easibed
Manufacturer Wins At 2002 National Recycling Awards
easibed
manufacturer G.I. Hadfield & Son Ltd, based in Manchester,
has won the much-coveted ‘Best Reprocessing Initiative’
award at the National Recycling Awards 2002 presentation ceremony
at the Cardiff International Arena this week.
easibed
dust free bedding was the idea of Hadfields Managing Director
Geoff Hadfield, who invested almost 3 years, plus significant
sums on plant and process development, without any commitment
to forward orders from potential customers. Following launch into
the UK equestrian market rapidly became one of the leading bedding
brands.
It
was this commitment to the initial development and trials of this
very successful product that has now been acclaimed as a "significant
step change permitting the use of more of the UK wood waste stream
for recycling", as the process by which easibed is produced
- all from recycled whitewood – has been judged the Best
Reprocessing Initiative of 2002.
left to right – Dominic Holland, compere, Jane Rayner,
Editor of Materials Recycling Weekly, Cherie Hadfield of G.I.
Hadfield & Son Ltd., and Alex Cordiner, Director of Logistics
at Shanks, sponsors of the Recycling Initiative of the Year Award.
This
year's National Recycling Awards attracted a record of more than
200 entries and it is believed that this is the first time a wood
based initiative has won a major prize. It is also believed that
no previous winners have ever had any connection with the equestrian
industry.
The
‘Best Reprocessing Initiative’ award was collected on
behalf of Hadfields by Cherie Hadfield, daughter of Geoff Hadfield,
his father founding the family owned and run business almost 25
years ago.
easibed
BEST
REPROCESSING INITIATIVE
The
use of processed wood as a bedding material for horses accounts
for the major part of the £90 million-and-growing UK market,
much of which has historically been satisfied by white wood shavings
of both UK origin and imported.
Separation
of whitewood from incoming waste wood for development into a branded
wood fibre bedding for animals has resulted in a higher value
product, specifically manufactured from waste wood, that is sold
nationwide through the existing UK network of wholesale and retail
business servicing the equestrian market. Sales to the first export
markets are planned before the end of 2002.
easibed
soft bedding for animals is sold into a more mature market than
other recycled timber and the resulting higher value sales are
now funding the collection of post-consumer waste wood from previously
non-viable areas. This significant step change has permitted the
use of more of the UK wood waste stream for recycling.
Development
of the manufacturing site has included massive investment. Specialist
equine PR and design consultants were retained at an early stage
to ensure that the easibed brand enjoyed a high profile launch
into the target market and ongoing campaign to create initial
demand and continued customer loyalty.
Key
to the phenomenal success of the easibed product in the marketplace
was this combination of expertise, which has put in place a modern,
extended manufacturing facility (sited on land that includes 2
acres taken out of greenbelt), a nationwide flexible logistics
capability, national advertising campaign, major sponsorships
and product promotions, including direct support of the retail
network and the appointment of a national sales team dedicated
to the easibed product. Much of the marketing has concentrated
on the product benefits, which include the fact that it is dust-free,
as this is of major importance to the health of both horses and
the people caring for them.
The
growth in sales of easibed since launch in 2001 has been exciting.
Tonnages in 2002 for the period January to August show a headline
increase of 304% when compared to 2001. The recent launch of the
finer grade easipet product opens up a further sales opportunity
into the pet trade.
The
use of recycled wood to supply the animal bedding market has increased
the potential for recycling of more of the UK wood waste stream
and easibed is replacing not only UK and imported whitewood shavings,
but also other products. Distribution of easibed has proved efficient
and the product is out in the marketplace at a competitive price,
selling very well as a result of being proven to offer significant
benefits over other bedding products available, including ease
of disposal by natural degradation, obviating any need for transport
to landfill.
http://www.easibed4animals.com/
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