Thank you to everyone who helped make our launch in September at APF 2022 such a success. We were overwhelmed by the interest and support we received. I can hardly believe it was almost two months ago!
Now NexGen is officially up and running, it’s all hands on deck to meet our production schedule. We’re so looking forward to seeing the first orders leave the warehouse in the new year.
New engineering on our production lines
Our production lines have been specially built to meet the precise specification of our tree shelters, spiral guards and vole guards. All our products are made from the same, new, wool-based material which has been highly engineered to last for five years, even when exposed to the harsh conditions of the Scottish highlands and islands.
To make sure we can start production with no hitches, we’ve been rigorously testing (and re-testing) the lines and re-engineering them where necessary. Although we were hoping to be ready for the start of this planting season, we’re now on track to have the first tree shelters ready for supply in February, with the spiral and vole guards to follow in March.
See how we’re supporting British sheep farmers
In readiness for production starting in the new year, we have all our materials in stock and ready to go. We’re taking in 78,000 sqm of wool every month, providing a new market for British sheep farmers. After all the years of research and development, it’s so gratifying to see everything coming together like this. My next goal is to see our tree shelters on site across the country over the coming year, protecting young trees and the environment.
Establishing a new industry standard
We’re continuing our work to establish a new industry standard that recognises the longevity and biodegradability of tree shelters. We are working with Impact Solutions and the Sustainable Certifications Group, who will test and ratify the performance of the NexGen material. Our aim is to create a new certification, to assure people that the product they’re buying:
• Has been independently tested
• Will last for a minimum of five years
• Will fully biodegrade onsite without harming the environment
The new certification scheme will be available to all manufacturers whose products meet the required standards. We hope to have it in place by autumn 2023.
NexGen Tree Shelters feature on BBC Scotland 
Finally, earlier this month, our tree shelters were featured on BBC Scotland’s Landward programme.
The programme spoke to Adrian Kershaw from the Borders Forest Trust about why they plan to replace their plastic tree tubes with wool-based alternatives. As Adrian said, “I don’t see any reason why you wouldn’t want to use it. This seems an ideal alternative to us, and we’re really hopeful of its success.”
You can see the feature between 1 minute 15 seconds and 6 minutes 02 seconds. Click here to view the programme.
That’s all for this update. I’ll look forward to sharing more with you in the new year. Until then, if you’d like more information on our products, Tim will be happy to help. You can call him on 01252 755333 or 07872 542282, or email tim.oliver@nexgen-ts.com.
With kind regards,
Gary Hurlstone
MD, NexGen Tree Shelters