Category Archives: Press Release

IWS Group Welcomes Richard Harden as New Chief Executive Officer

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IWS Group is thrilled to announce the appointment of Richard Harden as Chief Executive Officer. This appointment comes as part of the group’s ongoing strategy to drive innovation and growth, ensuring sustained leadership in the market.

Richard brings a wealth of experience to IWS Group with a solid leadership background, holding CEO and MD positions in previous companies, Stuart Turner Ltd and WILO, alongside the role of President to the trade organisation BPMA. He has built a successful career around improving top-line growth for private equity-backed firms, leveraging strategic partnerships and driving innovative sales and marketing strategies to achieve significant growth milestones.

Under Richard’s leadership, a key focus will be on amplifying the collaborative strengths of IWS Group to provide complete, seamless integrated solutions to customers in the industrial workspace. This cohesive approach is aimed at enhancing customer satisfaction and bolstering the overall impact and efficacy of IWS Group’s proposition in the market.

Commenting on his new position, Richard said, “It’s clear IWS Group is a very ambitious company with a strong track record of organic and acquisition-driven success and a clear vision for growth, which is what attracted me to the position. The future of the group excites me, and I am delighted to lead it into its next phase of growth and innovation”.

“We’re extremely excited to have Richard on board as our new CEO,” commented Neil Stephenson, Chief Financial Officer for IWS Group, “Richard’s extensive leadership background and his proven track record of accelerating market share aligns perfectly with our strategic vision for IWS Group. His dynamic leadership and innovative approach is just what we need to navigate the evolving market landscape and propel IWS Group to new heights. We look forward to the fresh perspective and the boundless energy he brings to our team, and we’re confident that under his leadership, IWS Group will continue to thrive and achieve great success.”

 

About IWS Group:

IWS Group is a family of market-leading product brands, manufacturers, and service companies providing essential services and supplies to the logistics, material handling, and other industrial sectors across Europe and beyond. The IWS Group portfolio of companies currently consists of Beaverswood®, Brandsafe, Rack Group, and Anco Storage.

Introducing racksack® nano: A Revolutionary Waste Bag Solution for Forklift Trucks

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Beaverswood® is thrilled to announce the launch of racksack® nano, a cutting-edge waste segregation product designed to revolutionise warehouse waste management. This small and sturdy waste segregation sack is the perfect size to attach to forklift trucks and pallet truck handles. This makes it ideal for collecting paper, plastic strapping, shrink wrap, and other waste generated during forklift operations.

Once full, this forklift truck waste bag can be effortlessly emptied into a standard-size racksack® or straight into the central waste collection point on-site, streamlining waste management processes.

One of the standout features of racksack® nano is its ease of use and secure fixation. It comes with ties at the back and bungee loop fixings as standard to quickly and securely attach it to your location of choice. Additionally, to eliminate any snagging concerns while the forklift or pallet truck moves around the warehouse, racksack® nano comes with a hook and loop fastening on the mouth, ensuring a firm closure.

"We're excited to introduce racksack® nano to the market," said Jim Roberts, Commercial Manager at Beaverswood®, "This product is based on direct customer feedback for a waste bag solution on forklift trucks which eliminates the issue of haphazardly securing black bin liners to the cab enclosure. With its user-friendly design and eye-catching front symbols for easy material separation, racksack® nano greatly improves warehouse waste disposal practices, ultimately leading to a greener and more sustainable future."

racksack® nano is part of the well-established racksack® range, the original market-leading solution for waste segregation in the industrial workplace. This growing family of products delivers a simple and cost-effective system to keep you compliant with UK and EU waste segregation legislation, as well as saving you valuable floor space.

Download the racksack® brochure

View the whole range in one easy PDF!

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Key Features of racksack® nano

  • The perfect forklift truck waste bag or pallet truck handle waste bag.
  • Convenient emptying into standard-size racksack® or main waste collection point on-site.
  • Quick and easy fixation with ties at the back and bungee loop fixings.
  • Hook and loop fastening on the mouth to prevent snagging during movement.
  • Eye-catching front designs for effortless waste material separation.
  • Part of an expanding family which includes racksack® blue, racksack® mini, racksack® clear, racksack® rollcage, and racksack® trolley.

Find out more about the racksack® nano and racksack® range or become a reseller to add this exciting product to your catalogue!

For media inquiries, please contact:
marketing@beaverswood.co.uk

We’re Moving! 🚚📦🏢

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We are delighted to inform you that Beaverswood will be relocating to new premises close by, in order to upgrade our operations.

Please be aware of the following dates and timelines, which will affect our operations while we move:

  • The business will close on Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th August. During this time, we will be unavailable to answer queries and we will have no access to our systems to process, amend or look up orders, quotes, deliveries and invoices.
  • There will be no deliveries dispatched during this time.
  • Our business will re-open on Monday 7th August. However, our phone lines will remain closed until Tuesday 8th August. If you need to contact us during this time, please email sales@beaverswood.co.uk and we will come back to you ASAP.
  • Business as usual will commence from Tuesday 8th August.

