Greater Manchester TreeStation Ltd

What Greater Manchester TreeStation Ltd does

Greater Manchester TreeStation Ltd is a community-owned cooperative social enterprise registered as a Society for the Benefit of the Community, operating from a single yard in West Gorton, Manchester. Founded in 2009 and formally established under its current structure in 2012, the company processes wood arisings sourced from local treework operations within approximately 50 miles of its yard, converting what would otherwise be waste into a portfolio of sustainable wood products and arboricultural services. Its core offerings include biomass woodchip for heating systems (BSL authorised for RHI claims), kiln-dried firewood and kindling (Woodsure Ready to Burn certified), sawn timber planks across 12+ species including Oak, Cherry, Pear, Lime, Yew, Ash, Beech, Cedar, and Curly Sycamore, plus landscaping woodchip, untreated larch sleepers, and handmade garden products such as log sheds and tree planters.

The business is built on a vertically integrated, local-loop model: TreeStation delivers arboricultural services (treework, consultancy, woodland management, site clearance, stump grinding, ecology services), accepts the resulting timber arisings, and processes them on-site using a biomass-powered kiln that achieves moisture content below 20% for firewood and below 15% for kindling. It serves three primary customer segments — domestic homeowners seeking sustainable firewood and DIY timber, commercial customers (councils, schools, joinery firms, biomass boiler operators, garden centres) requiring bulk supply and woodland management, and a community segment engaged through volunteering, school sessions, and member investment. Distribution operates through an e-commerce shop, phone ordering, direct delivery within the M60 Ring Road (free on 1m3+ orders), and a network of retail outlet partners including Unicorn Grocery.

Revenue is generated through unit pricing across a full product catalogue (e.g., £195–£675 per m3 for premium hardwoods, £10–£35 per sleeper, £660 per bespoke tree planter) plus professional services contracts, with notable commercial relationships including a multi-store John Lewis chopping board supply chain and approximately £97,000 in council woodland management contracts. The company has raised £140,000 (2012) and up to £230,000 (2014) through community share offers, the second underwritten by a £30,000 Co-operative Community Shares Fund investment. It holds the Arboricultural Association Approved Contractor accreditation, CHAS, Trust Mark, BSL authorisation, Woodsure Ready to Burn certification, and Real Living Wage Employer status, and won the 2017 Greater Manchester Business Awards CSR award.

Name

Greater Manchester TreeStation Ltd

Legal name

Greater Manchester TreeStation Ltd

Website

https://treestation.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Greater Manchester TreeStation Ltd is a community-owned cooperative social enterprise that converts local treework arisings into biomass woodchip, kiln-dried firewood, sawn timber, and landscaping products, while delivering arboricultural and woodland management services to domestic, commercial, and public-sector customers across Greater Manchester.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wood fuels and timber products

NAICS

Forestry and Logging (113), Support Activities for Forestry (115310), Timber Tract Operations (113110)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Tree Care & Arborist Services (BPABADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arborist Consulting, Tree Risk Assessments & Appraisals (HSAIADAJ), Tree Removal & Dismantling (HSAIADAB), Timberland Operations Planning & Contractor Management (AFAMAKAE)

Keywords

• Sustainable wood fuels
• Biomass woodchip supply
• Arboricultural services
• Timber products
• Community forestry

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Arboricultural Services: Professional treework, woodland management, consultancy, site clearance, stump grinding, and ecology services delivered to domestic and commercial customers
2. Firewood Sales: Sale of premium hardwood, softwood, and eco firewood products in loose or netted formats. Products include fully seasoned and low-carbon kiln dried options sold by cubic meter
3. Biomass Woodchip: Supply of consistent, high-quality woodchip for biomass boilers to commercial and domestic customers. Includes RHI-eligible products authorized on the Biomass Suppliers List
4. Sawn Timber Products: Sale of locally and sustainably sourced timber planks, sleepers, and bespoke timber items for joinery, crafts, and garden projects. Includes planed all round and custom milled products
5. Landscaping Products: Supply of untreated larch sleepers, woodchip for landscaping and playgrounds, tree planters, and garden structures

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Greater Manchester TreeStation Ltd processes arboricultural arisings from local treework into kiln-dried firewood and kindling, BSL-authorised biomass woodchip, sawn and planed timber planks across 12+ species, and landscaping/garden products such as untreated larch sleepers, log sheds, and tree planters. The company also delivers professional arboricultural, consultancy, woodland management, ecology, site clearance, and plant-hire services to domestic and commercial customers across Greater Manchester.

