Successful Cumbrian firm Chimney Sheep has invested £120,000 in its Workington site.
Run by Sally Phillips, the company creates removable draught excluders for chimneys made from Herdwick wool.
Since its launch 12 years ago, Since launching the Chimney Sheep, Sally’s business has expanded significantly, selling draught excluders around the world and introducing a range of other products made from Herdwick wool, from dog beds to gardening equipment.
Over the past six years, Sally has purchased wool directly from local farmers. This helps ensure a constant supply and also means that farmers receive a better price. However, without proper storage facilities, co-ordinating the collection, processing, and haulage of wool was a logistical challenge.
To solve this, Sally planned to build a dedicated wool shed at Chimney Sheep’s premises in Workington.
Having an on-site facility would allow the business to receive wool whenever farmers had it available, eliminating logistical bottlenecks.
Sally also wanted to invest in two key pieces of machinery: a wool press to make haulage more cost-effective by compacting wool and a wool pelleting machine, allowing for the recycling of waste wool into pellets which can be sold as a natural slug and snail deterrent for gardens and for retaining moisture in potted plants.
To fund this expansion, Chimney Sheep applied for a grant scheme with Cumbria Business Growth Hub, funded by the Rural England Prosperity Fund, provided through Cumberland Council.
Sally received £59,894.32, covering 50% of the costs of the project.
Sally said: “The grant application process was straightforward, and I was supported by one of Cumbria Business Growth Hub’s advisers, Adrian Luckham. Any grant application requires pulling together a lot of information in a short time, but we managed it smoothly.”
The original plan was to construct a traditional steel frame shed. However, a site survey found that ground conditions at the site were not well suited and the additional groundwork would have made the project too expensive. Instead, Sally opted for a lighter aluminium frame shed, which can be securely pinned down.
Construction on the shed is now complete and the wool press and pellet machine will arrive on site this week.
Sally said: “This investment means we can operate far more efficiently and develop new products, ensuring that more Herdwick wool is put to good use. It also supports our goal of creating local jobs and making our supply chain more sustainable.”
