THE RISE AND RISE OF COMPOSITE FENCING

The world of composites in fencing and decking has been a cause for debate in recent years as suppliers weigh up the pros and cons of diving into the market. But as consumer trends move towards low-maintenance solutions at pace, is now the time to take that step forward and make a lasting change?

For BSW Composites, a member of BSW Group and the only manufacturer of scale producingcomposite fencing in the UK, the answer is yes. Having already introduced the Alchemy composite decking range in 2018, the integrated forestry and timber business took the plunge earlier this year to introduce Horizon composite fencing – and BSW Sales Director Neil Horton explains why.

He said: “If you look at the way our industry has been evolving in the fencing and landscaping sector, we can see that people have been moving more towards low-maintenance solutions. We’ve already seen this with composite decking, as more people place a higher importance on their outside garden space.

“When we look at composite fencing, it was the next natural step to take – providing the market with a low maintenance, hassle-free boundary solution that’s made right here in the UK.”

Horizon fencing by BSW Composites was launched earlier this year, with stock now making its way to distributors, and Horton claims early feedback has been extremely positive.

“In developing a 60% wood, 40% plastic composite product, an emphasis has been placed on the environment and sustainability,” said Horton. “That 60% wood composition not only comes from renewable resources but is recycled and comes with FSC accreditation. The other 40% isn’t the nasty plastic one might expect, but polyethylene, of which 30% is recycled and comes from the likes of milk bottles found in your local supermarket, which allows us to take the material, recycle it and reuse it within the 40% total.”

Unlike many of its competitors, whose product is imported from China, BSW Composites products are manufactured in the UK, and come with Made in Britain accreditation. The easy-to-install solution ticks all the boxes as an environmentally-friendly solution, while further peace of mind is pro-divded by a 20-year, UK-based warranty.

As a longer-lasting solution, there is no sanding, staining or sealing required, making its robust composition a sensible choice. Functioning as a full fence panel system, it has the flexibility to cope with almost any fence shape, and comes with the componentry to perfect most projects.

The range consists of posts, gravel boards, fence boards, finishing rails and other accessories, enabling fences to range in size due to the stackable nature of the fence boards.

The 2700mm tall, hexagonal PVC fence posts have a honeycomb core and contain slots to house the 1800mm wide fence boards. But notably the tongued and grooved fence boards are only 300mm tall, ensuring a much easier installation process. The Horizon fencing system has also been adapted to fit into the ‘H’ of concrete H posts, enabling you to retrofit composite fencing in between existing posts, making it a viable option for the retrofit market too.

And probably the best news of all, your customer’s neighbour will be happy because both sides of the fence are identical, with a contemporary brushed finish providing an authentic modern feel.

Horton added: “Horizon fencing is manufactured using the same process as our composite decking offer. It is capped in the same, high-quality HDPE layer which provides the same benefits. It is UV stable and scratch resistant, and delivered in those same colours as Alchemy decking – Grizedale (light grey), Jura (brown), and Rydal (dark grey) – for a complementary, matching finish.

The composite fencing product also features in BSW Group’s newly launched immersive showroom at the BSW Timber Solutions site in Stoke-on-Trent. The showroom features internal products such as flooring, cladding, skirting and door frames, as well as a range of fencing and landscaping products, like incised posts, decorative sleepers and composite fencing.

To find out more about the composite fencing products by BSW Composites, and to order free samples, visit www.bswcomposites.co.uk.