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Urban Planters
We believe quality comes first and in 1992 became the first company in the industry to achieve the benchmark standard ISO 9001. Recognising that every successful business needs a good workforce, we also adopted the Government sponsored 'Investor in People' initiative, becoming formally accredited in 1994 - another industry 'first'. Our plants, selected from specialist growers in Holland, are used in such places as offices, hotels, leisure centres and shopping precincts. Our clients include Amey Facilities Management, Railtrack, Yorkshire Building Society and BAA McArthur Glen. The design element in interior planting is very strong and we work closely with architects to achieve a synergy between our plants and modern architecture. Our containers are sourced from leading European designers and such countries as Vietnam and Malaysia. The result? The highest service standards, a second-to-none reputation and, most importantly, satisfied customers. A very successful business which also provides extremely sound foundations for a franchise. top The franchise network  The value of the interior landscape market is estimated at a potential £200 million a year, but only 26 per cent of that potential is currently taken up. Increased awareness of how plants benefit office workers, both environmentally and psychologically, is encouraging expansion in this relatively untapped market. Since launching our franchise arm seven years ago, Urban Planters has successfully developed a nationwide network which has enabled group sales to grow threefold. Our award-winning franchise attracts business professionals who are looking at an earning potential of £60,000-plus. Our business is based on the rental or outright sales of plants in distinctive containers, backed by a monthly maintenance service. Rental contracts are for one to five years, with the valuable advantage that each builds up long term secured income. Territories are available throughout Britain and Ireland, where we have major contracts. top Our franchise package We require:
Franchise case study  The message that living plants are good for you has helped Thomas Palfreyman build up a healthy business. Thomas, his parents and three staff operate a flourishing Urban Planters franchise supplying and maintaining eye catching plants in offices, hotels and leisure clubs throughout Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. The team has used a range of talents to build up a substantial business over the past four years, and their success has been mirrored by others in the network. Increasing recognition of the health benefits of plants, both as powerful removers of pollutants and as providers of oxygen in sterile office atmospheres, is partly responsible for the growth in the specialist plant market. Another important factor is that most people welcome having plants near them. Says Thomas: "Employers are realising that providing a quality working environment which includes plants helps staff to work more efficiently." Thomas, aged 28, is a top achiever. He recorded the highest sales for installation within the company's national franchise network during 1999 and his own portfolio includes substantial names such as McArthur Glen, the Out Of Town restaurant chain, the Royal Bank of Scotland and Derby County Football Club. A recent scheme saw the team putting hundreds of live and replica plants into the atrium of the prestigious Nottingham Royal Moat House, a premier hotel in the Moat House Hotels group. The display is one of the largest planted areas in the city. Spectacular live tropical plants from specialist growers in Holland, including 3m-high Beaucarnia bonsai, 5m-high Kentia palms and a Ficus arch were included in the upgrade. The atrium forms a focal point for the hotel's restaurant and bars. Said General Manager David Kanarens: "Urban Planters Nottingham did a magnificent job. They have given the arcade a fantastic new look which forms part of our ongoing revitalisation for the hotel."  The Palfreyman's business in Derbyshire has developed steadily but surely. Initially Thomas and his mum Sheila shared all roles but each has now moved into the sector they find most attractive - Thomas into sales and customer care, Sheila into administration and organisation. Recalls Thomas: "We enjoyed the business so much that we felt confident enough to expand into Nottinghamshire and to take on our first maintenance technician. Soon we were generating enough work to take on two more technicians and to extend our office building. "Our growth over the past six years has far exceeded anything we imagined. Being part of a franchise has allowed us to improve and develop all the time. The head office team offers a wealth of expertise and technical help and fellow franchisees exchange contacts and ideas." Thomas regularly visits Holland with clients to handpick plants for major contracts. But he stresses the importance of putting equal care and consideration into smaller jobs. "Our clients want a dedicated local service, backed up by the benefits offered through a national company. They appreciate dealing with someone who will follow the job through from beginning to end and who is at the end of a phone if they have any queries." top  Key Info | | ||||||||||
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