FEATURE
WHY BUYING BRITISH COUNTS
With the media honing in on rogue traders, Helen Rowberry of Carpenter UK, one of the world’s largest producers of PU underlay, discusses why British credentials have become such a powerful marketing tool.
There’s plenty in the news at the moment about the traceability of food and whether consumers can trust that it is what it says it is. The new ‘Red Tractor’ logo is just one example of ‘consumer confidence’ initiatives in the food sector, and similar schemes are popping up across a host of other consumer-facing products.
At the start of the year, a documentary exposé revealed that a number of big- name retailers were selling furniture that had fake fire regulation labels. Along with news of ‘back of the van scams’ effecting the furnishings sector, it has all taken its toll on the public’s trust.
‘British Made’ and ‘Manufactured in the UK’ are widely regarded as stamps of excellence, with the Union Jack being something that subconsciously communicates ‘quality’ messages, thanks to Britain’s stringent rules and regulations.
The superiority of the British standard is something that not only sells in the UK, but abroad too, and the days when shoppers favoured a bargain deal, regardless of origin, may well and truly be a thing of the past.
Cheap underlays from the Far-East, often not tested to any relevant standards, are sometimes made to look similar to big-name brands. In worst- case scenarios, they are made from blown-up plastic and fillers, which will flatten much more quickly than genuine underlay products, offering no real protection to a carpet.
As one of the world’s largest producers of PU underlay, Carpenter’s UK operation is based at state-of-the-art facilities in Derbyshire, where we manufacture
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products that not only perform well but also come with good environmental credentials. These products are made from recycled material, are fully recyclable and are backed with high- performance polyethylene, which aids recycling more effectively than paper backing, something that is becoming even more essential with growing environmental consciousness.
‘British Made’ and
‘Manufactured in the UK’ subconsciously
communicate ‘quality’, thanks to Britain’s stringent rules and regulations.
We are proud to display the ‘Made in Britain’ strapline. I have heard so many horror stories about cheap imports from abroad which look and feel as cut-rate as they actually are. We’ve also had to help a number of customers in sticky situations; customers who thought they were getting a great deal from abroad, but were in fact buying cut-price, sub- standard underlay. It was a mistake that eventually cost them more in the long run, in terms of rectifying the mistake, than buying from a reputable brand in the first place.
Furthermore, buying British may sometimes guarantee that the customer will receive excellent customer service; whether it’s advice on which product to select or aftercare, there are a number of factors to consider. The nature and
location of a project should determine which product is used. Whether it’s to be used with patterned, striped or plain carpet, the right choice of underlay is crucial to avoiding premature wear, tear or flattening. Face-to-face interaction is something that I think is extremely important when purchasing. We like to build relationships with all of our customers, who I hope feel as though they can come and speak to us for advice as and when required.
A well-made British PU underlay outperforms rubber by the way it bounces back and recovers to 90-95% of its original state when pressure is removed from above, whereas rubber recovers to 60-65% of its original state. PU isn’t limited to certain projects as it can be used for stretch-fit or double- stick applications, domestic and contract work.
While we may not be able to match the deals from abroad on price, we can certainly reassure customers that what they are getting is a strong, solid product which meets British standards and regulations and will stand the test of time.
Remember, buying cheap often means buying twice.
www.carpenter.com
www.tomorrowsflooring.com
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