IndiNature on Growing Their Hemp Business
IndiNature began eight years ago as a start-up aiming to insulate buildings with natural hemp insulation. Having already won awards and attracted praise, the Jedburgh-based company is now at a critical and exciting point in its business journey. IndiNature has been bolstering its credentials, increasing its staff and client base, with its eyes on making a significant dent in the UK construction materials market.
How is IndiNature’s scaling journey progressing?
Breaking into the insulation market in the UK, competing against multiple big household names, is no easy feat.
Brian Monaghan, Sales Director at IndiNature shares, "Scaling the business was a bit slow in the early stages, but it's significantly ramped up in the last year. We're having month on month record sales. There's a lot more awareness of our products and we're introducing it to the wider market.”
“Within the construction industry, people are becoming more and more aware of bio-based insulation products," he adds. “It's all about supply and demand. As the demand for our products increases, then we have to resource accordingly and bring in additional people into the business.” With their beautiful Borders-based manufacturing facilities, as little as 12-30 miles from where they source their hemp, either locally in or Yorkshire, they have been increasing their sales, marketing and factory teams to meet increasing orders.
BAA Certification & Ofgem Uplift
Why have they seen this recent growth? It comes at a time when IndiNature has achieved a number of UK firsts, including becoming BBA certified for a natural fibre product, environmental product declaration (EPD) for a natural fibre product, and being accepted as the only insulation manufacturer to have achieved the Ofgem innovation uplift – meaning 25% additional funding for loft applications in the ECO & GBIS Schemes.
These credentials add to the market’s trust in IndiNature’s product. Brian says, "If we didn’t have the BBA certification and third-party approvals, we could only go so far. The certification and approvals are critical for the business and gives assurance to end users and Specifiers on the suitability of the products."
“Our product looks like insulation. It feels like insulation, but it comes from a plant.”
- Brian Monaghan, Sales Director at IndiNature
What markets are they scaling in?
From BE-ST in Scotland to the Isles of Scilly, their products are being installed in thousands of buildings across the UK. Brian shares, "We recently supplied a major Scottish housebuilder with a couple of pilot schemes.” They also have a pipeline of a significant number of homes in the retrofit space.
BE-ST have just recently used IndiNature’s insulation is the retrofit of Scotland’s National Retrofit Centre.
They’re seeing success in different markets, including:
Retrofit applications in historic buildings: Organisations that need to preserve and upgrade historic housing and buildings, such as Land and Estate owners. IndiNature insulation is especially suited to historical buildings as it’s highly breathable and has moisture regulating properties.
Net zero programmes for Housing Associations & Local Authorities: Organisations that need to decarbonise their estates, both current and future. The Ofgem Innovation Uplift is especially geared towards housing associations and local authorities, to encourage them to use new innovative products and help them achieve their net zero goals.
Self-builders and System builders: Individuals or organisations who put a lot of time and research into what they want to use, how it works as part of their overall system, and are interested in using more sustainable, healthier and more user-friendly products.
Scaling up hemp more
IndiNature believes scaling starts with providing a good quality product. And for Brian, it is his job, and his team’s job, to show people all the positives their products bring – quality, health and sustainability – to help them create better homes.
Brian emphasises that their insulation products are quality, third party verified for performance. A third party has recently conducted research finding their hemp insulation to have better thermal properties compared to glass- or mineral wool ceiling insulation. The study found IndiNature had a 37% increase in U Value requirements, with significantly reduced cold bridging and less cold spots, due to friction fit properties of the IndiNature products.
Brian says, “We're the only manufacturer of industrial hemp in the UK. What we need to do is continue to raise the awareness of the positives of our products and introduce it to more people.”
Find out more about IndiNature and their products - www.indinature.co