A WORCESTERSHIRE company is taking on 20 new staff thanks to the popularity of the product.

Flushed with success from the recent Garden & Leisure show at the NEC, landscape and gardening timber specialist, M&M Timber is gearing up to capitalise on its machined round timber.

This has been hailed as giving a more natural look and as being a refreshing alternative to traditional square-cut wood.

The success of the product has meant the firm has had to create 20 new jobs in both production and administration, and M&M Timber hopes to see a 25 per cent growth in business during the next 12 months.

A major supplier of timber landscaping products to local authorities, environmentalists, landscape architects, property developers and the leisure industry in general, M&M Timber is now heading up a determined sales drive into the independent gardening industry.

"Our approach in using machined round timber for traditional garden products gives us quite a competitive edge," said Ian Rickhuss national sales manager for the firm, which is based Clow's Top, Kidderminster.

"It is different to anything else in the market and gives more scope and flexibility of design. Today's customers are looking for an altogether more natural look for their gardens and we are ready to meet that demand.

"A substantial order for garden products from a leading chain of garden centres marks the first success in our sales drive to secure a major slice of next year's garden leisure market."

M&M Timber recently beat an impressive list of big-name industry nominees to win Timber Trade Journal's Excellence in Marketing Award. This is one of three new award categories in the annual awards which recognises exceptional expertise in product promotion.

For more information on the company's timber products, call 01299 832 611.