapers so there is a definite demand for our top soil in the south. Where we differ from our competition is the fact that we are national and not localised. Our aim is to have enough soil sites
Green-tech 20th Anniversary Supplement
Green-tech supplement.indd 10
18/09/2014 10:14
GREEN-TECH 20TH ANNIVERSARY
geographically to have full mainland UK coverage. We have a really good customer mix. Our operation in Yorkshire paved the way for how we work today. We have great relationships with waste contractors and people who traditionally move low quality soils around. They have recognised the quality and year-round supply of our topsoil and now supply this to their own customer base, 25% of our business is to material recycling contractors. We also sell through builders merchants and house builders; we supply the likes of Barratt Homes and Bellway Homes. All of our sites meet the British Standard and we carry out a lot of testing to support and maintain this. This is definitely one of the reasons our customers choose Green-tree; the National House Building Council (NHBC) leans towards
British Standard topsoils such as Green-tree. We have worked hard to develop and build the Green-tree brand; which is part of the reason we are recognised for premium quality. Historically our roots were based in the North but you will see us expanding and becoming a major supplier in the South soon; it is a natural progression for us and will strengthen Greentree’s brand in the South too. Another big thing for us this year is the new British Standard that has come out for sub-soil. BS8601 2013, which came in last December is just starting to filter down to the landscape architects and designers and we are starting to see it being specified. That standard has come in to complement the standard for top soil which is a really positive move as there is little point in sourcing a high quality topsoil and laying it on top of poor quality subsoil. We are already manufacturing sub-soils and are looking for sites around the country that will enable us to supply this product. So, that takes us onto the future. If we can bring two or three new sites a year on board, that’s good progress and it’s a target we are aiming for. We are focusing on maintaining the quality and consistency of the product and continuing to meet our customers’ high expectations for product, service and delivery. We are also concentrating on our Roof Garden Soil this year which is a mix of our Green-tree topsoil and a lightweight aggregate
ALL OF OUR SITES MEET THE BRITISH STANDARD AND WE CARRY OUT A LOT OF TESTING TO SUPPORT AND MAINTAIN THIS as the primary function of a roof garden substrate is its light weight capabilities, but it must also have a balanced nutrient value. I believe over the next five to seven years there will be some strict rules coming out of Europe about sustainability, and green roofs are going to be a big part of that. The demand for this product has soared. We have gone from producing and supplying 300m³ to 4,000m³ this year. It’s a big growth market for us. We currently supply around 160,000 tonnes of our topsoil a year. Consistency is critical within soil production. We stake our reputation on the fact that the first load and the last load will be of the same quality. We produce our product by mixing two materials together and those products don’t change, it’s very consistent. Contractors get to know the product too – we have a 95 per cent re-order rate on Green-tree products. The Green-tree team is small but perfectly formed! There are three of us at the moment with me as the Business Manager, Roxanne Lupton is the Green-tree Administration Manager and Frankie Helliwell is the Green-tree Operational Assistant. We are currently recruiting for a Southern based Business Development Manager and will then need another team member as support for the Southern business. For more information about Green-tree, speak to Mark Wood: markw@green-tech.co.uk Green-tech 20th Anniversary Supplement 11
Green-tech supplement.indd 11
18/09/2014 10:14
GREEN-TECH 20TH ANNIVERSARY
FOCUS ON
JOHN CHAMBERS WILDFLOWER SEED John Chambers was established 35 years ago as a supplier of native British wildflower seed to landscapers, garden designers and landscape architects across the UK. John was the Godfather of wildflowers and ahead of his time. Over the years he has won numerous Chelsea Flower Show medals. Green-tech had dealt with the company since 1996. John had planned to retire in 2013 and due to the long-standing relationship between the two companies, part of his exit strategy included Green-tech. Green-tech purchased the John Chambers business in September last year. It was a huge undertaking as the business had been run on a completely manual system with very little electronic records. Green-tech decided to keep the John Chambers name, which was held in high esteem within the industry but wanted to bring it into the Green-tech family whilst retaining all of John’s traditional values. They decided to rebrand as John Chambers Wildflower Seed and came up with a promise to their customers, old and new. The John Chambers Promise • To provide a comprehensive range of wildflower seeds • All seed is dust, mite and insect free • We will always offer good, honest advice 12
• We will never provide substandard replacements • Our systems and procedures will meet ISO 14001 and 9001 standards The Green-tech team worked in partnership with John to absorb his knowledge and experience and integrate it within their own extensive range of products that protect, enhance and improve the landscape environment. Stuart Ball, Wildflower Sales Manager and Ian Rotherham, Sales Director have a wealth of knowledge of seed; they are supported by Barry Mitchell and Rebecca Gethin. The John Chambers Wildflower seed range contains all British natives, which have been properly sourced and cleaned, and uniquely the Heritage range comes with a certificate of authenticity which no other supplier currently gives.
