Ready to Burn from HETAS

[Chalgravesteve]

Has anybody got involved with this yet?

 

Its supposedly a new industry standard the "ready to Burn" logo to certify that your wood is under 20% MC.

 

You have to pay about £450 in annual fees, plus a point of sale "commission" on everything you sell, if you want to have the ready to burn logo on your product. 

 

The fees include independent audit and testing of your product to verify its under 20%. I have spoken to them about this and I think its far too expensive for a small business. I only deliver/sell within a 20 mile radius max, and my customers are on a 85% retention rate, ie if they buy from me once 85% buy more after that. My reputation for only sellign dry wood is as good as the ready to burn logo I think, so I don't see the point of adding more overhead and admin for someone else to tell me my stuff is good!

 

I'd be interested to hear other peoples views on this?

 

 

[Woodworks]

Yes no way would we want to be stumping up £450 a year  plus commission!

 

Do you think 20% is the right target? I cut open a 4 year oak billet yesterday  and it was still 20-22% inside which is was gutting. 

[gdh]

I looked at them but the fees are very high and say plus expenses which could add another chunk and I would rather trade based on reputation than have arbitrary inspections.

 

Also I asked for more information before and they sent me a sign up pack then a bit later an invoice demanding payment which although they took back put me off. 

 

I can see it helping new businesses or massive companies perhaps but of our 300+ customers each year no one has ever asked me about a scheme so it's not for us.

 

 

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Give money to someone that sits in an office so that they can sit in an office....  That's a hard sell....!

[richardwale]

In the middle of winter, less than 20% is damn hard. The timbers in the barn, that haven’t seen rainfall in decades read 15-18 in the colder months. 

Less than 25 burns absolutely fine, we all know that but hey let’s not get into that again. I’ll certainly not be paying a penny to anyone.

[FJMatt]

All assurance scheme's are a racket, 

Usually run by "has beens" that can't make job pay themselves 

[daveatdave]

I bet most of the public do not know whom HETAS is, it seem expensive for a small business

if your customer's are happy with what you supply and you sell out of logs each year do not entertain them. There is nothing like customers word of mouth for promoting your business   

[bankhouse builder]

Just a thought why don't we set up our own regulatory body on firewood we have enough knowledge here on this forum to be credable

 

 

 

[richardwale]

 

"It's all Arbtalk certified firewood sir"

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Alex O]

 
"It's all Arbtalk certified firewood sir"
[emoji4]
 
 
 
 
 
 

Gonna get that on the truck first thing Tuesday morning, right next to a NPTC sticker [emoji849]