Who We Are
TreeStation is a community-owned social enterprise based in West Gorton, Manchester. We employ around 25 people and bring together arboriculture, woodland management, consultancy, and wood products under one roof. Everything we produce comes from locally sourced timber — tree work arisings and sustainably managed woodland across Greater Manchester and the surrounding region.
We are a Society for the Benefit of the Community (BenCom), which means we exist to serve our members and the wider community, not private shareholders. Our surpluses get reinvested into the business and the people it supports. We trade under three names — TreeStation, Ecos, and Ecos Consulting — all part of Greater Manchester TreeStation Ltd.
How It Started
In 2003, Phil Benn set up Ecos, a small environmental consultancy in Manchester. Through years of tree work, one thing kept nagging at him: perfectly usable timber was going to waste. Trees felled, branches chipped, the lot hauled off to landfill or left to rot. At the same time, the push for biomass heating was growing — but there were no reliable local supply chains to feed it.
The TreeStation concept started taking shape in 2006. The idea was straightforward: create an urban hub that takes in timber from tree work and woodland management, then processes it into woodfuel, firewood, and other useful products. Stop the waste. Build the supply chain. Keep the jobs and the value in Greater Manchester.
In 2008, Greater Manchester TreeStation Ltd was formally incorporated — one of the first tree stations in the UK, and the first in the North West.
What Drives Us
We believe a better, fairer world is possible — one where everyone's needs are met in a way that is environmentally sustainable, economically responsible, and socially inclusive.
That is not a slogan on a wall. It shapes the practical decisions we make every day: which timber we accept, how we treat our staff, who we partner with, and where our money goes. We reduce waste wood going to landfill. We supply affordable woodfuel and timber products to Greater Manchester homes and businesses. We provide fair employment with proper training and decent conditions. We support local co-operatives and community organisations working for positive social change.
Our tagline — Making Wood Work — captures it simply. We take locally sourced timber and convert it into woodfuels and products that people actually need, through a business that works for the community it serves.
Co-operative Structure
TreeStation is not a conventional company. We are a BenCom — a co-operative owned by our members and community shareholders. Our Board of Directors is elected at the Annual General Meeting. Every member gets one vote, regardless of how many shares they hold.
This structure means our priorities stay aligned with the community. Profits are reinvested, not extracted. Major decisions are made transparently. And local people have a genuine stake in a business that operates on their doorstep.
Since gaining BenCom status in 2012, around 100 members have invested in TreeStation through community share offers, directly funding the infrastructure — including our biomass-powered kiln — that makes the business work.
Key Milestones
- 2003 — Phil Benn establishes Ecos, an environmental consultancy in Manchester.
- 2006 — The TreeStation project begins, exploring how to turn tree work arisings into useful products.
- 2008 — Greater Manchester TreeStation Ltd is incorporated — the first tree station in the North West of England.
- 2009 — Awarded a £137,000 grant from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).
- 2011 — Planning permission granted for the Vaughan Street site. £80,000 raised through loanstock.
- 2012 — Achieves BenCom status. £140,000 raised from approximately 100 community members. Gains ARB Approved Contractor status.
- 2013 — Quality Management System created.
- 2014 — Launches £130,000 community share offer.
- 2015 — Biomass boiler and kiln installed at Vaughan Street yard. Workforce grows to over 20 full-time equivalent staff.
- 2016 — Annual turnover exceeds £500,000.
Get in Touch
Want to know more about TreeStation, become a member, or talk to us about tree work? We are always happy to hear from people in Greater Manchester.
- Phone: 0161 231 3333
- Email: info@treestation.co.uk
- Visit: Vaughan St, West Gorton, Manchester M12 5FQ (for satnav use M12 5BT)