Our new address, effective from Monday 7th August is as follows:

Beaverswood

Goldoak House,

Unit 5 Oaklands Business Centre,

Oaklands Park,

Wokingham,

RG41 2FD

We Are Here

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued business, and to thank you for your patience, while we relocate to our new premises in Wokingham.

Kindest regards,

The Beaverswood Team

Do you have any questions regarding our relocation?

Contact us to find out more ->

Contact us

IWS Group: Resetting the Bar on Impact Safety 💥💯 

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We're thrilled to share exciting news from our parent company, IWS Group, which recently impact-tested its range of Brandsafe® polymer safety barriers to the PAS 13 global benchmark.

(Psst... these barriers are available to Beaverswood® resellers - get in touch to expand your product offering today!)

"I came in like a w̶r̶e̶c̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶b̶a̶l̶l̶  pendulum!"

There's only one way to accurately impact test safety barriers, and it's by repeatedly smashing them at various points with a mighty pendulum. 

That's the gist of it in layman's terms, anyway. The details are rather more scientific and nuanced and definitely require a passion for all things physics to understand. 

Fortunately, IWS Group is full of curious minds and passionate spirits, and they set to work in April 2023, where the barrier range was tested at their subsidiary, Rack Group, in Barnsley.

Video – PAS 13 Safety Barrier Testing – IWS Group

"We undertook this activity to prove the capability of our barrier range and, with TÜV Nord witnessing, it confirms that our internal testing procedure adheres to the industry code of practice," explains Matt Mason, Group Design Manager at IWS Group.

"Testing is conducted on a purpose-built impact pendulum rig designed and commissioned entirely by IWS Group, which simulates real-world impact energies of material handling vehicles travelling at different speeds and provides physical proof of our products' capability.

The pendulum strikes barriers at various pre-determined locations to measure the level of energy the barriers can withstand, how much deflection they display under the impact, and how much force is transferred to the ground fixings and concrete.

Testing also defines the distance behind barriers that is considered the 'safe zone' for the barrier to deflect into, which is identified during installation of the barrier by visual floor markings."

Barrier testing of impact resilience and safe zone

Barrier testing of impact resilience and safe zone

All testing was conducted with UKAS calibrated measuring equipment such as high-speed cameras, torque wrenches, load cells and industrial weigh scales to ensure confidence in every result witnessed."

When the dust settled (literally), the Brandsafe® range of polymer safety barriers was declared to meet the PAS 13 code of practice. This is the only globally recognised code of practice for industrial safety barriers, and compliance ensures barriers effectively protect people and assets from accidents.

Why Should You Care?

Let's be honest; it's great that IWS Group had fun swinging a giant pendulum around, but why should you care?

"This testing is an important step for customers looking to purchase impact protection barriers for their workplace," says Susy Keating, Managing Director of Brandsafe, "Knowing what impact forces a barrier can take, as well as ensuring data is independently certified by a reputable third party, is a vital factor in choosing the right barrier."

"For too long, impact protection has been over-engineered, over-priced and overly complicated. It's time to reset the bar on what impact protection ultimately comes down to: keeping people and products safe."

Stuart Ovington, Managing Director of Rack Group, adds:

"TÜV Nord independently verifying that our testing abided by the PAS 13 guidelines serves as a testimonial to our teams here at IWS Group, as well as the quality of our polymer barrier range. Not every barrier manufacturer undertakes product testing to this level, so we are proud to be amongst the industry leaders.

Our barriers are shown to be high performing, long-lasting and can withstand greater impacts than similar, industry-leading products. In addition, we can create bespoke designs quickly to suit individual needs and, with short lead times, provide a cost-effective solution at the highest standard."

What This Means For Beaverswood® Resellers

In a nutshell - the opportunity to add a PAS 13 accredited polymer barrier range to your product offering! This includes:

By taking this fantastic proposition to market, you can drive revenue for your business and delight your customers with a safety barrier range which outperforms similar products while remaining cost-effective.

It's a win-win, so don't hesitate to contact us today for more information.

T: 0118 979 6096
E: sales@beaverswood.co.uk

racksack® mini wins New Product of the Year 2022 at the Best Business Awards

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Beaverswood® announce its racksack® mini has been named New Product of the Year 2022 in the Best Business Awards.

The Best Business Awards are one of the UK’s highest profile awards, attracting a wide range of entries from across all sectors from large international PLCs and public sector organisations to dynamic and innovative SMEs.

“Congratulations to Beaverswood® for responding to customer research and launching a mini racksack®, which is smaller than the original version,” said the chairman of the judges, “Whereas the original racksack® is designed to collect and segregate waste and recycling materials at industrial premises, the mini does the same job but it is more suited to offices and smaller packing benches. Based on the same high-quality material and design, the compact mini enables Beaverswood® to expand its reach into new markets via resellers and direct to customers."

The racksack® range continues to lead the way in workplace waste segregation through its expanding family of products. First launched in 2009, racksack® has simplified the way businesses separate their waste, helping them to comply with waste regulations in the UK and EU. Not only this, but each racksack® saves 1m2 of valuable floor space on average, as well as providing a cost-effective and sustainable option versus standard black bin liners.

