Further to the incorrect reference to WRAP‘s wood marketing campaign in a market report in TTJ April 2/9, WRAP’s market development programmes focus on creating markets for recycled materials and products. Our current campaign seeks to do this by raising awareness of recycled wood products in the landscaping sector as a whole and by communicating that recycled wood chip can be used as a mulch and surfacing material. More specifically, we are seeking to encourage local authorities to consider recycled wood products for their landscaping needs. We recognise that this initially led to concerns that we were seeking to displace virgin wood products. However, the objective of the campaign is not to replace existing products, but wherever possible to develop new markets and raise overall demand. For example, a number of local authorities are trialling the use of recycled wood chip as a mulch instead of relying on hand weeding.
We have also consulted with companies already operating in the landscaping products sector to explain our objectives and taken feedback to develop the campaign concepts to ensure that there can be no confusion about the central focus of our communications being on demonstrating the benefits of the recycled material.
In the main, we have received extremely positive feedback about this campaign and are following up the leads generated. We will continue to seek feedback from relevant stakeholders in the landscaping products industry as the campaign moves forward and to identify further areas where we can work together to our mutual benefit.
Julia Turner
Material development manager – wood
