LANDSCAPING
DIG IT? B
CAN YOU
uilders merchants are ideally placed to win an increasing share of the multi- million-pound, high margin, expanding and green garden landscaping market. That’s because they are geared up to supply products in bulk bags, according to Andy Chalmers, managing director of garden and landscaping materials supplier Melcourt Industries.
Established for almost 40 years, Melcourt is a primary producer of garden and landscaping materials, such as soils, barks, composts, soil conditioners and decorative aggregates, supplied in bulk bags and in polybags. “We don’t sell direct, but work with our stockist customers to build strong mutually beneficial partnerships,” Chalmers says. “We have deals with the key buying groups, Fortis, h&b, CBA, IBC and NBG and we provide a
Merchants are seeing increasing sales of landscape and gardening products. BMJ talks to a company that is taking full advantage.
range of practical point of sale material and training for merchant staff. We aim to build valuable long-term partnerships with our customers, to our mutual profitable benefit.” Products include Melcourt Topsoil™ Extra Fine , a carefully manufactured, high quality soil of loamy sand texture, suitable for a wide range of professional and domestic applications where a fine tilth is required such as lawn establishment and growth, sports pitch construction and repair and the maintenance of soil-based sports pitches. Other products in the portfolio for merchants include Garden & Landscape Mulches, Composts, peat-free
planter & soil conditioners, hardwood and softwood chippings suitable for play areas and natural play surfaces, and decorative aggregates, from 20mm Cotswold Chippings and 40mm Blue Slate to horticultural gravel, Scottish Cobbles and Horticultural Silver Sand. Chalmers says: “Many companies feel they should buy local soil; however, we can offer excellent consistent quality, conforming to BS3882:2015 and in-depth stock so it is always there when the merchant customer wants it. Many local soil suppliers will also be selling direct to end-customers, at Melcourt, we only supply through appointed stockists.” BMJ
EXTERIOR UPGRADES BOOST DEMAND D
uring the country’s first lockdown last spring and early summer, the demand for home improvements saw a dramatic surge. Spending a large amount of time at home and, especially outside, led people to assess the quality of their outdoor spaces and motivated many to make some major improvements.
Key areas to come in for treatment were popular spaces such as patio and barbeque areas, where families could enjoy the best that the British weather had to offer. Following on from the popularity of bifold doors on kitchen/diners and extensions to create an uninterrupted flow from the inside to the outside, there has been a further aesthetic push to extend the internal flooring through to the outside area. Typically, this has been achieved through the use of porcelain tiles. To achieve a professional, high quality finish when installing tiles externally, the same level of subfloor preparation is required as would be used for interior installations. Specifically, the subfloor base needs to be as smooth and level as possible and requires an exterior grade levelling compound: enter Setcrete Exterior. Last year Setcrete Exterior saw a huge increase in demand as people looked to
foundation on which to create a superb finish. Other popular applications benefiting from the product’s ability to create a super smooth and level base include the installation of resin paths. The product can also be left uncovered and used as an exterior standalone wearing surface or painted over with a suitable floor paint, for example, in converting a garage into a gym or just to create a smarter appearance for a garage floor.
improve their domestic environments, and particularly their outside spaces. It’s water-mix formulation makes the product quick and easy to apply, providing a surface that is ‘walk on hard’ from two hours after application. When set and cured, it is unaffected by rain or frost. It can be applied at thicknesses of between 5mm and 15mm and deeper holes or depressions can be repaired using an aggregate-filled mix up to 50mm. and cured that is giving rise to its popularity and the consequent increase in demand. Given the cost of porcelain tiles, builders want a quick, worry-free way of achieving a perfect base that gives them the
March 2021
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
Setcrete Brand Manager Peter Wilson says: “There is no doubt that people have been motivated to upgrade and improve their outside spaces during the lockdown period, as well as looking at how they can optimise their use of semi-external areas such as garages. Setcrete Exterior has found a niche in this sector, being an easy-to-use floor levelling compound that delivers an ultra-smooth finish in a short timescale and, importantly, is designed to withstand the varying climatic changes we experience throughout the year. “Once builders have used the product, they instantly see its benefits and also the possibilities of using it in other applications; so repeat purchases and word of mouth, along with a sustained promotional campaign, have all been behind its rise in popularity.”
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