Mercia puts British-made sheds and greenhouses centre stage
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Woodsman Apex Greenhouse
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Woodsman Lean Too Greenhouse
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Woodsman Shed
Mercia Garden Products is bringing its Woodsman shiplap shed and Premium Woodsman greenhouse ranges to a wider group of garden centre and display site partners, as the Nottinghamshire manufacturer looks to grow its independent retail network after years of online growth.
Both ranges are made in the UK by a business with one of the longest continuous histories in the category. Mercia has been manufacturing timber garden buildings in Nottinghamshire since 1878 and remains one of Britain's largest and longest-running manufacturers of its kind. Every wooden building is produced at its own UK sites from responsibly sourced FSC® or PEFC certified timber, and inspected individually before it leaves the factory. For retailers, that means shorter, more reliable lead times than imported alternatives, a lower carbon footprint to talk to customers about, and a manufacturer that can respond directly when a display or an order needs attention.
The Woodsman shiplap shed range is built to sit at the premium end of a crowded shed market. Thicker 2" x 1" (44 x 27mm) internal framing, 12mm shiplap cladding and a tongue-and-groove matchboard roof and floor give the buildings a substance customers can feel on the shop floor, while the ironmongery is salt-spray tested beyond the industry standard for rust resistance. Apex and pent roof options run from 6x4 through to 10x8, and a modular design allows window and door placement to be specified to suit the customer. Styrene or glass glazing is available, and the buildings carry an anti-rot guarantee of up to 15 years.
The Premium Woodsman greenhouse range applies the same construction thinking to growing spaces, with 44 x 44mm framing, 12mm shiplap weatherboard, antique-style ironmongery and an opening roof vent for climate control. Apex, pent lean-to and combi greenhouse-with-shed configurations cover the main garden shapes, with polycarbonate, styrene or toughened glass glazing. The combi model in particular gives retailers a strong high-value display piece, answering the storage-and-growing question in a single footprint.
Underpinning both ranges is Mercia's ready-painted service, available across all shiplap sheds, summerhouses and greenhouses. Buildings are finished at the factory in one of six colours — including Castle Green, Anthracite Grey and Dove — using a premium, fully opaque paint that protects the timber against weathering, UV, mould and fungal growth from the day it is delivered. It takes the painting job away from the customer entirely, and gives display sites a finished, colour-led presentation that lifts average order value rather than relying on bare timber.
Leading the garden centre push is Warren Thackeray, who joined Mercia earlier this year as Business Development Manager, responsible for growing the company's independent retail and display site network. He brings more than 20 years' experience in the garden and outdoor living trade, most recently as UK Sales Manager at Barlow Tyrie and previously in similar roles at Glencrest Seatex and Lafuma. His background in outdoor furniture and BBQs gives him a working understanding of how garden centres buy, merchandise and sell big-ticket outdoor products.
"Garden buildings are one of the highest-value purchases a customer will make in a garden centre, and they sell on confidence," said Warren Thackeray. "Seeing outdoor buildings in person allows customers to fully appreciate the build quality, scale and materials, and being able to step inside helps them visualise the space in their own garden. Mercia's UK manufacturing means a reliable supply chain with shorter lead times — but it goes beyond logistics. Local production allows higher levels of quality control and direct communication, which helps build strong, successful partnerships."
Mercia is now actively looking to add garden centres and display sites to its partner network, and is offering a free first display site, fully equipped with point-of-sale material, to retailers coming on board. Warren welcomes enquiries from UK retailers via the trade team.
Contact details
Warren Thackeray, Business Development Manager
Telephone: 07983 564260
Email: Warren.Thackeray@merciagp.co.uk
Sales: sales@merciagp.co.uk
Telephone: 01636 558471