Company Information
  | HistoryWestland has been at the forefront of product innovation and development since its establishment in 1988. In August 2004, Westland purchased two of the oldest and most recognisable gardening brands - Unwins Seeds and S.E. Marshall & Co (mail order division). We believe that the strong combination of all the companies will make a significant impression in the gardening market. Westland is committed to continuing to provide the quality that people have come to know us for. And not just quality of product, but also quality of service and quality of innovation. A leading-edge position that we can maintain thanks to the calibre of our employees, our technically advanced production facilities - the most advanced in Europe and also due to our presence in gardening outlets throughout the UK and Ireland. | |
EnvironmentWestland is committed to minimising the impact of its activities on the natural environment. Each of its production centres has nominated personnel engaged in actively managing, monitoring and researching areas to further reduce environmental impacts. The scope of the activities include: - Peat harvesting As a responsible manufacturer, we are more than concerned about the environment; we are actively involved in the responsible management of the resources we utilise. |  | |
 | West +After four years of extensive research and development we have added a revolutionary new ingredient West+ to our premium compost range. Made from a sustainable resource West+:
Trials have shown that our new premium compost range containing West+ outperforms all other composts on the market. West+ is patented and exclusively licensed to Westland. | |
Environmental policy
Westland do not use Special Areas of Conservation (SAC's) or Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) as proposed for notification/notified under the EC Habitats Directive (1992), or sites designated under other equivalent national or international conservation programmes for the production of its raw materials. Westland follow and implement the Wise Use of Mires and Peatlands Guidelines produced by the International Mire Conservation Group (IPS). We have a policy of restoring peat lands to their natural habitat leaving a layer of peat on the surface and re-flooding the land to ensure a speedy return to a marshland habitat with a thriving ecosystem. Westland recognises the need for sustainability in the gardening industry. We are committed to providing viable alternatives to peat and are working closely with a major educational foundation to educate gardeners about peat free growing media. Westland has already exceeded the government guidelines on peat free products and fully expects to be able to meet future guidelines. Our care for the environment extends to the use of fertilisers and 33% of our garden fertiliser range is produced from renewable organic sources and, as more products are developed, this figure will increase. The Henry Doubleday Association certify the products in the Westland organic range. Our range of bark products are produced from forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The certification process is designed to ensure that timber resources are both well managed and sustainable. As part of our wider environmental policy Westland have adopted the Environmental Management System ISO 14001 which covers all aspects of environmental management including re-cycling, energy efficiency and emissions. | ||
Peat Extraction - The Facts
The earth generates over 100 million tons of peat per annum. Europe: Forestry - 14,400,000 (15%) U.K. and Ireland: In Ireland there are 1.34 million hectares of peatlands (16.2% of the total surface area), of which 311,000 is suitable for peat extraction. Fuel accounts for 90% of all peat extracted in Ireland with only 10% diverted for horticultural use. |  | |
Facts & FiguresPrincipal Domain: Located in: Cookstown, Co Tyrone Alconbury Hill, Cambridgeshire
Accreditions: Company Investment: Consumers are becoming more aware of the importance of garden health and investment in infrastructure, research facilities and marketing initiatives will allow us to keep pace with growing demand for Westland/Unwins products. Employees:
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