The John Chambers Wildflower Seed team: Barry Mitchell, Rebecca Gethin and Stuart Ball
Green-tech 20th Anniversary Supplement
Green-tech supplement.indd 12
18/09/2014 10:21
GREEN-TECH 20TH ANNIVERSARY
Included within the Wildflower Seed range is: • 100% Wildflower Mixes • 80% Grass Seed, 20% Wildflower Seed Mix • Cornfield & Meadow Mixes • Conservation Mixes • Agriculture Mixes • Bespoke Mixes The team at John Chambers are every bit as passionate as John was and take pride in the quality of seed that is supplied, whether as part of a mix for a landscape project or a single species for a country garden. All wildflower seeds are cleaned by hand, a labour intensive process that will only achieve the highest quality standards. The team of specially trained seed cleaners only dispatch the best seed that ensures optimum growth and success. The John Chambers team have quickly learnt that selecting the correct wildflowers for a project is a daunting task. The team have researched the soil types, environments, colours and flowering periods of each individual stocked seed so as to provide the best possible advice. They have also developed a portfolio of wildflower seed mixtures that are specifically suited to certain growing environments.
The brand is currently targeted at landscapers mainly, but Green-tech is currently launching a John Chambers Wildflower Seed desktop reseller aimed at retail gift shops and garden centres for sale to the general public. For more information about John Chambers Wildflower Seed, speak to Stuart Ball: Stuartb@green-tech.co.uk
Blooming brilliant… John Chambers is a leading authority on native wildflower seed. The John Chambers packaging and branding has been re-energised but the core principles and values remain the same. 100% wildflower mixtures Grass and wildflower seed mixtures Cornfield and meadow mixtures Conservation mixes
Agriculture mixes Bespoke mixes Seed to suit your soil type Seed that creates biodiversity
Request a copy of the new John Chambers Wildflower Seed Selector Catalogue T: 01423 332 130 E: info@johnchamberswildflowers.co.uk www.johnchamberswildflowers.co.uk John Chambers is a trading style of Green-tech Ltd. Sweethills Park, Nun Monkton, York, YO26 8ET
Green-tech supplement.indd 13
18/09/2014 10:21
GREEN-TECH 20TH ANNIVERSARY
GREEN-TECH PRODUCTS
Rural Tree planting
Holdfast tree belting Tubex tree shelters Tubex produce leading tree shelters to protect and enhance growth of young plants. They protect plants from browsing animals and they have been specially designed to provide the right micro climate around the newly planted tree. Greentech is the largest distributor in the UK of Tubex products and stock their full range, including: • Tubex Standard tree shelters which offer better initial establishment and higher survival rates than many competing products. The Standard tree tube retains higher levels than other tubes which reduces water stress and enables the tree to survive in times of drought. • Tubex Standard Plus tree tubes which provide a wider diameter than the Standard tree shelter and come in a range of heights to offer protection against deers and larger animals. • Tubex Ecostart tree shelters for use in hedging and small scale landscaping projects. The tree shelters are designed to be wrapped around a small tree or plant and will expand as this grows. • Tubex Easywrap tree tubes; an alternative to spiral wraps. Easywrap does not contain PVC and is made from environmentally acceptable twin walled polypropylene. • Tubex Bio-Hybrid tree shelters, manufactured using a minimum of 30% starch polymer, ensuring a signi cant proportion of the shelter is 100% biodegradable. • Tubex 12D shelters that will naturally degrade meaning that tubes will not need to be collected and recycled at the end of their lifespan.
