It’s safe to say most of us won’t forget 2020 in a hurry. It brought with it significant challenges for everyone and our business was no exception, as in March we found ourselves rapidly needing to devise new ways of working to ensure we could continue to help our customers with all their invasive plant needs, safely and efficiently.

But we will also look back at 2020 with positivity, not only because of the resilience we all showed through a period of such uncertainty, but also because it happened to be a particular highlight in our 24-year history. First and foremost, Environet UK became 100% employee-owned in July, when my wife Bertie and I signed the business over to our staff in the form of an Employee Ownership Trust. This was in recognition of their hard work and commitment – and to ensure the company’s future is not only secure, but also bright.

In May we launched our game-changing detection dog surveys to massive media interest, with features in The Times, Daily Mail, Daily Express, Metro, Evening Standard and on TV and Radio with interviews on BBC South East Today  and BBC Radio 4 ‘You and Yours’. Our team of canine knotweed detectives are now out and about up and down the country, sniffing out knotweed, helping settle encroachment disputes and giving buyers the confidence to go ahead with their purchases.

We also saw significant growth in our bamboo removal work across the UK, assisted by a campaign to raise awareness of the invasive nature of this gardener’s favourite, which kept our teams extremely busy.

Our most successful ever year of trading was topped off earlier this month with the fantastic news that we have been recognised as the best in the business by the PCA, our trade body, which has named Environet UK its invasive plants ‘Contractor of the Year 2020’.

We’re looking forward to 2021 with excitement and optimism. As well as growing our team further with several new appointments, we have ambitious plans to expand our Research and Development programme including testing new treatments for the invasive plant Horsetail at our research site in East Sussex.

I wish to say a very sincere thank-you to you, our customers, for not only supporting us over the last twelve months but for championing us too.  Thanks to the many wonderful reviews we have received our TrustPilot rating is “Excellent”, scoring 4.9 out of 5. For us, a happy customer means a job well done.

Along with my team, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Nic Seal

Founder and Managing Director.