Sponsored Editorial

With spring just around the corner, many of us are turning our attention to giving our outside areas a spruce up ready for a long, hot summer of barbecues and family time.

With a wide selection of fencing and landscaping products; sheds and garden furniture; pergolas and planters, a new branch of AVS is set to open to supply both contractors and residents in Ashford.

The family-owned, growing business with a proud heritage stretching back 27 years, offers carefully selected quality, sustainably sourced fencing and landscaping supplies to the trade and DIY customer.

The new site at Wotton Road, TN23 6LR - just off the M20 - will be employing and training up to six local staff in keeping with the company's culture of supporting the local community, as well as its commitment to bringing on young people through apprenticeship opportunities.

AVS was set up by a family with a long tradition in fencing and bespoke gates, and now operates 11 other branches across the south and east of England, and is part of the Lawsons group, the UK’s largest independent and family-owned builders’ merchant with additional 17 branches within and around the M25.

All branches work closely together to allow access to the full range of stock across the network and, with a fleet of more than 25 lorries, can provide delivery direct to your door or project site, or provide click and collect from each branch.

The Ashford site will include a local workshop with trained craftsmen who can customize products to bespoke sizes and even make up whole products from scratch - so that products can be tailor made to fit your outside space.

Manager Matt Coote, who has been working for the Lawsons group for more than seven years, said: “I work for a company that is genuinely committed to their staff, customers and the local community.

"Our new Ashford branch will offer contractors and outdoor DIYers, the widest range of quality fencing and landscaping products, and we promise a warm welcome with all the advice and knowledge that comes from over 25 years of experience and success in our field.”

Stocking more than 5,000 items including fencing, gates, paving, decorative aggregates, sleepers, tools, sheds and summerhouses, AVS supply materials and support to help garden and landscaping contractors and outdoor home DIYers, and is certified by the FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council), with the majority of its wooden stock coming from sustainably managed UK and Ireland forests.

The company plans to introduce an apprenticeship programme which will include job opportunities at the new Ashford branch.

Chief executive Roger Peace says: “AVS is a company that provides an inspiring and rewarding workplace for all its employees. That motivates us to enthusiastically focus on each customer project and positively contribute to every branch’s local community.

"It’s what makes us stand apart and is helping us succeed a little more with every new branch opening - a winning formula that we look forward to bringing to Ashford.”

The company also hopes to replicate its tradition of sponsoring local youth sports teams and supporting specific charitable projects now that the new branch has opened and established itself in the Ashford area.

For more details on AVS, go to avsfencing.co.uk/ashford