The Emperors New Knotweed…

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

We all know the story of the Emperors new clothes – when the Emperor was given a cloak that didn’t exist and was told that only highly intelligent people could see it – therefore everyone told him how wonderful it was (even though he was naked)….until a little boy said ‘ but he is naked’.

Well we have a new version of the story involving Japanese Knotweed.

It appears that some contractors try and boost their standing by spotting knotweed that isn’t actually there (thus appearing clever and thorough). The client then tells the next contractor ‘oh I believe there is some over on the Southern boundary’ – and not wishing to appear stupid… the next contractor says ‘oh yes we spotted that too’.

It then takes a lot of bottle to say – NO – there isn’t any on the Southern boundary….

…but that’s what we do at Japanese Knotweed Solutions – if it isn’t there then we aren’t going to charge you for it.

We guarantee any site that we survey - and any Japanese Knotweed that is found within our survey area is covered. It’s in our interest to be accurate and honest – and that’s what we do.

Day in, day out – no b******t, no scare mongering just honest practical advice.

Call the experts call Japanese Knotweed Solutions.

Mike C

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Contract Law……..

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

What sort of world do we live in when a main contractor can get away without paying you – but then insist that you have to go back and carry out works or they will get someone else to do the work and contra-charge you.

These are the times we live in folks!

Personally, I’m thinking that maybe us business owners need to have a little more respect for each other. If you have shaken hands and agreed to pay within a reasonable length of time – that’s what you should do….if you can’t – then get on the phone and explain.

Some smart arse will no doubt respond to this blog and say … ‘but you don’t pay everyone on time Mike’ – well no I don’t – BUT- there is a reason. As a small to medium sized business I very much depend on my customers paying me – to enable me to pay others.

This year has been a nightmare from a ‘cash’ point of view. Its one thing having a full order book – it’s another thing entirely to get people to actually part with their cash. All it took this year is three of our customers to delay their payments and we were down by £150K. They all insisted that they had valid reasons for delaying payments – but - all that they were doing was using us as a banking facility.

Another one of our larger clients decided that they were no longer going to pay on 60 days – and were going to pay on 90 days.

All that actually happens then is that we don’t get paid anything for one extra month. With a regular 12 monthly payment profile when terms are extended – you only get that money back when you stop working for them – when the contract rolls over to the next year you have actually only been paid for 11 of the 12 months i.e. they have discounted the project by 1/12^th.

And so it goes on.

I’m not really complaining because I know some companies are far worse off…some companies are no longer around.

I’m just saying that my stress levels would be much lower if all I had to worry about was getting the work done.

As a business owner, one has to worry about getting the work, worry about doing the work, worry about getting paid….

Worry, worry, worry

Mike C

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Mike Goes on Holidays – yet life still goes on…

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

So here it is the big news of the year so far – Mike Clough has had a two week holiday and low and behold the world has not ground to a halt.

Joking aside, I’m proud to say that the team here at Japanese Knotweed Solutions is well trained and very competent – and thus - on a day to day basis I really am no longer needed.

This not only allows me to take time to work ‘on the company’ and not ‘in the company’ but also occasionally allows me to have some time off.

I have returned to see figures showing a record number of orders received and a significant upturn in the cash flow situation – so all is good….at the moment!

The site teams are fully occupied in the on going war against invasive weeds and the survey guys are all over the country advising on the issues relating to invasive non native species.

Whilst we are very busy day to day I’m not so sure about the future. My biggest concern continues to be the economic gloom and doom that keeps the newspapers selling. If the cutbacks that are required to bring the country from billions in debt need a 40% reduction in service from the Public Sector, then we know that Japanese Knotweed removal isn’t going to be a high priority.

I’m seeing a situation where all the inroads that have been made in the maintenance and management of invasive non natives is set back because funding is cut on what should be seen as vital works. We are finally beginning to get Local Authorities to spend money on invasive weed control and it would be a huge pity if this were to be lost in the inevitable cuts.

I know as well that in the scheme of things… maybe invasive weeds aren’t as high a priority as say the National Health Service – but the tiny amount spent on Environment Issues plays a vital role in all of our futures.

If the Invasive Plants are allowed to run riot then there will be no turning back – we won’t have any native vegetation to save!

Mike C

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Health and Safety out the ass…?

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

We recently started work for a major contractor carrying out Japanese Knotweed removal and tree felling.

Our site staff are fully qualified to use chain saws and climbing gear, they have First Aid and medical training they are site inducted, ISO qualified etc etc

BUT….they didn’t have a chipper certificate.

They didn’t have a chipper certificate because you CANNOT GET a chipper certificate – you CAN get a competence certificate which says – … ‘don’t put your hand in there mate’…DUUUH

So …we all had to come away from site until someone was found who had been on a competence course – then the competent guy watched our guys do all the work..whilst he drank tea..

Surely to f***ing God – using a chainsaw is slightly more dangerous than using a chipper – and anyone qualified to do tree works is going to be able to use a chipper..

I know I know we all want Health and Safety to get rid of all site based injuries…. but if it carries on like this you are going to need a bloody competent to walk certificate and training for peeing card…before being allowed out of the house…

…and it all costs ££££ - who pays ??? Mike bloody Clough does.

Grrrrrrrr

Mike C

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New Season New Team…

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

We are not a huge company here at Japanese Knotweed Solutions but we do our bit for local employment.

