Natural Selection News

As the festive season approaches, we’d like to ensure you have all the information you need regarding our delivery deadlines and office opening hours over Christmas and New Year. Pre-Christmas Delivery Deadline Place your orders on or before 11th December to guarantee delivery before Christmas!  Office Opening Hours for Christmas & New Year 20th December: Office closes at 12pm for our staff Christmas Party. This is also the last date for deliveries. 23rd December: Last collection available in the AM only. Office closes for the festive period at 5pm. 2nd January 2025: Office reopens at 8:30am for business as usual.

We proudly participated in the NBG Conference on the 18th and 19th of November 2024. Held at the prestigious Celtic Manor Resort, the event brought together industry leaders and partners for two days of collaboration, networking, and innovation in the builders’ merchant sector. Located on Stand S72, our team, comprising Shane McCormick and Cate Kennewell, engaged with attendees, showing our new products and innovations for 2025. “The NBG Conference is an unmissable opportunity to align with industry peers and showcase what sets us apart in a competitive market,” said Shane McCormick. “This year’s event has been exceptional in terms of

We are thrilled to announce that Andy Maxwell has joined Long Rake Spar, bringing a wealth of experience in the industry. Andy will be covering Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the North East as an Area Sales Manager and budding up with Sammy Bright in the busy Sales Office. Andy’s extensive background working with builders’ merchants makes him a valuable addition to our team, and we’re excited to see the expertise and fresh perspective he’ll bring to the business. Please join us in welcoming Andy to Long Rake Spar! We look forward to the contributions he’ll make

We are excited to share the highlights from our attendance at the FutureScape Show, held on October 15th and 16th. Our team was proud to showcase our latest innovations at Stand P62, where we introduced two new products that promise to elevate landscaping projects: premium product Savannah Rose chippings and a construction and landscaping favourite, Grano Dust. In addition to this we showcased exciting new technology due to be launched in 2025 to assist our merchant customers with their sales.

Yesterday, Long Rake Spar proudly attended the BMJ Awards dinner, which took place in London on Friday, September 27th. This prestigious event celebrates the top achievements in the builders’ merchant sector. Representing Long Rake Spar were Shane McCormick, Wendy Pearson, and Tammy Tidmarsh, who gathered to celebrate with industry peers and recognise the year’s best. Long Rake Spar earned its place as a finalist in the Landscaping Supplier of the Year category, marking an outstanding achievement in a competitive field. Reaching the finals was a significant honour and a testament to the company’s ongoing commitment to quality and service. Reflecting

We are thrilled to announce that Shane McCormick, National Sales Manager for Natural Selection, has been appointed as a Freeman of the prestigious Worshipful Company of Builders’ Merchants. This esteemed honour recognises Shane’s exceptional contributions to the builders’ merchant industry and highlights his commitment to excellence and innovation. The Worshipful Company of Builders’ Merchants, one of the City of London’s ancient livery companies, is dedicated to promoting the highest standards in the construction supply sector. Becoming a Freeman is a significant accolade, acknowledging Shane’s leadership, expertise, and dedication to the trade. Beyond the ceremonial significance, this historic tradition also grants

Proud to be named a finalist for Landscaping Supplier of the Year at the BMJ Industry Awards! Thank you to everyone who voted – your support means the world to us!

Long Rake Spar’s decorative aggregate brand Natural Selection has recently surpassed industry standards with a NPS (Net Promoter Score) of +67. We asked a series of questions covering areas such as customer service, product quality, and price to gain a deeper insight into all areas of the business. We then looked at how that feedback can be translated into meaningful action and improvement across the Natural Selection brand and the wider business. We feel that ultimately the success of our business, and all businesses, is reliant upon customer satisfaction. If customers are not happy with our products and service we

National Sales Manager for Long Rake Spar/Natural Selection, Shane McCormick has decided to share his story during Skin Cancer Awareness month, because in his words, “If just one person sees this, changes their behaviour, and saves themselves as a result, then it’s worth it.” Shane was first diagnosed with skin cancer in 2017 after 13 years of being a Landscape Gardener. Shane had switched roles about eight years before the skin cancer diagnosis but the damage of 13 years working outside without sun protection had already been done. Shane admits that he never considered using sunscreen or covering up when

We are back at the NMBS and ready to see all our customers over the next couple of days! With a selection of aggregates to view in our very popular Aggregates Display Stands (which are making their way to Builder’s Merchants nationwide), you can talk to our friendly and knowledgeable Area Sales Managers and find out how we can help you. Held at the Coventry Building Society Arena in Coventry and with over 280 exhibitors,  NMBS is the biggest event for Builder’s Merchants this year.

