London Stone: Looking Ahead to 2025 and Beyond
Hard landscaping materials supplier London Stone, has been a mainstay in the sector for over a decade. Managing Director, Steve Walley, talks to us about exciting developments for the business this year, and their plans for 2025.
How has 2024 been for London Stone?
2024 has been a challenging year, without doubt. There has been a lot of uncertainty around shipping rates due to various issues in the middle east and that’s kept our logistic teams on their toes. Despite these setbacks though, we’ve stayed focused on our goal to keep delivering value to customers.
What did London Stone deliver to customers this year?
We set out our stall in January with a price freeze across our materials and have kept that promise. It’s important to us that our landscape clients can mark up our materials and make a decent amount of profit on their projects. To help with this, we temporarily increased our online trade discount to 20% in October 2023 and I am happy to say that we’ve made that increase permanent. We’re committed to playing our part in helping to make your projects as profitable as possible.
2024 has seen us bring a raft of new products to the market. We recently launched our range of Deluxe Pergolas, which were showcased at last year’s FutureScape. We’ve seen a brilliant response so far to the new pergolas. We also launched a range of natural stone pavers, which quickly established themselves in projects across the country. They’re priced super-competitively and look great when paired alongside sawn paving materials and porcelain. Tactile materials and contrasting textures are the order of the day right now and it’s a trend that I really like.
Can you tell us more about the new Deluxe Pergolas?
After supplying various pergola brands as a third-party seller, we were seriously underwhelmed with the service levels and product quality we experienced. Having full control of the supply chain is critically important to our business model, so we bit the bullet, found a manufacturer, and developed our own range of pergolas. We’ve worked on this for the past 18 months and the collection is now available on our website.
Offered in a range of modular sizes, from a 3 x 3 x 2.5m model up to 5 x 4 x 2.5m, the pergolas represent outstanding value, starting at just £7,360 + VAT for trade customers when bought online. The pergolas are supplied with a 10-year warranty, and have in-built LED lighting, electronic louvred roofs, and Somfy control systems, which can be controlled via a mobile app or linked to existing home automation systems.
Electronic shade blinds and heaters can also be added to the spec. The pergolas are in stock and can be ordered online with the standard London Stone 20% trade-only discount. When you buy one of our Deluxe Pergolas, we will be there to help you with any installation queries and aftercare advice.
What other new products are on the horizon?
The popularity of porcelain continue to grow, as many homeowners prefer lower maintenance, colour-consistent paving materials. We’re about to add two more porcelain products to our range, which emulate the prestigious Grey Yorkstone, and the modernity of Sawn Sandstone. These materials give customers even more choice when selecting materials and won’t break the bank.
Are there any new natural stone materials on the horizon?
Yes! We love natural stone. We’re currently curating a ‘Prestige’ natural stone range, tailored towards the quality natural materials of the UK and Europe. Garden designers and landscape architects won’t want to miss this premium collection, so stay tuned for further details. Craig Potter, whom many readers will know, has also returned to London Stone to introduce this new natural stone range, so keep your eyes open for him.
How is your network of nationwide showrooms?
The showroom expansion continues. We are currently putting the finishing touches to our brand-new Milton Keynes showroom which opens in early 2025. We’re looking forward to having a permanent base to serve Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Northants, and Hertfordshire.
Unfortunately, we had to close our Essex showroom this year due to the sale of the land. However, we’re actively seeking a new location to serve the region.
In the meantime, our existing showrooms have undergone refurbishment this year, ensuring that they remain relevant, inspirational hubs for both trade professionals and homeowners alike. Many of our showrooms are geared-up to host industry events like training, seminars, or workshops. We’ll never charge you to use our facilities, so please do get in touch.
Here’s to a busy end of 2024, and a prosperous 2025 for the sector!
This article was originally published in the November 2024 issue of Pro Landscaper magazine.
