Hurricane havoc to sustainable woodland product

Origins of the Company

The hurricane of October 1987 felled a great many of our trees in southern England, particularly in overgrown woodland that had not been traditionally managed. In 1989, the Kent forester and former chemist Dr Stan Williams joined forces with tree-surgeon Andy Ball and the National Trust, to set up the Toys Hill Charcoal Company, using waste timber from the storm-damaged woodlands for conversion into ecological barbecue fuel. Thus the ancient craft of charcoal burning, once a thriving industry in Kent, was revived.

By 1995 the business had expanded and the English Ecological Enterprise Company was born, with Martin Lewis as marketing director. Stan has now retired but Martin continues to run the company wholesaling E-Co English Lumpwood Charcoal.

E-Co today

E-Co Charcoal is eco-friendly English charcoal sourced from managed woodlands in Kent and in Surrey (in conjunction with the Surrey Wildlife Trust). It is sold throughout London and South East England but can be shipped nationwide on pallets.

E-Co Charcoal has had some excellent publicity in newspapers and magazines including the Financial Times, Independent on Sunday, Mail on Sunday and Sky Magazine. It has also featured in various television food and cookery programmes such as ‘The Great British Menu’ and ‘What To Eat Now’, both on BBC2.