groundbreaker
movers & shakers
2 Progress Way
Binley Industrial Estate,
Binley, Coventry, CV3 2NT
United Kingdom
1-669-214-8909
+44 (0) 2476 651 500
hydrogarden.com
21 Years in Business
First, a little background info. When and where did the
company begin?
In 1996, from a small business unit situated just outside
Coventry in the UK.
What did the owners of HydroGarden do before starting
this company?
HydroGarden, the largest
manufacturer and distributor of
hydroponic equipment in Europe,
is set to enter the US market. We
sat down with Danny Bower, US
sales manager, to see how this latest
venture is unfolding and learn a little
bit about how the company started.
HydroGarden was one of the first hydroponic shops in the
UK when it was founded in 1996 by Iain Reynolds. He has
a background in aerospace engineering and hydroponic
retailing. Eight years later, in 2002, Stuart Green and Barry
Geaney joined the company as directors and shareholders.
Stuart has previously been the principal of a marketing and
design studio; Barry was the finance director of an analytical
laboratory. Our managing director, Jonathan Aldridge, joined
later in 2012. He comes from a wide commercial background in
industry and previously worked for PricewaterhouseCooper.
How did the partners of HydroGarden
get into this industry?
Iain used to run a hydroponic farm in Australia, producing
lettuces. He already had an interest in hydroponic
growing. Stuart was consulting for HydroGarden on
marketing and design before being invited to join the
company, and Barry was approached by Iain for his
financial background and experience. Jonathan was
basically out of work when a job in sales at HydroGarden
popped up and he applied for it—can’t imagine he would
have expected it to lead to becoming MD four years later.
What did you first produce?
So, apparently the first product we manufactured was a
range of magnetic ballasts under the brand PowerPlant. I
wasn’t around for these ballasts. This year, we launched a
new range of LUMii BLACK ballasts, which are taking the
UK lighting market by storm. Sometimes, it’s the old reliable
concepts that need a slight tweak to keep business booming.
What are your company’s strengths?
Danny Bower
120
groundbreakers
Our dedication to providing excellent customer service.
We have some of the best reps in the industry. (No, I’m not
just biased; this is genuinely the feedback we get in the
UK). Our marketing team is creative and original, and
we are the leaders in the market for product design and
marketing campaigns.