Landscape Juice

Poor weather hits Marshalls sales - caution remains

The landscape industry sees little signs of picking up as proved today by the release of Marshalls' interim trading statement.

Sales were hit hard by poor weather and a flat commercial market.

In this morning's statement release Marshalls report a 3% decrease in revenue compared with the same period last year.

Citing poor weather, Marshalls said: "After a satisfactory first quarter, sales did not show their usual post Easter uplift. Working conditions in April were disappointing, hampering sales and obscuring underlying market trends. The rainfall in April of 138 mm* (2011: 14 mm; 2010: 27 mm) has been an important factor in the reduction in sales of £5 million (equivalent to 3 days' installations) in the month compared with last year."

Mythbusting - Stone versus Concrete

Chris and Dan at Marshalls discuss the advantages of Stone and Concrete patio paving to help homeowners better understand the options that are available to them.

Maurice Smith & Sons win Marshalls Register Contractor of the Year 2011

Marshalls has celebrated excellence in hard landscaping design and installation at its annual Marshalls Register Awards held recently.

The national awards covers a range of categories from ‘Best Driveway Transformation’ to ‘Best Use of Marshalls Fairstone’, with this year’s awards attracting over 800 project submissions from its 1,000 strong associated Member companies from all around the UK.

The day culminated in the presentation of a brand new Toyota Hilux Double Cab to ‘Marshalls Register Contractor of the Year 2011’. This year’s award winner was Darren Smith from Louth based Maurice Smith & Sons, for his driveway project of Marshalls Drivesett Natrale.

Massive discount off greenhouses this spring

Get a massive discount off greenhouses this spring when you buy through the Marshalls online shop using discount Code LANDSCAPEJUICE.

Marshalls are slashing 50% from their greenhouse range as a spring promotion on their recently refurbished online shop and they are giving away a further 7% reduction to Landscape Juice readers.

Remember to use discount code LANDSCAPEJUICE when checking out

Marshalls' profit rises 32% pretax

Marshalls, the landscaping material manufacturer, announced its full-year results today with profit before tax up 32%.

Although the Construction Products Association forecasts an overall reduction in volumes for 2012, Marshalls says it is best place to respond once market conditions improve.

Marshalls do however remain cautious and warn that there will be a drop in public sector demand as current projects come to an end.

Highlights

· Revenue from continuing operations up 8.2 per cent
· EBITDA from continuing operations up 9.7 per cent helped by a small improvement in margins
· Operating profit from continuing operations up 28.6 per cent at £16.7 million, including a net gain on asset and property disposals of £1.4 million
· Profit before tax from continuing operations of £13.7 million, up 31.7 per cent
· Basic EPS on continuing operations up 49.6 per cent to 6.30 pence
· Final dividend recommended of 3.50 pence per share
· Dividends maintained at 5.25 pence with comfortable cash cover
· Net debt at £77.1 million with the increase on prior year reflecting the selected investment in growth initiatives

Marshalls online shop 7% discount code for Landscape Juice readers

Earlier this week the new Marshalls Shop went live and I've managed to secure landscapers a 7% discount when they buy online.

Just add the code LANDSCAPEJUICE at checkout.

This shop will sell a broad range of non core range products including:

· Greenhouses

· Granite garden furniture

· Gwrhyd Welsh Stone flooring

· Gwrhyd Welsh Stone walling

· A limited range of reconstituted walling

There are plans as part of phase 2 to introduce a number of new categories including masonry and monoliths from our Gwrhyd Stone quarries in West Wales.

All orders benefit from free mainland UK delivery and a one year guarantee.

And the code again LANDSCAPEJUICE

Visit the Marshalls Shop now

Aura Landscapes win three awards at the Marshalls Register regional awards 2011

Southampton based Aura Landscapes have scooped three awards in the Marshalls Register regional awards.

(image: Mike Warman picking up his awards from Marshalls)

The honour was won for best engineering achievement, best driveway transformation over seventy square metres and best patio transformation over thirty-five square metres.

Marshalls Regional Road Shows, not just about the awards

Writing on his Landscape Juice blog afterwards, owner of the business Mike Warman said:

Having attended our first Marshalls Register Roadshow last night and receiving our awards we were pretty impressed to find that it wasn't all about the awards but about helping the register members build a better business and adding value to what we as landscapers offer.

The whole evening was full of interesting and inspiring presentations that left us motivated, inspired and feeling supported as a business by the company. To those who couldn't make it you missed out on some great new ideas that we will certainly be implementing within the company from:

Crystalclear succeed in Marshalls Register regional awards 2011

Crystalclear were awarded best driveway transformation under seventy square metres and best patio transformation under thirty-five square metres at last night's Marshalls Register regional awards.

Writing on his Landscape Juice Network blog, last night after receiving his award, owner of Crytalclear Mick Gammage, said:

"Once again we feel proud and very honoured to receive these prestigious awards from David Jessop the Marshall's Register operations manager, Glen Grundy the Marshall's north west regional assessor and Justin Handby the Marshall's register north west installer development manager".

Together for Short Lives is Marshalls' charity for 2012

Marshalls has chosen children’s charity Together for Short Lives as its official charity of the year for 2012.

Together for Short Lives is the only charity working across the UK to help ensure that every child and young person unlikely to reach adulthood and their family has the best possible care and support whenever and wherever they need it.

The charity was given a boost in 2011 when it was chosen as the beneficiary of The X Factor charity single, ‘Wishing on a Star’, which reached number one in the official UK top 40 chart.

Neil Davidson, CSR Manager for Marshalls plc said:
“The great thing about this particular charity is that it gives Marshalls an opportunity to fundraise and engage on a local as well as national level. As a major plc we have sites across the country – from Sittingbourne to Fallkirk – so we want to ensure that whilst the business is raising funds, local sites are building lasting partnerships with local children’s hospices and other care providers.

Marshalls says its domestic landscaping market remains subdued

Marshalls have released a trading update with revenues for the year ended 2011 up by 8%.

Interestingly, domestic sales rose 7%.

Marshalls don't however separate international domestic sales from the UK market but reading between the lines, reading this:

"In the domestic end market volumes remain subdued against a background of low consumer confidence."

Suggests that the UK domestic market's outlook hasn't improved significantly.

Do you do hard landscaping? What's your view on the hard landscaping market and what's your view on the prospects for 2012?