14
Holdfast tree protection is a range of belting, spacers, sleeves and blocks speci cally developed for securing trees in their environments. Very often trees will come under threat from damage by wind, vandalism and ground erosion. Using Holdfast tree protection will ensure the tree will be secured in place to help withstand these threats. The Holdfast range is manufactured from the highest quality biodegradable rubber, guaranteeing a secure t for trees Green-tech stock a full range of Holdfast tree protection products including spacers, blocks and belting; including PVC, heavy duty rubber belting and webbed Belting which is ideal for securing larger trees.
gt Ecomatt gt Ecomatt is manufactured in the UK exclusively for Green-tech from 100% recycled materials. It is needle punched onto a degradable polythene backing, to allow both air and water to pass through the layers. It helps to suppress competing weed growth within the vicinity of the plants root development area and allows water and air to percolate through the wool layer, whilst helping to retain moisture in time of drought. The matting acts as an insulator and absorbs heat from the sun thus creating an assisted environment for the plant to establish itself. It is totally degradable lasting a minimum of two seasons.
Platipus Tree Anchoring System Rainbow Spirals Green-tech sell over four million tree spirals throughout the UK each year. Manufactured from 100% recycled material offering a life expectancy of over four years, tree spirals have been used as the main protector of young trees for many years now. This is a low cost option that provides traditional protection for stemmed seedlings and transplants. Rainbow Spirals are available in two widths.
Green-tech is one of the largest suppliers of Platipus Tree Anchoring Systems, which include Platimat, a rootball xing system, Plati-Man, a Deadman system and the revolutionary D-Man System. The D-Man system has been designed primarily to replace the traditional Deadman such as Kerbstones or Sleepers in areas where normal underground anchors are impossible to use due to utilities, shallow soil or roof gardens or gas tight membranes on brown eld sites It is easy to use either individually or in multiples. Cells lock or unlock easily and are omni directional for connecting together. It boasts a unique letterbox style wire tendon anchor point system and unique cup shape for water storage.
Green-tech 20th Anniversary Supplement
Green-tech supplement.indd 14
18/09/2014 10:33
gt Resi-Grille Gt Resibond
Urban Tree Planting
gt Resibond is an easy to install porous resin bonded surface layer of aggregate which is suitable for the surrounds of trees within hardlandscaped areas. gt Resibond can be used in areas where conventional means of mulching with loose materials may not be practical due to the constant displacement of the material, increasing maintenance time and costs. Regarded in the industry as a ‘resi-bound’ system, gt Resibond relies on the aggregate and the resin being agitated together in a mixer, and then spread over the prepared base with hand oats and trowels
GT Arboraft
gt Max-Pave Tree Grille The gt Max-Pave Tree Grille is a stylish and practical tree grille designed for the urban setting. The design allows paving to be continued almost up to the tree trunk, protecting the trees root system from traf c and soil compaction but also allowing rainwater through to maximise irrigation drainage The gt Max-Pave Tree Grille is ideal for use with block paving, but dimensions of the inner trays can be altered to suit other paving styles. As with all gt tree grilles, the inner trays or grill sections are fully removable allowing the tree to be removed if required.
gt Resi-Grille tree grille and guards were developed by Green-tech after requests from contractors across the UK for a tree grille that offered the aesthetic and porous properties of resibond. The cast iron grille has a recess of 0mm that allows the grille to be lled with resibond to make a porous surface When lled the esi-Grille supports the load from street traf c protecting the rootball of the tree. Not only does the new Resi-Grille look contemporary, it is robust and hard wearing, and is able to withstand traf cking from pedestrians The esi-Grille also offers a clean surface so no rubbish, cigarette ends or leaves will become trapped within it.
gt Arboraft, formerly known as gt Permavoid, is the latest revolution in tree pit design and stabilisation. gt Arboraft acts as a load bearing support whilst directing the tree’s root growth away from the surface and towards nutrient soil. gt Arboraft has been widely used on many high pro le urban tree planting pro ects Originally developed as a drainage product in SuDS systems, gt Arboraft more recently has become the speci cation choice for tree pits in urban environments. Individual units are locked together and inserted above the sub-base to act as a loadbearing support that prevents soil compaction. This promotes a uniform directional growth of the roots thus stabilising the tree. gt Arboraft provides a solution to many different on-site problems including surface water drainage, root structure, ground stabilisation and soil compaction.
