The nursery division of the UK’s leading distributor of horticultural products is celebrating a record-breaking year.
The Butters Group's nursery arm has trebled the size of its operation since it was launched three years ago, and has just posted a turnover exceeding £2.5 million.
Westside Nurseries was set up by the Spalding-based horticultural company in May 2011 with just four acres.
After three years of growth and investment, including more than £350,000 this year alone on new greenhouses and packaging areas, the company now boasts 12 acres of glass.
Potted bulbs is a now a significant growth area, with over 5 million bulbs set to be grown in 2015.
Westside, which employs more than 100 people at peak times, supplies a variety of bedding plants and herbs to a number of high street retailers.
The company is also following the Butters Group policy of developing UK growing for plants traditionally imported from abroad.
Nursery manager Peter Hicks said the company had already run successful trials to grow various crops, usually imported from Holland, and will continue the strategy over the coming years.
He added: “The growth in the company has been really exceptional since it was launched three years ago.
“We have come a long way but we are determined to continue that progress and we have set a target of expanding to 20 acres in the next few years. That would put us firmly amongst the UK’s biggest growers.”
Butters Group purchasing director Simon Esdale said: “We are delighted with the success of our nursery business. Not only does it mean we are investing more money in the UK growing sector but it allows us to ensure we deliver quality products to our customers.”
Butters Group, based in Spalding, is already the UK’s leading distributors of horticultural products. With sales of over £50m a year, it supplies products for in-store sale and home delivery, to the leading UK high street stores.
