Glasgow decking specialist looks to make it big with ‘floating’ gardens

Macdeck Landscaping in discussions with builders’ merchants and other potential distributors across the UK.

Macdeck’s panels are made from a composite material allowing the system to carry significantly heavier top layer materials.

A Glasgow specialist decking company is gearing up for growth after securing a patent for a lightweight panel designed to cover difficult ground, such as slopes or areas prone to flooding.

Macdeck Landscaping is in talks with builders’ merchants and other potential distributors to sell the panel systems across the UK. It has worked with the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC), part of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) Group, and the Advanced Composites Group of the University of Strathclyde on the product’s development, with the help of funding by Interface. NMIS is operated by the University of Strathclyde and is part of the High-Value Manufacturing Catapult.

Tony McCaffrey, director, Macdeck Landscaping, said: “The patent for our new landscaping solution is a big step forward for Macdeck that could see us breaking into new markets. NMIS support and expertise has been invaluable in helping us accelerate the development and refine the product. The positive results of the research gave me the confidence to take the panels to market and apply for a patent.

“We’re receiving significant interest from other landscaping companies wanting to use our system. With the patent now in place we can start delivering panels to the other merchants and approach sectors such as civil construction.”

The company’s lightweight panels are fixed on top of a timber frame and are designed to cover difficult ground. Porcelain tiles, gravel or natural turf installed on top of the panels create “floating” gardens in spaces that may otherwise have been unusable. The panels are made from a composite material allowing the system to carry significantly heavier top layer materials. With climate change potentially bringing heavier rain and increased risk of floods, the product could be used to futureproof gardens.

Katya McKenna of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland said: “We are thrilled to have been part of this project and to witness the success that Macdeck Landscaping has achieved. It’s great to see a small business turning its idea into reality.

“Macdeck’s unique project aligns perfectly with our mission to make our expertise in materials science and engineering really useful to our industry clients, and we are proud to have played a role in helping it bring the product to market.”