Mona Plantsava
Simple and effective, the Mona Plantsava system is considered by many as the most reliable and natural way to maintain effective irrigation of plants. There are nine sizes of Plantsava available, each tank can be simply installed at the bottom of the planter where it will act as a reservoir and feed the plant as and when required. They are available in a variety of si es to t all containers and pots and have reservoirs ranging from 0.9L to 25L. The plant will only take on the water it requires and in optimum conditions will require re lling once every six weeks By using the plants natural capillary action and allowing the plants to feed and water themselves they become bigger, stronger and last longer. Mona Plantsava is ideal for all types of planters, both indoor and outdoor, ower beds, window boxes and hanging baskets It is an environmentally friendly product: 100% water ef cient and made from recycled material in the UK.
Mona Plant System The Mona Plant System is manufactured and distributed by Green-tech It has been speci ed and installed on many pro ects across the UK and Europe and is perfectly suited for interior landscape pro ects with large planter installations and in hard landscaped areas with rootball trees It is particularly suitable for the establishment of large trees. The Mona Plant System ensures water and nutrients are delivered in the correct quantity to the roots plants and trees. The system forms a ring around the rootball to ensure optimal growth. The system is ingenious in its simplicity; the Mona tanks are lled with water via a ller pipe above ground; the tanks act as reservoirs to hold the water; the roots absorb water via the process of capillary action as and when required. The result… quick establishment of plants and healthy root development.
Green-tech 20th Anniversary Supplement 15
Green-tech supplement.indd 15
18/09/2014 10:38
GREEN-TECH 20TH ANNIVERSARY
Ground Control
SOILS
Green-tree produce and deliver their own organic top soil ideal for planting, tur ng and landscaping Manufactured using organic compost and overburdened sand from quarries, Greentree topsoil has been recognised for its quality across the UK and awarded the Green Apple award – awarded to companies carrying out projects that enhance the environment. The topsoil is a highly fertile and organic-rich material, compliant to BS 3882:2007 standards, requiring no additional fertiliser for the rst season The topsoil manufacturing process means the product is of consistent quality and is available all year round. The topsoil is perfect for landscaping and construction projects that are focused on their own green credentials. The high fertility status of the topsoil means it is ideal for projects that require uick plant establishment and uality nish
gt Rootbarrier Green-tech’s range of Rootbarrier products is one of the most comprehensive in the landscape industry. Rootbarriers protect services, walkways and general construction projects from root damage. gt RootBarrier is manufactured using a unique coating to make it totally impermeable and is available exclusively from Green-tech. gt Rootbarrier effectively controls the roots whilst protecting the tree roots from pollutants and acids in the soil. This helps the tree to establish quickly and keep it healthy, especially in the rst ve years of life
Green-tree Topsoil
Green-tree Amenity Soil Green-tree Amenity Tree Soil is a load bearing, fertile planting soil designed for use in urban environments; it combats the problems of poorly developed root structures under hard services such as pavements and car parking areas. Green-tree Amenity Tree Soil has a naturally open structure allowing aeration to the root system.
John Chambers Wildflower Seed
GRB Plus GRB Plus is the latest development in ground protection and stabilisation from Green-tech which is used extensively in residential, public and commercial applications across the UK. It provides excellent strength and protection for the ground whilst allowing the free- ow of water and minimising drainage problems. GRB Plus is a grid system that locks together to form a strong base and grounding that can be driven over and traf cked What makes GRB Plus so popular is the ease of installation, simplicity of its design and the many ground protection problems it solves. It is ideal for car parking, access areas and locations that require improved drainage. Once laid it can be nished with grass, gravel and stone. Its unique locking system means that once in place the stability is guaranteed.
