A LANDSCAPING supply business which started life in a shed with one van and one employee is this year celebrating its 21st anniversary with 50 staff and a £10 million turnover.

Green-tech, which is run by husband and wife duo Richard and Rachel Kay, and is vying to be crowned Large Business of the Year and Family Business of the Year, now stocks in excess of 6,000 products lines.

The business supplies products to landscape contractors and gardeners, local authorities and the forestry industry.

Green-tech is part way through a move to new premiss after outgrowing its current site a Nun Monkton, leading to Mr and Mrs Kay investing £3 million in land near the A1 for a new large-scale, purpose built office and warehouse facility.

The company has longer-term plans to extend the site to include a country store and rural supplies site, as well as offering business units for rental and meeting rooms for hire.

Marketing manager Kate Humes said: "2015 is set to be Green-tech’s most successful year ever, with a turnover predicted at tipping £10 million, a 20 per cent increase on 2014.

"Green-tech’s success can be credited to its ability to move with the times, its sound market knowledge, entrepreneurial flair, innovation and a clear focus on customer needs.

"Green-tech has significantly increased its sales capability in readiness for the move and this coupled with the increased distribution capacity is planned to hike turnover for 2016."

In the last 12 months, Green-tech has driven an increase in demand from landscape architects and specifiers for specialist technical advice and support. This has led to the development of a gtSpecifier team that is tasked with assisting architects and specifiers with their urban planting schemes.

A comprehensive programme of educational seminars regarding urban landscapes has been developed, with many now appearing on development plans for high profile projects across the UK including the new development of the York City football stadium.

Ms Humes said: "Richard and Rachel are entrepreneurial in their own right but together they make a dynamic partnership.

"They are always prepared to try new things and are fast to respond to challenges and opportunities – something that puts Green-tech ahead of its competitors time after time.

"They are well known and respected in the industry and are always abreast of new changes, often ensuring Green-tech is heavily involved."