Archwood Group is on a mission to become even greener

Archwood Group, based in Chirk, manufactures timber products with two trading brands – Richard Burbidge and Atkinson & Kirby.

As part of its commitment to environmental best practise, the business recently joined the United Nations Race to Net Zero campaign, with plans to achieve Net Zero by no later than 2050.

Managing Director Josh Burbidge said: ""Over the last couple of years we have done a number of things, environmentally, from a business point of view.

"We have put 2,500 solar panels on our roof so we generate between 45 and 50 per cent of our total energy usage from our own facility. We are not completely off grid but we have massively reduced our pull from the grid by doing that.

"We are aiming to get 100 per cent certified material into the business.

"At the moment, 92 per cent of purchases are FSCE or PEFC certified which means they come from forests that replant or regenerate themselves by planting three for every one cut down," he said. "We aim to be 100 per cent by 2030."

Mr Burbidge said such efforts are vital, not just for the world we live in but also to attract new recruits into the industry.

"We have found, when we put job adverts out, it is very important for the younger generation to look at some of our sustainable criteria and the way we are driving the business," he said.

"They are not coming just for the wage packet but the whole culture of the organisation and the way you portray yourself. It feels like the responsibility element which we are driving does pay dividends in bringing good individuals into the company, who can help take us to the next stage, going forward.

"Some skills are quite specialised and it can be a challenge to get good people out there but it has been noticeable people have come to us and responded to adverts put out, attracted to working in a business which is putting itself forward – not just for money – but to make a positive difference in the environment."

Archwood has more than 100 full time employees from the region, with many of those in Shropshire and Mr Burbidge added: "We have been rewarded an IIP gold for well-being and we are working towards platinum, looking after our people.

"We don't employ anyone on the minimum wage from a business perspective and we have a new wage structure to allow people to earn more money when they upskill within the workforce to ensure they have a good job and can multi-skill."

Archwood is currently planning a series of investments and has a whole programme of on-shoring the manufacturing of a number of items over the next few years.

"We have stabilised the business to generate reasonable returns for the way we work and so we are in a strong position with suppliers, financiers and our customer base," said Mr Burbidge.

"We have signed off the expenditure on two new pieces of machinery which is about bringing back some manufacturing back from the Far East and also investing in what I would describe in more automation.

"We have found machines that are less labour intensive that we can run in the UK and because we are not paying for our electricity, it makes sense for us to manufacture those products here."

Reflecting on the last 12 months, Mr Burbidge said the company's picture was one of positivity but it had seen 'some softening in sales volume over the year'

"That was predominantly in the last two months because we sell seasonal products which go outdoors, where people might have been going abroad to skip the bad weather in the UK and not investing in their property," he said.

"The increasing in interest rates have also decreased consumer confidence out there which has impacted on sales."

"But we have tried to gain our market share and we are only about three per cent down on last year which isn't bad in the current climate and now we have a launch programme of products over a 12-month period.

"We will look to increase our sales in areas we feel we are uncompetitive or not getting as much of the market as we could do and launch products into sectors we think will work, making sure we put our spin on them.

"We will also continue to engage with the local community. We sponsor sports clubs such as Chirk AAAs and go into schools to do mock interviews and connect with local education establishments to raise brand awareness. It's about trying to help the community and bringing employees of the future into the business as well."