Current staffing levels have increased over the last month with six new starters. We have a new surveyor (Hannah Rayne - see team section)) a new Sales Manager (Nathan Follows – see team section) a new apprentice (Ryan)  2 new site lads and a new receptionist (Jade)..

So… we are sticking our heads above the parapet and saying come on in 2010 – let’s get some work done!

It’s difficult in this current uncertain climate to be confident in your decisions… but I’ve had enough of sitting around waiting for ‘things’ to improve

…so we are starting a trend of companies that are going out of their way to buck the doom and gloom!

Ask us for prices and see if we can make a difference.

.

Mike C

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Round Table Event…

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

Watching the Political debate on live television the other night inspired me to think why don’t the various Japanese Knotweed eradication companies do something similar?

Let’s have a ‘round table’ event and invite all the main contractors working with Non Native Species to come along and talk about how they tackle the problems inherent with Japanese Knotweed and the other problem weeds.

It could be something done annually to pick up on changes in legislation and monitoring the impact of the Psyllid aphid. We can open it to the public and invite DEFRA and the Environment Agency and CABI and have an open forum for debate.

In the first instance I suggest holding it in Manchester at the Lowry Hotel –  funded by Japanese Knotweed Solutions.

If you are interested in being involved e mail mike.clough@sltd.co.uk and let’s get it arranged.

Mike C

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We shall fight them on the beaches….

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

The new JKSL advertisement is about to hit the press.

Using the famous Winston Churchill quote we re-visit the ‘hand’ concept which has proved such a talking point amongst our clients.

I feel that the words very much define our approach to non native species –

… ‘we shall fight them on the beaches, we shall fight in the fields, and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills, we will never surrender…’.

For several years now I have been trying to rouse the public into a sort of Dunkirk spirit – to fight back against the invading hordes (of invasive weeds)…

Maybe this advert will appeal to that British’ness that we all seem to have forgotten. Instead of the English arguing with the Scots, or the Welsh or the Irish lets get a united front against plants that are taking over our British Countryside.

Lets fight back …

Lets protect our shores…

Lets dig for Britain – but be very careful where you put the contaminated waste.

Mike C

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So what is the best way to get rid of Japanese Knotweed…?

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

It’s the blog you’ve all been waiting for…Mike Clough finally gives the game away, finally tells the big secret.

Probably the biggest factor to be aware of is the ***** beneath the **** structure.

Whilst the main ***** of the parent plant are ********* to attack by ***** the result would be catastrophic to the plant should the ***** seam beneath the ***** leaf up from the basal **** be broken. Application of ******** herbicide at the ********concentration, applied to the **** will cause immediate death of the plant.

So that’s it then.

No more Knotweed problems….just computer problems. The ****ing *** button seems to be jammed…?

Odd.

Mike C

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Sorry - Just Not Technical Enough…!

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Apparently our Seminars are just not technical enough – this was a comment from an unnamed source from one of our legislative environmental groups -  when asked why he wasn’t attending our seminar in March. He had actually been told by his superiors - not to attend

Well forgive me for taking offence – but – surely we all need to be talking about the issues relating to release of a bio-control agent. Let’s get people to discuss non native species – let’s broaden the dialogue and get developers and local authorities educated.

I believe that part of the problem with our Governing bodies that they are all too bloody insular. Unless you are actually in DEFRA or spend weeks ploughing through their tedious website – it’s very very difficult to keep track of what’s going on and what decisions are being made.

The majority of the general population doesn’t even know that DEFRA exists, let alone what it stands for or even what it does. When one attends conferences and seminars held by these ‘boffins’ very few people attend and those that do – already know about the issues and probably wrote a thesis on the subject.

Yet - when the Public were consulted about the potential release of the Psyllid aphid – only 66 people responded….and three of those were from Japanese Knotweed Solutions!

So FORGIVE me if I’m not technical enough - but we have seventy people coming to our seminar – which is four more than responded to the Public consultation.

Sorry for the rant – but I’m disappointed that our legislative bodies are so narrow minded.

Wouldn’t it have been a perfect opportunity to broaden the audience and get the message out amongst a different set of people? Rather than just talking to yourselves – get out amongst the people that pay your wages.

Mike C

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Mike Clough – the brand…

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

So who am I?

I’m just a man who’s intentions are good – please don’t let me be misunderstood… - I think that may be a song lyric – but it sums me up.

I seem to have managed to cultivate an image of being a hard nosed business man – …but it wasn’t always that way…

fading lights and dreamy music…

I originally studied to gain a degree Landscape Architecture, then did a Post Graduate Diploma in Landscape Design.

Whilst doing the Post grad course I decided to set up a Design and Build practice and began to carry out high quality Design works throughout the UK. The company expanded to eventually have a team of 6 landscape Architects and 18 site based lads.

As part of the package we offered maintenance work on all of our sites – it was at this time that I began to study invasive non-native plants. I travelled throughout the UK talking about the problems alien species caused – and getting a feel for the issues surrounding invasives.

It quickly became clear to me that alien species were here to stay - and here to cause major problems for construction….

I gained a reputation as being Mr Japanese Knotweed …and so I set up Japanese Knotweed Solutions.

The same lads that had worked for me carrying our landscape works had all the required skills to tackle invasive weeds – chemical treatment and spray certificates, machine licenses, rope access, chain saw license holders – so it was an easy change of direction…

So really I’m just a bloke who saw a problem – and thought – that’s going to become an issue!

The rest is history.

Mike C

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