Product overview

TreeStation is a social enterprise offering a comprehensive suite of wood-related products and services centered on sustainable tree management, wood fuels, and timber. The core product portfolio consists of four main categories: (1) Biomass Woodchip for heating systems, (2) Firewood Logs and Kindling in various grades (Premium Hardwood, Pure Oak, Pure Ash, Eco Firewood, Eco-Value Softwood), (3) Manchester Timber Products including sawn timber, planed all round planks, sleepers and custom pieces in various hardwood species, and (4) Landscaping and Playground Woodchip. Additional garden products include Handmade Firewood Log Sheds, Tree Planters, Untreated Larch Sleepers in multiple sizes, and Bracing Timbers. The company also provides arboricultural services including treework, consultancy, woodland management, site clearance, and plant hire/subcontracting. All products are sourced sustainably from the Greater Manchester area, with timber derived from local treework operations typically within 50 miles of their yard.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Biomass Woodchip Consistent supply of high-quality, locally sourced woodchip for biomass boilers, delivered competitively across the Greater Manchester area. BSL authorised so customers can claim RHI.
• Firewood Logs & Kindling

Quantifiable outcome

• Moisture content below 20% for firewood (below 15% for kindling)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Guardian MoneyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2012Featured in The Guardian Money section article about community investment opportunities, helping to raise awareness of the share issue and TreeStation's work.
• Start in SalfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership with social enterprise providing creative activities for people with mental health difficulties. Uses TreeStation timber for chopping boards, structures and other projects. Volunteers make products for John Lewis.
• Black Cat WoodminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCreates unique sustainable products including furniture, utensils and gifts from TreeStation wood.
• Assured Fine FurnitureminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJoinery client featured in Woodworker Magazine for cherry bookcase made with TreeStation timber.
• John LewiscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChopping boards made by Start Creative from TreeStation timber sold in 8 major John Lewis stores including Cheadle branch and johnlewis.com.
• Unicorn GroceryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-operative grocery in Chorlton has supported TreeStation since 2012 and stocks firewood nets and kindling.
• Arboricultural AssociationcoreOthersLeading trade body for arborists that accredited TreeStation as an Approved Contractor after assessment, providing industry recognition.
• CHAS (Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme)coreOthersMarket leader in Health and Safety accreditation that TreeStation has achieved.
• DLA Piper SolicitorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGenerously provided legal support through the process of signing the lease on the TreeStation site.
• City of TreesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAims to re-invigorate Greater Manchester's landscape by transforming underused woodland and planting trees. Shares similar mission to TreeStation.
• EMERGEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization talking to groups about waste reduction. TreeStation supplies landscaping chip and shares use of mobile plant equipment.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Nottingham Wood Recycling Project: UK social enterprise collecting and repurposing waste wood into products including firewood and timber, employing disadvantaged people. Comparable to TreeStation's social enterprise structure, community focus, and waste-wood-to-product model, though operating in a different region.
• Community Wood Recycling Network: UK network of social enterprises that reuse and recycle wood waste, including timber products and firewood. Comparable to TreeStation's community-benefit operating model, social mission, and wood-product outputs at a national umbrella level.
• Wood Recycling Hub: UK-based social enterprise that processes reclaimed wood into landscaping products, sleepers, and timber items. Comparable to TreeStation's landscaping products and timber offerings from a social-enterprise and waste-wood perspective.

Broad incumbents

• Bartlett Tree Experts: Large international tree care company offering arboricultural services, consultancy, and woodland management across the UK and globally. Comparable to TreeStation's treework and consultancy services, though at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Countrywide Grounds Maintenance: UK-wide provider of grounds maintenance, landscaping, and arboricultural services to commercial and public-sector clients. Comparable to TreeStation's commercial treework, landscaping, and council contract work, though operating at much larger scale.
• Forestry England (Forestry Commission): UK government body managing public forests and timber harvesting, with a national network of woodlands. Comparable to TreeStation's woodland management and forestry service offerings, though at vastly greater scale and as a public-sector operator.

Direct peers

• Certainly Wood: UK-based premium firewood and woodfuel supplier selling kiln-dried hardwood and softwood logs with home delivery. Directly comparable to TreeStation's firewood product line and target customers, competing on certification, drying quality, and local sourcing.
• Heritage Timber: UK supplier of locally sourced British hardwood timber, planks, beams, and bespoke milling for joinery and craft markets. Comparable to TreeStation's sawn timber products range, English hardwood species focus, and artisan/joinery customer base.

Regional players

• Sussex Logs & Coal Co: Regional UK firewood supplier delivering kiln-dried logs and kindling to domestic customers, with a focus on sustainability and local sourcing. Comparable to TreeStation's firewood and kindling product offering and direct-to-consumer delivery model, but operating in a different UK region.

Others

• City of Trees (Community Forest Trust): Greater Manchester-focused charity planting and managing trees and woodlands as part of the Community Forest programme. A strategic partner of TreeStation and closely comparable mission around urban woodland stewardship and environmental engagement in the same geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/GM_TreeStation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCeI_1XvIlM0kcseRoSXhEtA
• Facebooken-gb.facebook.com/pages/Greater-Manchester-TreeStation-Ltd/351520124935263
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/greater-manchester-treestation-ltd

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Greater Manchester TreeStation Ltd