In January 81 schools painted stones that were donated by Natural Selection and Silverton Aggregates for the Colchester Zoo Rocks project. Colchester Zoo is a zoological garden situated near Colchester, England. The zoo was opened in 1963. This project was to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the opening of Colchester Zoo. We, along with Silverton Aggregates supplied approximately 12,000 Scottish Cobbles and around 160 Cambrian Boulders, which were painted by over 11,500 students across Essex, Suffolk and London! On return back to the Zoo, these beautiful stones have been added to the commemorative garden located by the entrance of the Zoo.

We are really pleased to see these lovely images of our 40mm Blue Slate at one of the Commonwealth Games sites in Birmingham. The Welsh Slate was sold through our Merchant, Davis Aggregates to their customer F.B & Sons, Lawns & Landscapes. It was F B & Sons who undertook the regeneration of the area, laying the aggregate and planting a variety of drought-tolerant plants that not only provide long-lasting colour through the year, but also a wonderful scent for passers by. It is always great to see where our products end up!

Previous Job roles: Long Rake Spar welcomes our new sales Co-ordinator. Jessica Joined the Natural Selection team after Christmas, having previously worked as a Care Assistant in a care home.  She has also worked in the famous Bakewell Pudding Shop, which is just down the road from our head quarters.  About Jess: I love to work as a team and hope my bubbly, confident personality will help with customer services aspects of the job. When I am not at work, I spend my time with my 5-year-old son Chester who keeps me very busy! I also love a good Netflix

Natural Selection is delighted to welcome new Account Manager, Megan Brooker for the Central England and Wales region. Megan has many years industry experience. She previously working at IBC Buying Group, Tobermore and Brett Landscaping. Megan is a brilliant addition to the Natural Selection team. She has a well rounded knowledge of the industry and likes to be part of a Merchants ‘extended’ team. Rachel Aiers who previously covered this area, as well as the South West, will now be managing Merchant Accounts in the South West region. This change aims to improve coverage of the respective regions. Megan loves

We presented the winners of the NMBS race track competition with their Amazon gift vouchers Following on from a successful NMBS exhibition, we presented the Long Rake Spar Race NMBS Race Track Prize winners with their Amazon vouchers. Our account managers visited; Burnley Plumbing, Bradford’s Building Supplies and Alter Landscapes to shake hands with our worthy winners.  We created a new concept for the 2021 stand; ‘The Long Rake Spar Scalextric Race Track’. Our customers were invited to do 2 laps on the race track whilst being timed. Those ranking in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place from over the 2

As a result of Covid the past year and a half has been a struggle to say the least. We were unable to provide the customer service and support we pride ourselves on. Our account managers who are usually racing around the country visiting our customers and helping with marketing support set up were banished to their kitchen table. Over 150 aggregate stands and 500 Point of sale boards set up in builders merchants.. We are over the moon to be back out there and have certainly made up for lost time. Our account managers and marketing department have set

For 2019 we are delighted to introduce three stunning new products into our decorative range. These products were chosen to tie into current market trends which have seen sales in grey landscapingstone outsell the traditional tones of gold and buff. The three new products are Graphite Chippings 14mm as well as Heritage Quartz gravel and Ocean Blue pebbles; both available in 10mm, 14, and 20mm sizes. Our Graphite Chippings are stunning granite chippings with flecks of blue/grey tones, which deepen when the product is wet. This hard-wearing gravel will provide a contemporary feel to any landscape design and works well

This week’s RHS Hampton Court Flower has showcased some breath-taking gardens to inspire horticulturalists and novice planters alike and we were delighted to be part of it. Each year at RHS Hampton Court, the Celebrity Theatre features engaging demonstrations and discussions with the nation’s favourite TV gardeners and surrounding this year’s stage were 3 front gardens, created for visitors to enjoy. Long Rake Spar were delighted to be invited to support the ‘Mend Our Mountains’ garden in association with Everest. The garden is part of the British Mountaineering Council’s campaign to repair the UK’s mountain paths, bridleways and bridges to

Following its successful launch in 2017, RHS Chatsworth is returning this June with an eye-catching array of landscapes and displays. Amongst the striking collection of show gardens is the CCLA: A Family Garden which has been designed by Amanda Waring and Laura Arison and built by G K Wilson Landscape Services. Long Rake Spar has been approached by Amanda to supply decorative aggregate to match the Bradstone paving used throughout the garden as well as Multi-Purpose Compost for planting beds. The CCLA garden has been designed to bring together aspects of family life with elements of the outdoors. Built across