The UK timber garden products sector is still having a fi erce-fought lower end, where products are commoditised and margins slim. Despite that, suppliers say business overall is looking good thanks to construction and property markets’ continuing strength, plus consumer confi dence.
Producers are also shaping market destiny themselves with "increasingly design-led products and use of new materials that chime with latest landscaping, construction and lifestyle trends".
"Gardens are seen more than ever as a means to express style," said a spokesperson. "The bottom line is that this increases sales opportunities, margins and moves us further from commodity products."
Multi-faceted manufacturer Forest Garden is particularly upbeat about prospects. "The weather can still make or break a season," said sales and marketing director John Gomersall. "But the outlook is positive, particularly given the prevalence of owners adding value to homes."
Rob Giles, head of marketing at fellow producer Grange Fencing, agreed: "The market’s healthy, with customers over the last quarter focused on stock and positioning businesses for the season. Looking forward, construction is also set to grow 7% by 2018, increasing demand for core products."
Decking suppliers are in confi dent mood too.
BSW head of marketing Eve Johnson said its Timeless Timber deck sales were increasing annually, and Arbor Forest Products (AFP) was equally positive. "Softwood decking is a mature market, but sales rose last year, and we’re gearing up to hit this summer season," said commercial director Jason Ostler. "We’re working with more merchants and meeting unprecedented demand for customer training."
Some hardwood decking suppliers are more cautious after what one described as a "disappointing" season last year, and another as "longer term slowdown due to usually misplaced environmental concerns". But others express confi dence.
"The UK is doing well for us, especially Brazilian hardwoods, such as ipe, massaranduba, jatoba, itauba and louro, which are currently good value for money," said Geneviève Standaert, export manager of Belgium-based Vandecasteele.
Shed producers agree that consumers are increasingly more demanding.
"Forest Garden’s range has undergone a complete makeover," said Mr Gomersall. "It offers product hierarchy, and improved build quality and security features such as hidden hinges and polycarbonate glazing, all of which enable customers to up-sell."
BSW agreed that the "traditional cluttered shed at the bottom of the garden" is history. "Homeowners’ needs are changing, and Timeless Timber garden buildings are constructed to house-build quality, including fl oors with pressure treated joists, and 20- year weatherproof roofs," said Ms Johnson. Estonian-based Palmako is seeing growing demand for bespoke garden buildings, adding that the days of basic brown and green treatments "seem numbered," it said.
"Most customers now opt for white as a base for more vibrantly coloured finishes," it said.
Fencing suppliers are also increasing design variety as it’s viewed more as a landscaping design feature with owners using panels to divide smaller outside areas for an impression of space.
Grange’s Rob Giles said this "zoning" is a key sales target for Grange’s sharply styled Ultimate Panel, with its fine sawn, straight edged slats and robust mortice and tenon joints and rebated frame.
Ms Johnson at BSW also identified this trend for Timeless Timber Fencing "especially in urban areas where people are making small outdoor spaces more functional". And a new ‘designer’ panel from Piveteau Bois is louvered UC4 impregnated pine Arifi, produced in greys, white and mahogany, a star turn at the UK Landscape Show.
Landscape products specialist Country Supplies has introduced fencing timbers in modified Lignia XD, for either it or customers to fabricate into panels. Made from New Zealand radiata pine by Fibre7 using a nontoxic aqueous solution, the timber is billed as a hardwood and treated softwood alternative. "Lignia XD can also be coloured during the treatment process, which is way forward on aesthetic and environmental levels," said marketing manager Richard Sparkes.
Grange has introduced two modern look collections of trellis, pergolas, planter and other products; Urban and Contemporary, and is offering more coloured items. Forest Garden has even added aluminium and steel furniture and planters to the mix.
Accsys Technologies’ modified Accoya is also increasingly used for garden furniture and design features.
"Seated Spiritually introduced a range of 25-year guaranteed swing seats in Accoya last year, resulting in a sales surge," said head of marketing Laura Ladd. "And Oxford Planters uses it for planters, benches, chairs and tables."
Decking manufacturers are also introducing new looks and materials, with BSW reporting a trend towards less fussy styles for its Timeless Timber decking. "Customers want clean, modern looks, with balustrading less popular," said Ms Johnson. And latest products from leading French decking maker Piveteau Bois include wide profiles in its UC4 pressure treated Durapin pine, with a smooth rounded face for rapid water drain off.
"We’ve also introduced a Douglas fir variant, a hit at London’s Architect@work," said UK and Ireland export sales manager Elisabeth Piveteau.
Suppliers agree coloured decking is also a coming trend. Most say end customers still prefers to paint or stain a neutral product themselves, but Hoppings has just unveiled pre-coloured Q-Shades, while Country Supplies is offering through-dyed Lignia XD decking.
WPC decking is another product of the moment. AFP, for one, sees a bright future for its 95% recycled WPC, Trex.
"Annual Trex sales are now in the millions with average orders between £1,500 and £2,000 and we believe WPC UK decking market share could grow to 25%," said Mr Ostler.
AFP sees environmental concerns over some hardwoods as one driver for composites, but durability and low maintenance as the keys, plus design choice, including colour.
Lathams is also committed to composites. "There’s concern over low grade WPC for sale," said cladding and decking manager Richard Mosson. "But quality products have good prospects, as consumers want low maintenance, slip resistance, modern design and colour durability. In fact, UPM ProFi WPC is now our leading deck range.’ Modified timber decking is making strong headway too for its environmental and legality credentials
"Our Bavarian shade resembles iroko, framire and idigbo, while Charcola is similar to ipe or wenge and Tuscany to Brazilian cherry," Mr Sparkes of Country Supplies said of Lignia XD Decking.
Brooks Bros, meanwhile, has also seen modified Kebony decking grow 40% annually for several years. "As it’s relatively new, sales are largely through specification, but private sector business is growing too," said director and general manager (Danbury) Simon Greig.
But the hardwood decking sector is far from downbeat. Some feel that environmental and illegality issues, which have posed a market threat, could now play to their advantage, with growing availability of certified timber and EUTR compliance underlining legality.
"There’s still a need to educate people that these timbers are available verified legal, but we haven’t noticed risk aversion to tropical timber decking post-EUTR," said International Timber’s MD Tony Miles.
"Our red and yellow balau decking is all FSC-certified, and we’ve found EUTR compliance has given customers confidence," said Timbmet operations director Sean O’ Sullivan.
Brazilian ipe, which came in for particular focus on legality, is also still available via companies like Vandecasteele and Brooks Bros after they verified supply chains and, in Brooks case, went all FSC. Mr Jenn said LDT was also securing 100% FSC ipe for next season.
Meanwhile, WJ Group reported buoyant demand for its DeckWright anti-slip technology. Managing director Mark Eggleston, said it can now anti-slip most grooved boards at its Hull and Rochester facilities. To satisfy increasingly diverse specification, it also supplies its inserts in a ‘rainbow of colours’ and develops bespoke profiles.
Softwood and hardwood decking producer Snows Timber reports both bulk and individual merchant customers ordering product for the spring season earlier each year, some the previous November. This year an early Easter has further exacerbated the trend.
Last year Snow’s decking sales rose 10%, and interestingly hardwood was a key market driver.
"Homeowners are moving up market when replacing old decks and are willing to pay for something a bit different, like our yellow balau which now carries FSC chain of custody certification," said commercial director Mark Bowers.