16
Green-tree Roof Garden Substrate Green-tree Roof Garden Substrate is a blend of lightweight aggregate and award winning Green-tree topsoil. It is light in texture and has good water holding capacity meaning it is an ideal substrate for use in green roof construction. Green-tree Roof Garden Substrate is available as an intensive and extensive growing. The intensive roof garden growing media is ideal for green roof construction projects and particularly containerised planting. Lightweight in texture with good water-holding capacity it guarantees healthy plants and trees in a roof garden environment. Green-tree Extensive Roof Garden Substrate is ideal for incorporation into expansive green roof projects that require very little maintenance. It is rich in nutrients, ensuring quick plant establishment in harsh rooftop environments.
Acquired by Green-tech Ltd. in 2013, John Chambers Wild ower Seed have a year history of supplying native British wild ower seed and mixtures to landscape architects, contractors and garden designers across the UK.The Green-tech team behind John Chambers has researched the soil types, environments, colours and owering periods of each individual stocked seed so as to provide the best possible advice. They have developed a portfolio of wild ower seed mixtures that are speci cally suited to certain growing environments. The team clean all seed by hand, a labour intensive process that will only achieve the highest quality standards.
Green-tech 20th Anniversary Supplement
Green-tech supplement.indd 16
18/09/2014 10:41
GREEN-TECH 20TH ANNIVERSARY
GREEN-TECH TESTIMONIALS Rite Edge Lawn Edging Rite Edge Lawn Edging has been designed by both landscape architects and landscape contractors to offer greater exibility in design and installation over any other edging material. It is manufactured from strong, lightweight aluminium that will not rust, crack or rot like steel, wood or plastic.
Grounds Maintenance Advance grass seed Green-tech s extensive range of grass seeds are suitable for a wide variety of applications from golf courses to residential lawns. All seeds within the range are responsibly sourced and certi ed by British Seed Houses, with 17 varieties of seed available, Greentech will stock a grass seed to suit your project.
Heather Goddard Ground Control
Green-tech are very good suppliers, they always deliver on time and have great product knowledge.
Graham Buck Managing Director Hultons Landscape Limited
Green-tech are reliable, price conscious and offer good service. They are amenable and easy to get on with.
Mark TC Landscapes
Green-tech have always been very pleasant and helpful. Their delivery service is good.
Jo Hardingham Grace Landscapes
“Green-tech are always very helpful, knowledgeable, reliable and cheerful. They turn around our quote requests very quickly�
Paul Downer Oak View Landscapes Limited Oak View Landscapes have traded with Green-tech for 10 years. I have found the speed of service from quoting to supply in products to be exceptional The sales team have great technical knowledge and always take time to ensure that they provide us with the speci cation information required.
Bill Griffiths Southern Estates Management Glendale Services Green-tech always offer a good service and prices with friendly reception.
Neil Kirk East Midlands Landscaping Ltd
We have been a customer of Greentech for many years and have come to value the service, reliability, quality and experience when procuring landscape sundries for our projects nationwide. The team at Green-tech are always able to accommodate us with our requirements on a day to day basis and are also willing to offer advice or an alternative on more costs effective products. I wish them all the best for the future.
Green-tech 20th Anniversary Supplement 17
Green-tech supplement.indd 17
18/09/2014 10:49
GREEN-TECH 20TH ANNIVERSARY
IAN ROTHERHAM AN INTERVIEW WITH GREEN-TECH’S SALES DIRECTOR
How did you get into the landscape industry? By accident really, I failed my maths O Level first time round and lost a promised job in a university lab; gardening was second on the list! What was your first full-time job? I started as an apprentice gardener with Barnsley Council who had a very good apprentice programme with lots of in-house training as well as day release at a local college. It provided me with a good overall grounding in amenity horticulture. What do you most like about the landscaping industry? The people. I love the team atmosphere at Green-tech and the feeling generally within the industry. After a tough few years during the recession there seems to be the start of an upturn, enquiries are up from both landscape architects and landscape contractors. It’s a great industry to work in.
