Former Solus Garden & Leisure md, Nick Davies, has unveiled his new garden product manufacturing company, called Crest Garden.
The new venture is a stand-alone business but it benefits from financial backing and infrastructure support from Westland Horticulture to help it start up and establish itself in the industry. Trading will commence in the late part of the summer this year.

Mr Davies is in the process of creating an experienced team of managers who have many years of experience in the UK and international garden business. Andy Abraham will become sales director and Colin Smart will become commercial director, both of whom previously held senior management positions at Solus.

Crest will focus on developing new products, and commenting on the new business, Mr Davies said: "The team here at Crest Garden have many years experience of new product development and providing high levels of customer service to the traditional garden market. We have the advantage of starting with a blank canvass and will bring to the market innovative new ideas that meet the needs of an increasingly sophisticated retail environment."

Mr Davies left Solus suddenly at the end of November after 29 years; he announced he had plans to set up a new venture within the same industry and said at the time that by the end of 2014 "the business will be a major force within the garden industry."