Hetas, Woodsure, Ready to Burn and Grown in Britain

[arboriculturist]

6 hours ago, Woodworks said:

That's our experience. Supply dry logs (18-22%) and they come back time after time. Can't say they are put off by a price hike either as we put £10 more on a single cube this season and we are about to sell out.

Good for you for raising your prices - everyone needs to do this annually now, if we are to keep pace with the rise in bought in timber prices. ? The certification stickers may look nice on the vehicles, but all those certifications are unnecessary for those selling a quality product as others have said. 

[Woodworks]

2 hours ago, arboriculturist said:

Good for you for raising your prices - everyone needs to do this annually now, if we are to keep pace with the rise in bought in timber prices. ? The certification stickers may look nice on the vehicles, but all those certifications are unnecessary for those selling a quality product as others have said. 

Felt bad doing it but looking up old invoices we had held the price the same for four years and we all know costs have been going up a lot in recent times. No stickers here and proud of it. 

[Chalgravesteve]

....and that's entirely my view and my experience as well!!

 

My customers buy from me because we use local timber, and our wood is dry. We use barrow bags and put the bags where they want them, not just dropping it loose on the drive.

 

I provide a product and a service that no one in my area comes close to, and a HETAS (or anyone else's) sticker won't make it any better than it is now. If I put a "ready to burn" logo on my product, I'll design it myself and use my own! 

[HertsWood]

I’m accredited by HETAS for both the WoodSure & Ready 2 Burn Scheme, for me it’s about demonstrating an audit process to customers, for those that live in London where Ready to Burn standard is seen as the minimum standard with regard to firewood quality.
I’m also Grown in Britain Assured for WoodFuel (Firewood, WoodFuel pellets), including being one of a handful of charcoal producers in Britain with the accreditation.
For me it works and business has increased because of it, with customers across Essex, Herts, Bucks, Northants, Cambridgeshire & London.

[dumper]

1 hour ago, HertsWood said:

I’m accredited by HETAS for both the WoodSure & Ready 2 Burn Scheme, for me it’s about demonstrating an audit process to customers, for those that live in London where Ready to Burn standard is seen as the minimum standard with regard to firewood quality.
I’m also Grown in Britain Assured for WoodFuel (Firewood, WoodFuel pellets), including being one of a handful of charcoal producers in Britain with the accreditation.
For me it works and business has increased because of it, with customers across Essex, Herts, Bucks, Northants, Cambridgeshire & London.

So what does it cost you per year for these stickers

[HertsWood]

Hi Dumper,
It’s not just about stickers.
There is Biomass standard to adhere to, which covers everything thing from where the timber comes from, to how it’s processed, seasoned, packaged, checked for moisture content etc.
The GiB Certification for HWF is £120 / yr and the annual audit is £60.
There are random audits throughout the year as well to ensure standards are met. You allowed up to 15% timber from tree surgery operations,the rest coming from woodlands with approved management plans and FC felling licences.
The HETAS schemes cost a combined £378 per year. This includes the audits, listing in the HETAS handbook of all accredited suppliers/installers, as well as massive regional and national marketing support.

I’m proud to be accredited by both HETAS & GiB for my woodfuel and with the Clean Air Initiatives announced in January which will bring in further regulation where WoodFuel producers will need to be accredited, it’s a no brainer.

[BARNSLEY BOB]

Hi Dumper,
It’s not just about stickers.
There is Biomass standard to adhere to, which covers everything thing from where the timber comes from, to how it’s processed, seasoned, packaged, checked for moisture content etc.
The GiB Certification for HWF is £120 / yr and the annual audit is £60.
There are random audits throughout the year as well to ensure standards are met. You allowed up to 15% timber from tree surgery operations,the rest coming from woodlands with approved management plans and FC felling licences.
The HETAS schemes cost a combined £378 per year. This includes the audits, listing in the HETAS handbook of all accredited suppliers/installers, as well as massive regional and national marketing support.

I’m proud to be accredited by both HETAS & GiB for my woodfuel and with the Clean Air Initiatives announced in January which will bring in further regulation where WoodFuel producers will need to be accredited, it’s a no brainer.

Is that 85% of your timber 100% Fsc or can it be controlled timber.

[HertsWood]

Hi Bob,
GiB is all about promoting British timber / British woodlands and encouraging woodland owners to bring them into management. As a result, the majority of the timber I source has to come from managed woodlands with approved management plans and felling licences in place.

[FJMatt]

4 hours ago, HertsWood said:

Hi Dumper,
It’s not just about stickers.
There is Biomass standard to adhere to, which covers everything thing from where the timber comes from, to how it’s processed, seasoned, packaged, checked for moisture content etc.
The GiB Certification for HWF is £120 / yr and the annual audit is £60.
There are random audits throughout the year as well to ensure standards are met. You allowed up to 15% timber from tree surgery operations,the rest coming from woodlands with approved management plans and FC felling licences.
The HETAS schemes cost a combined £378 per year. This includes the audits, listing in the HETAS handbook of all accredited suppliers/installers, as well as massive regional and national marketing support.

I’m proud to be accredited by both HETAS & GiB for my woodfuel and with the Clean Air Initiatives announced in January which will bring in further regulation where WoodFuel producers will need to be accredited, it’s a no brainer.

So roughly how much has your sales increased, since joining the scheme 

[arboriculturist]

I wont say what I think of the team who drafted the 'Ready to burn' idea based on Firewood being less than 20% MC, however £378 per year that gives you massive regional  marketing support / advertising may be worthwhile although difficult to quantify. 

Producing a product with 25% MC is achievable and if accreditation gets you a chunk of new customers who find you through the scheme maybe it is not all doom and gloom.

I think a carefull look at what promotion is offered would be the starting point.