“We’re delighted racksack® mini has been recognised as an exciting, up-and-coming product!” said Stephanie Gentle, Managing Director of Beaverswood®, “racksack® mini is the direct result of customer feedback, who loved the original racksack® but wanted a smaller version for use in office environments. Customers continue to be a vital part of our R&D process and their feedback steers any enhancements to the racksack® range.”

Beaverswood® continues to innovate and launch new visual management products that improve efficiencies and safety across the workplace, with plenty more to follow in 2023 and beyond.

About Beaverswood®

Founded in 1984, Beaverswood® makes the workplace work smarter. It currently serves over 400 resellers across the UK and Europe.

IWS Group Announces Acquisition of Anco Storage Equipment Ltd

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Leading industrial workspace specialist, IWS Group, today announces its acquisition of Anco Storage Equipment Ltd, the largest trade-only supplier of storage solutions in the UK.

Established in 1991 in West Sussex, Anco has gained an enviable reputation for quality and service at a competitive price. Exclusively through its trade-only distribution channel,  Anco offers an extensive range of over 7,000 variations of products, covering all kinds of applications from industrial racking, multi-tier projects and mezzanine flooring, to office archive storage and modular shelving. Anco stores over £3M worth of stock in their warehouse to facilitate quick turn-around times on orders.

Strengthening the IWS Group Portfolio

IWS Group is a rapidly growing family of market-leading product brands and service companies which provide essential supplies and services to the warehouse and logistics, material handling, and industrial sectors.

The group portfolio currently includes Beaverswood, Brandsafe, Rack Group, and now Anco.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Anco to the IWS family,” said Jeroen van den Berge, CEO of IWS Group, “Anco’s wealth of storage solutions, its team of specialists and its long history of building strong partnerships with its distributor network are the perfect complement to our growing portfolio of innovative industrial workspace brands. Our vision is to be the partner of choice for essential products & services throughout the lifecycle of an industrial building, and this acquisition is a natural progression towards this end”.

The IWS Group Family

beaverswood new logo making the workplace work smarter since 1984

About Beaverswood

Beaverswood manufactures innovative products that improve the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of the physical workspace. The Beaverswood range of warehouse safety and management products includes labelling and signage, recycling solutions, identification products and visual communication solutions.

Visit: www.beaverswood.co.uk

Brandsafe Logo New

About Brandsafe

Brandsafe is Europe’s leading provider of high visibility impact protection and site safety for industrial buildings, such as warehouses, manufacturing sites and logistics hubs.

Its innovative traffic management and pedestrian safety solutions are designed to sustainably prevent and protect people, products and property from impact damage.

Visit: www.brandsafeprotection.com

 

About Rack Group

Rack Group is the UK’s leading provider of warehouse racking solutions that focus on prolonging the life and safety of racking. These solutions, which include racking installation, inspection, repair, maintenance and training, are provided to many of the biggest household names across the UK. Its range of racking protection includes the market leading brand Rack Armour.

Visit: www.therackgroup.com

Announcement Regarding IWS Group

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Announcement Regarding IWS Group

We are delighted to announce that the parent company of Beaverswood, IWS Group (The Industrial Workspace Specialists), has acquired The Rack Group, a leading provider of pallet racking safety solutions.

Established for over 40 years as the UK’s leading pallet racking safety specialist, The Rack Group provides a unique combination of services, innovative products and solutions that guard, secure and maintain racking. Its racking protection product, Rack Armour, is used extensively throughout warehouses and distribution centres across the globe.

What Does This Mean For Beaverswood And Its Customers:

Beaverswood and the wider IWS Group is continuing to grow. The addition of The Rack Group to our family of specialist businesses enables us to offer a wider range of innovative solutions to our valued resellers. Furthermore, it further strengthens our resource, infrastructure and capability to provide our customers with the highest standards of service, customer care and innovation.

The Future:

We are all excited about the future, and we’re particularly keen to explore opportunities to introduce complementary products to our resellers from our new sister company within IWS Group.

More About IWS Group:

IWS Group, The Industrial Workspace Specialists, is a growing family of market-leading product brands, manufacturers and service companies, providing essential services and supplies to the logistics, material handling and other industrial sectors across Europe and beyond. Find out more at www.iws.group.

The other companies within IWS Group are Brandsafe and The Rack Group.

Brandsafe is Europe’s leading provider of high visibility impact protection and safety solutions for industrial buildings worldwide, such as warehouses, manufacturing sites and logistics hubs. Brandsafe continuously develops innovative traffic safety and management and pedestrian safety solutions, which are designed to sustainably prevent and protect people, products and property from impact damage.

Visit: www.brandsafeprotection.com

Brandsafe Logo New

The Rack Group is a well-established market leader of pallet racking safety solutions, including inspection, repair and maintenance. Its racking protection product, Rack Armour, is well known and used across the warehousing, logistics and material handling industry globally.

Visit: www.therackgroup.com

The Rack Group Logo

If you have any questions regarding this announcement, please get in touch.

IWS Group Logo