Farming Monthly National April 2016 | Page 25

| Root Crops Benefits stack up by listening to the market HK Timbers new Managing Director, Richard Bundock, expains. t was very exciting joining HK just before Christmas. HK Timbers is the market leading company within this sector and through our new pricing policy, while retaining all the excellent quality and service elements, we are seeing great growth within the business.” “One of the highlights of my job is talking to our customers and listening to their thoughts on the market. By listening to our customers and the wider agricultural sector, we are now working hard on some very exciting plans to grow the business further with new products and I look forward to meeting and talking to more of you in the coming days, weeks and years.’ HK Timbers is an award winning company who specialise in the production of large and bespoke strong timber potato boxes and vegetable crates, which are mainly used in the agriculture and horticulture sector for safely storing and transporting vegetable products whilst allowing air to flow through. The BS7611 standard was introduced in 1992 at the request of the Potato Marketing Board and the Health and Safety Executive. It is primarily concerned with ensuring that potato storage boxes are strong enough to withstand the loads and forces of handling and stacking. HK Timbers were one of the few manufacturers involved in the standard's formation and as one of only two manufacturers who can test their boxes to BS7611, everyone else is guessing I www.farmingmonthly.co.uk their boxes meet the standard. With over 40 years in this business, HK Timber products is recognised nationally as leaders in quality, service and value in the industry. Their state of the art technology allows them to produce in excess of 100,000 boxes a year and they have the unique ability to store up to 25,000 boxes on site at any one time, allowing orders to be delivered when required. HK Timbers products are predominantly made from imported timber which is proven to last much longer than home grown timber. Many of their customers still have boxes in use today which are more than 15 years old (some as old as 30 years…) proving their products are a sound investment. Manufacturing potato boxes is, as one would expect, a very seasonal business, the busiest part of the year being April /May through to early November. There are therefore significant financial advantages for both customer and supplier should purchases be made out of season between November and March. HK Timbers can often offer extended credit terms during the out of season period along with a discounted price, especially if early physica