Mike Clough, Knotweed killer…

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

I attended a conference recently where I was given a huge compliment. The speaker was a highly respected professional from the environment industry (and with no connection to Japanese Knotweed Solutions)….

The Speaker talked about the spread of Japanese Knotweed (JK) over the last twenty years and presented various theories about why there had been a time lag with the spread followed by an exponential growth.

There was a statement that ten years ago the Environment Agency could have eradicated JK and now they have not even got the manpower to manage the spread of the plant.

At the end of his highly informative presentation a member of the audience asked him what the best way to kill Japanese Knotweed was – he answered ‘well the person that has killed the most knotweed in the country is Mike Clough – why don’t we ask him…

Ha – I would have blushed but I’m far too tough.

I then signed autographs – yeah right.

Mike C

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Happy New Year 2011

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011

So here we are, firing on all cylinders ready to sort all of your invasive weed problems in 2011. (…Ok so that’s not exactly true – maybe a more accurate version would be… so here some of us are …the ones that don’t have the flu…!)

We are very much hitting the ground running - with projects all over the country – the teams have gone straight to jobs, having been prepared in meetings which took place before the Christmas break. It would appear that the construction industry is ‘on its feet’ with major projects in the North, South, East and West of the UK.

Yet as a business owner I am still finding it difficult to plan too far ahead. We need new vans, we need new computers, we need upgrades on various bits of technical equipment and we need more staff….BUT…will the economy support all of this new investment?

My current philosophy is to go forward with little steps – be positive but not rash…(which will please our finance department).

We are interviewing next week for a new surveyor and hope that we can find someone that will fit in with the current team and also bring something new to the table. Skills in plant identification and an understanding of how to manage environmental issues with development needs are a requirement – personality and sense of humour are also a ‘must’.

So let’s look forward to a positive 2011, lets build on our existing reputation as the number one service provider in the industry and continue to provide innovative solutions to business and domestic customers with invasive plant problems.

Bring it on.

Mike C.

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Talking, talking, talking…but I’m speaking to the wrong people!

Wednesday, October 6th, 2010

I’m running around all over the country again, Lancaster, London, Scotland, Ashton, Perth, Motherwell, Newcastle – and that’s just next week.

But with all these presentations and all this talking – I’m wondering…am I actually talking to the right people?

This morning I spoke to an enthusiastic team from a Local Authority Parks department. The guys were keen to learn about how Japanese Knotweed came to be brought into the UK and were responsive to the various strategies for eradication and management. The main point that came out from the talk however was the poor management that these teams were being given.

We were told that the grass cutting adjacent to heavy knotweed infestations had continued, despite the teams advising management that this was poor practice – they were told to … ‘do it anyway’.

We were further advised that when confronted with heavy JK infestation adjacent to highways, the teams were told to … ‘just push the knotweed back away from the road’. We also heard that the compound in which the Local Authority tractors and heavy machinery were kept had JK at the entrance and every day the machinery drove through heavily contaminated ground – causing the plant to spread….!

The main feedback however was that due to lack of funding, most chemical treatment of invasive non native species simply wasn’t being done. Cutbacks in spending had resulted in cheaper chemicals being used which the teams advised was …. ‘about as useful as spraying water on the plants!’

The message that we are getting is confusing!

Why pay for training if you aren’t going to listen to the advice that you have paid for? Why pay for training when you cant pay for the works…?

Maybe I need to get hold of the Managers not the teams on the ground? …but this is going to become increasingly difficult as they all get made redundant to reduce the deficit in Council funding.

Aaaaarrghhhh

Mike C

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I’m worried that people ARE listening to me….!

Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

I prattle on about all sorts of things on this blog, and most of the time nobody reads what I write. I also spend a lot of time travelling around the country talking at various seminars wherever people will listen to me…

Most of the time nobody pays a great deal of attention, I’ve even had one or two people fall asleep during my presentations. So …it’s come as a bit of a shock to find that people have actually been listening to what I say, and have been reading what I’ve written.

When I first came across Japanese Knotweed I thought that there would be a flurry of activity then everyone would realise what a problem the plant could be – and we would all work together and sort out the issues.

Yet every year we continue to get busier and every year I continue to be amazed at the mistakes that people make when dealing with Japanese Knotweed.

As part of my continued tour of the UK I have been speaking to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. These are the people that value our houses and properties, the people that recommend properties and value them for mortgage applications.

And these are the people that have finally listened!

‘Santander’ have issued a statement that they will not give a mortgage on a property with Japanese Knotweed within 30 metres of a site boundary. The Saturday Times then ran an article saying that Japanese Knotweed was one of the ‘top ten reasons’ that lenders would turn down a mortgage application!

So somebody has taken note, and somebody has listened – not that this helps the already difficult housing market… but rather this than buy a property with an existing Japanese Knotweed infestation.

…and if you are going to try and sell your house – make sure you eradicate any Japanese Knotweed first….before you get the property surveyed!

When you need advice, make sure you call the experts, make sure you call Japanese Knotweed Solutions Ltd 0161 723 2000

Mike C

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Are You Paying too much to Japanese Knotweed Solutions?….Do it yourself then…!

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

How about we provide a course in Identification and Management of Invasive weeds then give a Certificate of Competence in Invasive Weeds?

Let’s take all we have learned over the last ten years of Invasive Weed control and distill it into a four week course spread over a period to suit you.

Either four one week stints during a season or four weeks over a two year period – then a refresher day annually to give a workshop on new legislation?

Im not trying to shoot myself in the foot here, but I recognise that not everyone has the budget to afford professional care by a company such as Japanese Knotweed Solutions.

In these days of economic cut backs maybe it will prove more viable to carry out weed management strategies ‘in house’ rather than sub contracting the works out . There will still be plenty of work out there, and I don’t believe providing training will do any harm to our reputation – in fact I believe it will enhance our standing within the industry and educate additional people to understand the skills required to manage and eradicate some very persistent plants!

So come on a course at JKSL then get stuck into some do it yourself!

If you are interested (course not open to our competitors) then please contact our offices on 0161 723 2000 quoting – ‘Im paying too much’.

Mike C

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The Expendables…

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

It occurs to me that we don’t say enough about the front line team at Japanese Knotweed Solutions!

Whatever the weather, however shitty the journey, how early the morning or how late the Friday finish – the boys are out there…. getting the job done.

Its ok for me sitting in my nice warm air conditioned office but nothing much would get done without the boys on the ground.

These are not just labourers (said like the Marks and Spencer advert) these are trained and experienced Japanese Knotweed experts. These boys have to go through rigorous training and constant sarcasm from the Managing Director – then they have to put up with each others bodily functions when staying away in classy Travel Inn accommodation…

They put up with a lot – then they have to deal with the most awkward plant on earth – Japanese Knotweed!

So, thanks Phil, thanks Ric, thanks Pete, Mike, Paul, Andrew, James, Andy, Jordan, Taz, Ryan, Chris….

We appreciate you, we know you work hard and we know you get the dirty end of the stick!

Hero’s each an every one of you.

Mike C

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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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