What does your typical day involve? I spend 60 per cent of my time in the office on the administration, strategy and managing a large sales team that is needed for a fast moving business. This time of year tends to be spent on figures and working out budgets for next year. The remaining 40 per cent is spent out of the office meeting customers. What was the best piece of advice you have been given? My Parks Manager suggested I consider further education and gave me the prospectus for Askham Bryan College. He pushed me to leave and go study, probably the best move I made. What advice do you have for others starting out? Don’t be frightened of starting at the bottom or doing the dirty jobs. In the early days I spent many hours driving a brush and hand weeding shrub beds! Grab every opportunity to receive training. Name one change you would make to the industry? I would force main contractors to pay all landscape sub-contractors in 30 days!
I LOVE THE TEAM ATMOSPHERE AT GREEN-TECH AND THE FEELING GENERALLY WITHIN THE INDUSTRY 18
Which company in the landscaping industry, other than your own, do you most admire and why? Majestic Trees. Steve McCurdy has created a very successful business by targeting a specific customer base, producing a top quality product and building a great team around him to achieve it. Which single possession would you rescue if your house caught fire? A mint condition 1920s Allcock Aerial Fishing Reel.
How do you relax? I really enjoy angling, kickboxing and cycling so doing any of these; being in my garden or enjoying a pint in front of the TV catching up on the latest blockbuster series from Sky Atlantic. What is your favourite tipple? Theakstons Old Peculier. Which one record and book would you take to a desert island? Tales from the Barrel House by Seth Lakeman, and Game of Thrones by George RR Martin. Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with? Dick Walker, the father of modern angling. Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions? To catch a sturgeon from the Fraser River in British Columbia. What was your most embarrassing moment? Presenting to an audience of 300 landscape architects and contractors in Poland, through an interpreter; the wait for each translation seemed to take for ever! If you had to choose another career what would it be? River keeper. As you have probably gathered I have a passion for all things angling.
Green-tech 20th Anniversary Supplement
Green-tech supplement.indd 18
18/09/2014 10:43
MEET THE TEAM MARKETING
Lizzy Rose, Lesley Spence and Kate Humes
SALES ADVISORS Roger Amies-King, Dean Jackson, Chris Swan and Gemma Cunliffe
SALES ADVISORS
OPERATIONS TEAM
Chris Cross, Cara Shipley, Richard Gill and Mark Browne
Natasha Herron, Sarah Hayes, Maggie Joynes, Rachel Walsh, Elaine Yates and Kirsty Brown
John Chambers Wildflower seed team Barry Mitchell, Rebecca Gethin and Stuart Ball
GtSPECIFIER TEAM
SALES ADVISORS
Sherry Bonnett, Callum Dawson, Richard Wexham and Barry Browne
Roger McGivern, Nigel Thompson, Jordan Webster, Sam Woodward and Drea Questari.
FINANCE Carol Orton-Rispin and Richard Wall
Green-tech supplement.indd 19
Warehouse team
Corin Clifford (in forklift), Glenn Brown, Kenny Hartass and Ian Woodhouse
Green-tree soil team Mark Wood with Roxanne Lupton and Frankie Helliwell
RICHARD & RACHEL WITH MONTY & JD
Monty, Company Morale Officer and JD, Drool Director
18/09/2014 10:45
Green-tree_ad_210x265_vAW.pdf
1
15/09/2014
16:44
www.green-tree.co.uk
Sustainable growing media and ground preparation products for the landscaping environment
Topsoils Amenity Tree Soil Roof Garden Substrate Ornamental Barks Turfs Grass Seed
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
Reasons to choose Green-tree topsoils
Award winning Nutrient rich Complies to BS 3882:2007 Strong environmental credentials On-demand, national supply
2014 Green-tree catalogue is out now. To get your copy: Tel: 01423 332 100 or Email: sales@green-tree.co.uk
Ads.indd 7
Green-tree is a trading style of Green-tech ltd
18/09/2014 09:11