Learn about Forest Garden Group’s transformative partnership with the UK’s prison system
Proudly British, Forest Garden Group (Forest Garden) stands as the UK’s largest and most trusted manufacturer and distributor of garden timber products. For over 50 years, the company has expertly delivered fences, sheds, and myriad other high-quality wooden garden products. Its vast range of garden buildings, fencing, decking and decorative structures can be found for sale across many online sites and in over 3000 retail stores. “The traditional British Larchlap Fence Panel was developed over 50 years ago by Larchlap Ltd. In the 1990s, Larchlap became part of our heritage, enriching the Forest Garden brand which was itself established in 1974,” opens Sam Smith, CEO.
Forest Garden is a vertically integrated business using sustainable, British timber, the majority of which is grown and felled from managed forests across Scotland. In fact, the company’s operational footprint is exclusively focused throughout the UK as it aims to champion British manufacturing. “We want to make Britain a nation proud of its gardens hence our strap line ‘making British gardens great.’ Most of our products are grown in Britain, sawn in Britain, made in Britain, and sold only in Britain,” reveals Sam.
After felling in Scotland, the timber is cut and processed in the organization’s nearby sawmill before being taken to its manufacturing plant in rural Worcestershire. “It is in this plant that our skilled workforce produces our extensive variety of garden buildings, fencing and structures – the widest range available in the UK. All the products we sell are dispatched from our Worcestershire site, and the final part of their journey is managed by our dedicated delivery department and team of drivers. Using our own fleet of vehicles, our drivers are responsible for distributing our products to stores or direct to customers’ homes,” she informs.
Cultural change
As a result of Forest Garden’s tireless innovation efforts over the years, the company has been awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise in 2023. Sam shares her reflections on this achievement. “The prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise recognizes our one-of-a-kind innovation: the world’s first fully automatic high-speed fence panel manufacturing process. Whilst innovating the manufacturing process of fence panels may not seem like a particularly exciting endeavor, it has been nothing short of revolutionary in our sector. To have successfully introduced a new panel suitable for automation into our market and replaced a traditional manufacturing process with ground-breaking high-speed automation are achievements of which we are particularly proud. Indeed, we are honored to fly the King’s Award flag at our head office.”
Since taking on her role as CEO of the company, Sam has taken Forest on a journey of cultural change. “I have always strived to foster a culture similar to that of a small, family-run business, despite our company’s ever-increasing size. I would describe Forest Garden as a welcoming, rewarding and enjoyable workplace without any ivory towers. With offices within every one of our sites, I can spend my time at each of our locations with an open-door policy. Because I have been working at Forest Garden for 32 years and never elsewhere, I cannot compare my experience as a woman in the manufacturing world to that of another company. However, I can attest that being a woman at Forest Garden has never been an issue or thwarted my career progression in any way, despite having two children along the way. I am very proud to be Forest Garden’s very first female CEO,” she expresses.
Dedicated to community
At the core of Forest Garden’s culture lies an unwavering devotion to its communities. In line with that, the company undertakes significant work with the prison system. “Our relationships with local prisons continue to grow, becoming an increasingly integral part of our manufacturing operations. Currently, we operate six thriving workshops across five prisons, with a seventh workshop scheduled to open in September 2024. This not only enhances our production capacity, but also reflects our commitment to building meaningful partnerships that benefit both our business and the community. To further develop the skills of prisoners, we have introduced a certification program across these workshops. Prisoners can now follow a training framework and be awarded the ‘Forest Approved’ certification, which can then be used to aid in their employment post release. 
“We are relentlessly exploring new opportunities for collaboration and innovation within our prison partnerships, with the potential to lead to even greater efficiencies and enhanced production capabilities whilst expanding and strengthening these vital relationships. I am proud to chair the Employment Advisory Board for Hewell prison, a scheme instigated by the Government’s New Futures Network and championed by James Timpson, who was recently appointed Minister for Prisons, Parole and Probation. Being a part of this scheme is a truly exciting endeavor and we are excited to see the positive impact that James can make,” Sam enthuses.
Touching upon the subject of recent developments within Forest Garden, Sam unveils the organization’s latest initiative aiming to improve its internal processes. “Presently, we are implementing a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, Oracle NetSuite, which is set to go live in November 2024. This state-of-the-art system will further strengthen our already industry-leading processes by enhancing efficiencies across all areas of the business,” she enlightens.
Strategic vision
The future looks bright and exciting for Forest Garden, as its new ERP system is primed to play a key role in advancing its growth in the industry. Sam outlines her vision for the company’s long-term future, imagining what it will be like in five years’ time. “Our aspiration is to continue gaining market share and maintaining our position as the UK’s number one manufacturer and distributor of garden products, which we owe to our industry leading service. To reach this goal, we have a strategic plan in place that will further strengthen our relationships with our core customers and suppliers, thereby creating key partnerships for long-term growth,” she concludes.
Through its dedication to fostering a welcoming company culture and forming impactful community partnerships, including initiatives to enhance the employability of ex-prisoners, Forest Garden demonstrates exemplary stewardship. Moreover, its commitment to British manufacturing and innovations like its automated fence panel process makes the company well-positioned to sustain its leadership in the UK garden product industry.