UK Agency Supports Wood Recyclers

Seven wood recyclers are to be given marketing consultancy support worth more than £100,000 by the Waste & Resources Action Programme in an effort to drive sales in the ‘added value’ recycled wood products sector.

WRAP aims to fast-track penetration in the key ‘added value’ markets, which include animal bedding and landscape surfacing products, by providing specific sales and marketing support through one-to-one professional consultancy. The support was offered to all members of the Wood Recycling Association that operate in the added-value products sector.

Services will include the development of strategic marketing plans, advice on putting together and implementing a marketing communications campaign and assistance with specific elements of marketing activity such as web site development and sales training.

The companies receiving marketing support are:

* Urban Forest (equine bedding) – part of All Clear Environmental based in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland

* R Plevin & Sons (equine and pet bedding) - Elkesley in Nottinghamshire

* Hadfields (equine bedding and equine surfacing) of Droylesden, Manchester

* Wood Yew Waste (landscaping mulches and surfaces) of Plymouth, Devon

* Tracey Timber Recycling (landscaping products) of Linwood, Scotland

* Eco Composting (landscaping products) of Christchurch, Dorset

* Giffords Group (landscaping products) of West Bromwich

Rick Wilcox, secretary of the Wood Recyclers’ Association, said: “WRAP’s very targeted marketing support will no doubt play a vital part in driving sales in the added value products sector. Wood recyclers tend to be very focused on producing quality products and sometimes this can mean their marketing is not as powerful as it could be. This very hands-on approach should help to remedy this and could ultimately make a dramatic difference to the amount of wood recycled across the country.”

WRAP has been active in increasing marketing support for wood recyclers – it also launched a guide in October 2005 aimed at helping wood recycling companies to develop and implement a successful marketing program to promote the ‘added value’ sectors.

The WRAP Guide to Marketing Recycled Wood Products is designed in modular format for ease of use and contains the key information needed to produce an effective marketing and promotional programme for a wood recycling business.