NEWS
Family business urges people to ‘get outside’ with new range of affordable,
sustainable bikes Britons are about to become ‘smart gardeners’ One of Europe’s and leading
manufacturers of battery powered domestic lawnmowers
garden
machinery believes the combination of digital technology, battery power and high fuel costs will force a total rethink about the way the British mow their lawns and look after their gardens, with wireless technology charting the way forward.
STIGA is one of the leading brands of battery powered garden equipment in the UK and mainland Europe and believes the greater connectivity they
A Manchester business
is making cycling more accessible thanks to its new range of recycled bikes.
Olivercycling.com is offering its sleek, stylish and super lightweight Urban-City single- speed and fixed gear bikes, which are affordable and made from sustainable materials. Single-speed and ‘fixie’ bikes
offer a simple riding experience perfect for commuting or exploring a city. With fewer components, they need less maintenance - but usually cost upwards of £400. Oliver’s economical bikes, which start at £199, are entirely made from recycled or recyclable materials including rubber and leather, environmentally-friendly paint and rechargeable LED front and rear lights. The steel used to create the bike frame can be infinitely re-used and the company also offers accessories including a bike cover made from recycled polyester.
Business owner Siraya Gill (27) said she got the idea for the company from her father. “My dad’s a huge fan of cycling and will quite easily do around 70 miles a day.
His love started
from a young age as he grew up seeing his grandfather riding on the farms he tended to. “The whole reason we wanted to set up the business was to make sustainable bikes that are affordable. It’s also a push for society in general to be healthier and to encourage people to get outside more. Sustainability is massive at the moment, especially with the increasing signs of climate change. “We’ve already had really positive feedback from the pop- up stores we held in Manchester and Altrincham regarding the quality of our bikes at the low price point and we’re looking to launch another near Manchester University near the beginning of term time.
www.diyweek.net Zest exhibits at Four Oaks
Timber garden furniture, grow your own and decorative garden structure specialist, Zest is exhibiting at Four Oaks (6 – 7 September) for the 11th consecutive year.
The company will be showcasing its new on-trend products for the 2023 season alongside its best-selling range of award winners on stand OP7B. Zest will also present its
consumer-facing
new positioning: Zest Outdoor Living – The Natural Choice, together with a new trade and consumer website to its Four
Oaks audience for the first time. New
Zest products for
2023 on display at Four Oaks will include the new Freya
contemporary garden dining and seating range, attractive bench seating and planters, and a stunning, award-winning garden bar and two stool set, a garden pizza oven table and innovative keep safe parcel storage. Head of Commercial Development, Simon Davison
commented:
“We’re thrilled to be back at Four Oaks with new products to show our garden centre stockists and online retailers. The show is an excellent opportunity to catch up with customers and to tell them about all the changes we’ve been making during the
year. We’re sure that the 50th anniversary Four Oaks show will be a great event!”
Rythm Jain becomes new President of BHETA
BHETA’s Annual General Meeting took place on 5 July and saw Rythm Jain, CEO of door and window hardware supplier, Avocet Hardware Group appointed as its new President.
This is a non-
executive position and Rythm succeeds Alastair Fisher, joint managing director of Taylor’s Eye Witness in the role. Alastair remains on the Board. Rythm has been on the BHETA Board for 12 years.
Newly elected to the Board at the AGM were Jane Mason, Commercial Director of DKB Household UK and Jon Langford,
Jane Mason Rythm Jain
Commercial Director of Croydex. Jane and Jon were confirmed as Vice Presidents for housewares and DIY respectively and will therefore chair
their
committees. Commenting
on
respective the
appointments, BHETA’s Chairman, Andrew Weiss said, “The whole Board is delighted to welcome Rythm Jain as BHETA’s new President, and I am sure that the wider membership will be equally pleased. We look forward to an exciting future under her stewardship.
“I would also like to thank
Alastair for his great work over the last three years. It has been an absolute pleasure to have worked with Alastair during his tenure as BHETA President.
Alastair has
a wealth of industry knowledge and experience, as has been self- evident by his many contributions to the association during this time. In particular, he has also been instrumental in focussing BHETA on its lobbying initiatives, something which has been so well received by our members. We all thank him very much for his significant contribution as
President Jon Langford of BHETA and
look forward to his continued contribution to the association.”
The Horticultural Trades Association
last
HTA appoints Marketing Director
now build into their equipment will increasingly encourage customers to follow on from the ‘smart home’ developments that are sweeping throughout the West into the garden. Italian lawncare expert, Fabio Banin, works at STIGA’s headquarters
in powered Veneto in
Northern Italy. He works closely with the company’s R&D division and believes that digital and battery
technology
will take over gardening with automated watering and mowing in the future. He said: “It is clear that wireless connectivity and energy efficiency will be the future.
We are seeing the ‘smart home’ continuing outdoors. Digital is taking over gardening. We are also seeing increasing numbers of garden owners wanting to control their garden tools via apps. They also want products that are more convenient such as robotic mowers without the
boundary wire.” STIGA UK’s Gary Whitney
broadly agreed: “We already have much of this technology within our current range. There is no doubt that robotic
lawnmowers are
taking an increasing market share in the UK and this will continue. The role of battery power, in lawnmowers in particular, has been given the most enormous boost by the steepling rise in fuel costs. We already have a full wireless controlled robotic mower and the products of the future will reflect this move towards Britain becoming a nation of ‘smart gardeners’.”
(HTA) has
announced the appointment of Elia Johnston as its Marketing Director.
Elia joins the HTA after over
three years at UK Flooring Direct, where she was most recently Chief Commercial Officer and a Board member. Prior to this, Elia spent 13 years at Homebase, working
across a variety of
marketing and commercial roles. An experienced leader with
broad marketing knowledge and a thirst for continuous learning, Elia is passionate about driving a culture in which the team feels proud of the experience that they are providing to their customers. In every organisation that she has worked at, Elia has championed a collaborative approach to driving Elia Johnston, newly appointed Marketing Director at the HTA, said: “The HTA is an incredible organisation with
a fantastic
reputation for driving positive change and improvements for the garden industry. I am very excited to be joining the business and can’t wait to be part of the team, which does such a great job in serving and supporting our members and the industry so well.”
James Barnes, HTA Chairman,
said: “We are very pleased to welcome Elia to the HTA as Marketing
Director. Elia brings
with her a wealth of experience from both within and outside of the garden industry.”
AUGUST 2022 DIY WEEK 7
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