As a Yorkshire-based, family-run business, Deco-Pak – the leading outdoor landscaping supplier – values the importance of supporting local industry within the UK and ensuring that retailers have quality products, delivered on time, that also satisfy their own customers’ appetite for more sustainable alternatives.
Supporting the economy
Shouting about your British credentials is about far more than national pride. It is also about supporting local livelihoods – particularly after a very difficult couple of years during the pandemic – and the wider economy. Deco-Pak sources 95% of its aggregate products in the UK and places great importance on helping British industries and businesses to thrive. This commitment helps Deco-Pak to source quality material for its products but also supports businesses and communities throughout the UK that play a vital role in our economy.
Aggregates account for roughly 85% of the non-energy minerals extracted in the UK and are absolutely critical for the UK economy. To put a value on that; the quarrying industry is worth a whopping £3.1billion per year! And, this revenue is expected to increase further over the next five years, thanks to an increase in construction demand and a boost in confidence to undertake construction projects.
To put this in further context; there are 1,300 quarries in Britain, 28 marine aggregate dredgers mining the sea bed, plus aggregates produced via recycling processes, which produce around 300 million tonnes every year. The industry also provides employment for an estimated 88,000 people, according to The Quarry Products Association.
Not only does Deco-Pak strive to support the British aggregates industry and those whose livelihoods depend on it but the West Yorkshire-based business also sources all of its sand from within a 45 mile radius and has all of its POS and promotional material printed within a five mile radius.
Reliable service
Another reason that Deco-Pak values buying British is the dependability it affords and the straightforward supply chain, which means retail customers aren’t going to be left wanting because of hold-ups with imported goods.
Garden industry suppliers have been battling with unprecedented supply chain issues for some time now, with major delays, lack of shipping containers, goods being stuck at ports and skyrocketing freight costs, and so on. As the disruption around importing looks set to continue for the foreseeable future, retailers are under increased pressure from suppliers to get orders in earlier and earlier just to guarantee stock for the next season.
Thankfully, by sourcing from UK quarries and businesses, Deco-Pak can avoid all of this chaos and get products to its stockists on time and exactly when they need them. Shorter lead times also allow for greater flexibility, so any spike in demand can be met, allowing retailers to capitalise on opportunities.
Greater sustainability
Increasingly, consumers are questioning the provenance of the products they buy and the sustainability of what’s in the bag. Ranges that are made or sourced in Britain are winning out, as shoppers, concerned about the climate crisis, lean towards products with fewer miles on the clock and lower carbon footprints.
Deco-Pak is keen to operate in a sustainable way by sourcing more efficiently from UK quarries and also recognises its own customers’ need to curate a more environmentally-friendly offer.
Additionally, the modern quarrying methods and equipment used now are far more eco-friendly, with the UK leading the world in environmental standards; another reason Deco-Pak is proud to support the British aggregates industry.
In addition, Deco-Pak’s EcoStone range transforms waste materials, once destined for landfill, into decorative aggregates. Glasglo are translucent tumbled glass stones, pot topper stones and cobbles made from recycled televisions; EcoStone Rubber Chippings give new life to former tyres, recycled into chippings that provide safe play areas and act as a weed-suppressing mulch, while EcoStone Sea Shells – sourced from a whelk processing factory – transform pots and terrariums when used as a dressing, and provide natural slug control in borders, too.
Find out more
To find out more about Deco-Pak’s leading product portfolio please visit www.deco-pak.co.uk or call 01422 204 394.
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Deco-Pak is a family run decorative aggregates, outdoor play and wild birdfeeder and nestbox supplier. It supplies traditional garden centres, DIY and toy retailers all over the UK. Their packing and distribution facility is based in Brighouse, near Halifax in West Yorkshire. 90% of its decorative aggregate products are sourced in the UK, and all of its plastic and card packaging is fully recyclable where facilities exist.