British Made Awards 2021

18 | British Made Awards 2021 When Jones and Son Pest Control first started out, bird spikes were generally sourced from abroad and were only made from steel which made them expensive, and it meant they could only be purchased through a pest control company that had been instructed to carry out work. This meant they were not really accessible to the end user who only needed a few strips. Thus, David decided to research making them in the UK and how he could make them more accessible. He designed and patented a new type, researched how to make them from plastic, and instructed a UK injection moulding company to start production. This was a game changer. The cost came down dramatically, an eye could be kept on the production process from start to finish to ensure the quality was top-notch, and absolute control could be kept over stock levels. Within the Defender Bird Spike range, Jones and Son Pest Control offers many types of spike to suit the many different situations. They are made from either stainless steel or Duralon plastic, which stand up to extremes of weather incredibly well; in fact, the company offers a 25-year no-rust warranty on the steel and a 15-year warranty on the plastic. Jones and Son Pest Control has spikes to deter all birds, from the regal seagull, the pesky pigeon, to the small starling and sparrow. It is a very niche market and every situation and customer is unique. The company encourages all customers to call and discuss their needs; this has enabled it to develop close relationships with all its trade customers, all of whom it knows by name, which increases the chances of them returning time after time. David is continually inventing new products to deter birds. The most recent addition to the Defender Bird Spike range is the Defender Thistle, an all-plastic spike which is half the height of conventional bird spikes but with four-times the number of pins. This makes it suitable for all birds including the large seagull to the small sparrow, while also being low profile which is what the company finds a lot of its customers value. It believes this product will quickly become a bestseller and is already selling incredibly well even though it hasn’t been launched properly yet. During lockdown, David and Kursty ran the company alone for several months, answering the phones and despatching orders. During this time, they really got to know what customers want and need from a bird spike manufacturer. This is helping the company to expand its portfolio of products this year and it is looking forward to developing the UK market. Jones and Son Pest Control is also currently redesigning its website inhouse with hopes for it to launch in the new year. With the feedback received over the lockdown, it is working to make the website more interactive yet still staying close to its roots of encouraging customers to call the company direct, maintaining that personal touch. Company: Jones and Son Pest Control Supplies Ltd Contact: Kursty Jones Email: [email protected] Website: www.birdspikesonline.co.uk Jones and Son Pest Control Supplies Ltd was set up by David and Kursty Jones in 1997. The company designs, manufactures and distributes Defender Bird Spikes across the world. Its bird spikes are recommended by the RSPB and architects as a humane method of preventing birds from landing on ledges and gently moving them on. Pigeons, seagulls and smaller birds can cause quite a mess on properties, especially when the flocks become large. This causes distress to people as they cannot use their gardens or outdoor workspaces. Large amounts of birds and the droppings they leave behind can also intensify respiratory illness, so in many cases it is absolutely necessary to come up with a humane solution that works. Jones and Son Pest Control Supplies Ltd is very proud to be able to supply its Defender Bird Spikes from Devon in the UK, and is in fact the UK’s leading manufacturer of bird spikes. David uses his extensive knowledge of bird and pest control to invent the various types of Defender Bird Spike and the company now stocks over 20 different types. The products are assembled in the company’s warehouse by hand, ensuring full control over the quality of the spikes from production start to finish and also meaning a never-ending supply of stock. In the early days, Jones and Son Pest Control supplied mainly to trade pest control companies and various councils, but over the last 10 years, it has branched out to sell to the end user through its dedicated website and also through several e-commerce platforms. This means that it gets orders varying from hundreds of metres for a housing development, to an order for a couple of strips to proof a small window ledge. Best Bird Spikes Manufacturer 2021 Sep21597