Two Superpowers meet – for a little light lunch….
In these days of aggressive marketing and criticism of ones competitors it’s nice to occasionally forget all the sniping and stop for a bit of lunch…
So last week I met with Nick Hartley from TCM (arguably our major competitor?) and had a pizza…
Interestingly both companies are very busy - which given the continued economic doom and gloom is a positive message - and both companies are looking forward to a positive 2010.
I believe that the ‘knotweed contractors’ are a good indicator of the way the economy is going - brown field site clearance is very much at the front of development and Japanese Knotweed clearance is often the first part of site works (…you often can’t really do anything until you’ve sorted the Japanese knotweed!).
Both companies have a different take on what is the best strategy for development sites - TCM push the ‘sifting’ method which involves separation of rhizome from the bulk of the waste materials using sub contract labour - thus reducing the amount taken to landfill.
We here at Japanese Knotweed Solutions feel that off site removal to landfill should only ever be a last resort - and favor strategies carried out by in house staff - that keeps material within site boundaries wherever possible.
JKSL also have doubts about the possible re-growth from sifted material. The sifting process goes down to 10mm sifted - which given the often repeated phrase… ‘a piece as small as a fingernail can re grow’ - may be a cause for concern…?
Nick also mentioned a bunch of other ideas that they had in the pipeline such as the Taylored Wetland and Aquatic Treatment Service (or TWATS) that they now offer…
Enough said.
Sorry couldn’t resist.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Can I be Batman please…never liked that Superman character not ‘dark’ enough…
Mike C
September 30th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
If you are batman, who is your Robin….
Alex???
September 30th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Mike,
As always quite an informative, (if slightly blinkered and one sided) blog. Just to clarify, there is not always the need to remove Rhizome from site. If possible we are able to bury minimal quantities on site which is typically <1% of any total volume, secondly we if necessary on a large long term project will use employed agency staff simply to take care of non critical parts of the process, these are backed up by full time TCM representative who rigerously check the quality of this work. As you will be aware, we do have a large and profitable number of major projects and as such to directly employ this number of staff would inevitably lead to higher overheads and we are loathed to pass on these costs to out clients in what are diffiuclt time.
Perhaps if you have learnt anything from these blogs (which I have my doubts about) it is that you should not be too quick to critise new system that perhaps you do not fully understand.
I will happily be Superman if you prefer, I always thought he was slightly better and more popular than Batman anyway. Perhaps there is a trend there too.
October 1st, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Thanks Nick.
Obviously I wouldn’t be having lunch with you if I didn’t respect you and your company. Its great to have your views on the blog and great to get some dialogue going.
The sifting technique I’m sure will prove itself in the longer term, however, flagging up concerns which must be on the minds of our customers and getting answers back from companies such as TCM, can only do the industry and it’s customers good.
As for the Batman/Superman scenario….they both wear underpants outside of their tights - so again enough said.
Mike C