Articles by Josh Stedman

We work with some fantastic companies and organisations here at Kingfisher Direct, and today we thought we’d share the story of a recent customer whose end results blew us away. Find out more below. 

Dry January is a big trend, and it does a world of good for people’s health. However, a dry March, April, May, June, July and August is no good for our environment.  After a record-breaking summer for temperatures, it seemed inevitable that we’d see a hosepipe ban put in place at some point.  The end of August saw a hosepipe ban in certain places in the UK as parts of the country were in drought. This caused several issues for people up and down the country.  Parts of the UK are still in a hosepipe ban, despite rainfall in September.

The key to mastering the winter months as a business is preparation. If you prepare well, you’ll find winter a breeze, but if you fail to prepare, you’ll limp through the winter months. But what do you need to do to make sure you’re prepared for winter? We’ve got a complete checklist ready, so you don’t have to. 

Rainwater harvesting is steadily becoming more popular across the UK. People are more aware of their responsibilities to protect the environment, as well as the potential to save money.  Now, businesses are realising that there can be great benefits to their business and the environment by harvesting rainwater.   One question we often get asked is how a business can use a rainwater harvesting kit in their offices or warehouse.   We’ve put together a quick guide to rainwater harvesting and how you as a business can use the rainwater collected.

Safety is paramount on construction sites and there are strict rules and regulations to follow, including which vacuum cleaner you need to use.

It might not be your first priority when you arrive at site, but you could unknowingly be breaching health and safety regulations, endangering yourself and those around you, as well as costing you a hefty fine if you don’t use a vacuum cleaner fit for the job.

During winter, you need to be prepared for many surprises. From snowfall to frozen pavements, it’s one of the most unpredictable seasons of the year.

Before we face the unpredictability, we’ve found the five most interesting facts that you need to know about winter.

Tucked away in our construction category is the unsung hero of the construction site, rubble chutes. They aren’t the most glamorous of products, but on a building site they’re important for keeping things tidy and quickly disposing of waste. They aren’t something you’d normally hear much about from companies, so we’ve taken a closer look at rubble chutes to help you get a better understanding of what they are, their components and how they work.

You might look at our truck and trolley category and think that they’re all the same, but we’re here to set the record straight. Each truck and trolley has been manufactured to be perfect for its required use. A bottle truck has been made to be perfect for storing bottles, and the mobile ingredient bins have been designed to be perfect for storing ingredients or food.

Recycling has fast become a massive part of everyday life in the UK - whether business or home, and rightly so – but have you ever wondered what happens to your plastic once you send it off to the recycling? 

The sun is breaking through and winter is a distant memory. For now at least. This means your grit bin has likely become redundant, stored away in the dark recesses of your warehouse, storage cupboard or office during the warmer months. What if we told you that you could reuse your grit bin around the office? Here are some of our favourite ways to reuse your grit bin during the warmer periods.

Encouraging reuse of reusable items in the office can be a tricky task. It's one thing doing it in a small home, it's a whole other ball game trying to encourage an office full of people to get on board. You’ll need to make sure you have an easy-to-follow plan at the ready, and maybe a cup of tea or biscuits to persuade colleagues.

The competition for your custom has never been higher. Countries across the world, including Britain, are manufacturing high-quality products. As a consumer, this is great news for you, as manufacturers will keep striving to make their products the best quality on the market, leaving you to reap the benefits of this competition.

You have probably walked past IBCs dozens of times in your day-to-day life without realising, because they are such a popular item.

Here at Kingfisher Direct, we get a bit excited about IBCs and love nothing more than spreading as much information about them as we can.

Getting your household to recycle is one thing, getting your workplace recycling is another task altogether. As hard as it may be, it’s part of your duty as a responsible employer to encourage workplace recycling, wherever possible. 

 

Over four million properties in the UK aren’t connected to the gas mains. The most common solution is an oil tank heating system. Despite many perceived negatives of using an oil tank, the people using them in their property will be benefitting in several ways. If you are on the fence about using an oil tank, let us settle a few of those concerns while giving you a few things to consider.

Single use plastic bottles are steadily becoming a big issue in the UK, and across the globe. In 2019, the UK threw away 8 million drink containers, which included plastic bottles, into general waste – these end up in landfill sites and are not usually biodegradable, taking up space for several years.
If disposed of in the right way, our environment will benefit enormously, both in the short and long term.

You might work with a product every day but have no idea what the manufacturing process is or why they use a specific material to manufacture a product. If that is you, we are here to help you understand the different materials and what the reason for using them is.  Across our product range, certain materials are used more than others and there is always a good reason for this. Let’s look at the most common materials, their benefits and where you will find them.

When bad weather arrives, making sure paths and roads are clear and safe is important. This is where the confusion of who the responsibility falls on to clear streets and roads arises. 
As a business owner, you want to make sure your land is safe to avoid slips or trips for employees and visitors. Do you know what is the council's responsibility to clear? Do you know what is your responsibility to clear?

The UK weather can be temperamental. One day it’s clear, the next it’s raining, and the day after it's icy. You need to make sure you are ready for anything.

Arguably the most difficult weather condition to manage is snow and freezing temperatures. To make things that bit more complicated, the products used to prevent ice aren’t the easiest to get your head around.

Rainwater harvesting is becoming increasingly popular across the UK due to several reasons. By harvesting rainwater, you can reduce your company's water bills, but also help the environment while you are at it.

If you are thinking of starting to harvest rainwater, then you probably have a few questions.