Arboricultural equipment supplier Workware has been changing the way it does business, with big implications for customers and a slate of new products on the way. essentialARB spoke to the company’s head of product management and marketing, Sophie Smith, to find out what’s in store.

THE past year has been challenging for most businesses, but doubly so for forestry and arb wholesaler Workware, which has undergone a programme of extensive internal development at the same time as dealing with the impacts of COVID-19 and Brexit.

After being purchased by Carrs Billington Agriculture, the company has seen the introduction of a revised business structure and investment in PR and marketing for its extensive range of arb brands.

Forestry Journal: Sophie Smith.Sophie Smith.

This has put a lot on the plate of Sophie Smith, head of product management and marketing at Carrs Billington, who took on responsibility for Workware around six months ago. Not least has been the introduction of a simplified pricing structure, which is designed to be more competitive and aligned by brand.

Forestry Journal: Unveiled last year, the Haix Protector Forest 2.0 boot is described as featuring the same Class 2 cut protection as the original version, and the updated red/fluorescent yellow colour scheme is intended to keep wearers easily noticed and safe in poor-visibility environments.Unveiled last year, the Haix Protector Forest 2.0 boot is described as featuring the same Class 2 cut protection as the original version, and the updated red/fluorescent yellow colour scheme is intended to keep wearers easily noticed and safe in poor-visibility environments.

Sophie explained: “Historically, I think we perhaps didn’t appreciate how retailers operate and were probably overcomplicating things through lack of attention. We’ve had feedback in the past about our differential pricing, which meant customers would have varying margins depending on the price. On a brand like Haix, it was terribly complicated across the range, which made it difficult for customers to manage their businesses.

“We’ve gone through a big revision process, looking at benchmarking and organising our commercial offering by brand, to keep it simple for them. We’ve standardised our pricing to ensure prices are pitched competitively, but that our retailers enjoy the same margins, whichever model of boot, helmet or other piece of kit it is. It’s simple for them to deal with and makes doing business with Workware easier.”

Among the other new and improved systems being put in place is a unique pre-ordering system, designed to meet increasing demand.

Launching with Hendon Tripod Ladders, the system will allow retailers to pre-book stock which will be stored in Workware’s warehouse at no extra cost.

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Sophie said: “Hendon is a good brand to start with, because the ladders are huge, bulky things and take up a lot of space. We’re happy to support our customers by delivering direct for them.

“We’ve taken additional storage space to make sure we have the product in stock and orders can be fulfilled in full in good time. We’ll take the forward order from the retailer, allocating stock to them, and then we can dispatch either to their premises or direct to customers on their behalf. We’ve got the logistics set up for that, whereas not all businesses do.”

Forestry Journal: Workware noted a massive increase in demand for its Hendon Ladders range of tripod ladders in 2020, driven in part by lockdown.Workware noted a massive increase in demand for its Hendon Ladders range of tripod ladders in 2020, driven in part by lockdown.

Another issue for Hendon ladders, which enjoyed a bumper year in 2020, has been a proliferation of poor-quality copycats on the market – a problem Workware has taken steps to tackle.

“What we’ve introduced is laser etching so people know that when they order a Hendon ladder, they’re getting a Hendon ladder,” said Sophie. “We’ve also introduced rubber feet as standard so they’re no longer an optional extra, which customers felt was a bit messy. We’re making things simple.

“With the laser etching, people can have the confidence that the quality standards are being met and that what they ordered is what they’ve got. That, combined with the new forward ordering process and greater stock-holding, means people can be certain of supply, which has been an issue for the business historically.

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“Forward ordering helps us to help our customers, which is a key aim for us. It’s nice and simple, plus people who place forward orders enjoy a discount.”

The new system will subsequently be rolled out for other key brands under the Workware umbrella, including Climbing Technology (CT), Simarghu and Haix.

New products are also drawing attention to these brands, from innovative harness offerings from Simarghu to the feature-packed, safety-first CT Aries tree helmet and the Protector Forest 2.0 boot from Haix.

“Haix is one of our biggest names and has enjoyed a very successful year,” said Sophie. “The Protector Forest 2.0, offering Class 2 protection, is a really exciting addition to the range. And there are two more additions which we’re looking to launch in 2021.

“On CT, we’ve had the launch of the new Aries tree helmet. It has a sensible RRP of £62 and a more modern look than some of the traditional products on the market. We’re working to grow the CT side of the business because we see a lot of opportunity there.

“Then there’s Simarghu, a brand we own ourselves. Historically, we’ve offered quite a limited range under that brand, but this year we’re introducing a certified chest harness that brings real innovation to the market. That’s very exciting for us, because it’s a first-of-its-kind product that’s not like anything else available and will be introduced in the spring/summer.

“The work we’ve undertaken over the last year will ensure we’re providing the necessary tools to our retailers to maximise the impact of those launches and show that we’re bringing innovation to the market.”

In a normal year, show season would be central to Workware’s marketing strategy, putting new products in the hands of customers. With COVID-19 causing the cancellation of so many industry events, the company has adopted other tactics, bringing on board outdoor active lifestyle PR and marketing agency Spring PR to assist.

Forestry Journal: A recent product launch for Workware, the new Aries tree helmet from Italian brand Climbing Technology (CT) offers arborists optimum ventilation, while adhering to EN 12492 safety standards.A recent product launch for Workware, the new Aries tree helmet from Italian brand Climbing Technology (CT) offers arborists optimum ventilation, while adhering to EN 12492 safety standards.

“Historically, our marketing reach has been quite niche,” said Sophie. “We have a wide product portfolio of amazing brands, but we’ve not really shouted about them from the treetops. With Spring PR we are widening our net, approaching key influencers and raising the profile of those brands to the benefit of consumers and retailers.

“The lack of shows has been difficult for everyone in our line of business and we thought about how we could get our products in front of people. So we’ve been sending out samples and following up with calls, which has been really well received. It gives people a chance to touch it, feel it, try it out in their own time. People are interested in putting these products to the test and we’re happy to supply them.”

With Spring PR’s help, Workware will be increasing social media activity to drive interest in its brands, which involves the production of ‘how to’ videos for products like the upcoming Simarghu chest harness.

“We will be doing much more on social media, to create some buzz around the new product lines we’ve got. It’s not something we’ve been terribly active on before, but will help our retailers as more customers who come into their shops will already be familiar with and interested in the brands.”

The guiding principle behind Workware’s programme of innovation and modernisation, she said, was to make things easier for its customers.

She said: “I think, in the past, we were quite old-school in the way we operated. But we’ve become more modern with better communication, providing more organised and coherent structures and the right marketing assets. The feedback has been really positive so far.

“I think the simplified structures we’ve introduced are really going to deliver growth. Currently, year on year we’re 11 per cent up on last year, which is a great result. We’re looking to continue that and improve on it. And retailers looking for an additional supplier or a new range will find Workware is easier to work with and can offer a lot more than we have in the past.”

www.workware.co.uk

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