THECOMMERCIALGREENHOUSEGROWER
•
FEBRUARY 2017
12
•
P
OTS& TRAYS
S
haunHerdsman, former
salesmanager for
ModiformUK and
manager of Modiform’s new
retail and industry division,
describes the firm’s approach
to the aftermath of theUK’s
referendum result as “simple
and long term.” He says:
“When the announcement of
Brexit happenedwe decided
to hold fast with our prices
until the new year or until it
was clear what would
happen. Evenwhen the
pounddippedwewanted to
remain steady for our
customers because their
costswere rising all around
them.” Arguably, Modiform’s
decision to update its classic
beddingpack rangewas also
helpful. At a timewhenmany
growers have had todeal with
uncertainty, theUniversal
BeddingPack (UBP) range,
launched last year (2016), fits
20 (rather than 18) trays on a
single trolley shelf –more than
5,000more packs per acre.
Herdsman says: “Customers’
reactions toour newUniversal
BeddingPackswas sheer
amazement.We aimed the
As growerswill know, the collapse in the value of the pound following last June’s EU referendum pushed up the
price of imported goods andmany of the rawmaterials needed tomake horticultural pots and trays. However,
key UK-based suppliers have beenmaking a concerted effort tominimise the impact of these changes – or are
informing their customers about those products that offer maximum long-term value. Rachel Anderson reports.
new range at the budget
market for growers, growing
for the garden centre, market
andwholesale trade. The
growers in thismarket were
always used tobuying and
using very lowquality bedding
packs, which cracked, didn’t
de-stackwell and sometimes
sliced customers fingers open
because of protruding sharp
bits.”
He adds: “Our UBP’s are top
quality, the likes have never
been seen before in
commercial horticulture.We
made themout of a stronger
type of plastic than the
current alternatives and it was
great to see the growers’
faces aswe challenged them
tobreak the packs at the Four
Oaks Show. No one could
break them.We’ve seen great
forward orders for these
products andwe can easily
see that in the coming years
theUBP’swill be the norm for
the target audience of
growers.”
PGHorticulture’s sales and
product development
manager James Avery also
notes that growers can
benefit from the high quality of
its stocks, particularly its
range of Herku trays –which
it sells as theUKpartner for
HerkuPlast-KubernGmbH.
He says: “The cost of
importing continues to
fluctuate, but the benefit of
choosing trayswith properties
thatmatch specific growing
requirements, aligned to tray
quality, strength anddurability,
can easily outweigh the initial
cost.” He points out, for
example, that if it is an option,
then reusable trays areworth
growers’ serious
consideration. “TheQuickPot
range of rigid trays from
Herku has a life of at least ten
Adding value for the grower
Soparco’s newSX range of containers available in a variety of bright and trendy colours.
Universal Beddingpacks fromModiform available in four
different versions: 4, 6, 9, or12 cells.
