Straight butts in to new market

The deal, which is exclusive for an initial two-year period, means the Harcostar range will reach over 1,000 UK garden centres.

The Harcostar range will also be featured in the Stewart’s 2012 Buyers Guide.

The Harcostar brand was established in the 1960s and was acquired by Leeds-based Straight in 2009.

The range includes premium barrel-shaped water butts as well as a wide range of accessories to fit both existing Harcostar products and also other manufacturers’ containers.

Jonathan Straight, chief executive at Straight, said: ”Stewart has an excellent reputation in the market and we believe is a natural fit to distribute the Harcostar range of products.

“Harcostar is a very strong brand and we look forward to working with Stewart to see this offered to a broader customer base.”

Straight has announced a number of new tie-ups in recent months.

Two weeks ago it won a £900,000 contract to provide a waste, recycling and street cleaning service in Bristol.

Straight will manufacture more than 200,000 kerbside recycling boxes for support services group May Gurney’s new mixed plastic recycling scheme.

The new scheme is expected to save Bristol City Council around £2.5m a year and will also help towards the council’s goal of sending no untreated waste to landfill within the next three years.

All of the containers will all be made from recycled plastic at Straight’s factory in Hull.