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[The_forester]

Hello!

I'm new here so please go easy on me 

I am a Forestry final year student at Bangor University, Wales, an avid cricketer,  and I am currently looking at the cricket bat for my dissertation. I am trying to find information about the costs and profits involved in all stages of production from when the willow is planted, through clefts, blades, creation of the bat and through to the final cricket bat sale. I have so many questions to ask. I don't really want to flood the post with over 2000 words of questions but if you think you would be able to help using your first hand experience of any of the process then drop me a message  .

I have areas of questions i would like to ask Set growers, tree growers, harvesters, cleft producers, blade producers, bat makers, primary salesmen and shops that sell cricket bats.

I am struggling to find information, round about cost/profit figures, for the initial and latter stages of the process but any information would be brilliant. I can keep the information anonymous if required as I understand that this information is somewhat sensitive.

Thanks for taking the time to read this,

Ben

[Buzz]

Hi Ben, welcome to the forum.

In this months MCC members magazine there is an interview with JS Wrights, which will include a lot of the information you are looking for, so my suggestion is that you try to get a copy of that. I would also try to speak to them and Kippax (a forum sponsor) direct to help answer your questions.

Some of the costings and profit margins will be harder to get than the other information, people aren't usually too keen to let on how much they are making - other than what is on companies house.

There is a load of interesting information on here, so please use the search function - but you may need to speak to people in the know first hand.

Good luck.

here is the front cover of the excellent MCC magazine - it is a particularly good edition this time around

[The_forester]

Hi Buzz,

Thanks for the reply,

I have contacted JS Wright and they have been extremely helpful in answering many of the questions that i have in respect to the cleft and blade stages but as you guessed it is very difficult to find out information on costs. I can understand that people have to keep things like this under wraps. And putting myself in their shoes why would anyone feel obliged to tell an upstart like me anything about such secretive information that in the wrong hands could bring increased pressures and questions onto the business.

I haven't actually read the MCC interview but found another interview on another website (of which I've completely forgotten). I noticed a very interesting blog (WillowTreeBlog) on another thread who pointed you out as the primary facilitator in him posting about the Salix caerelua alba production. I also notice that he has't reposted and hasn't been active. I was wondering if you could do me a favour and ask him to contact me?

Cheers

Ben

P.S. These verification questions are making me learn more about cricket every post... I hope I've got this one correct

[Buzz]

I have pm'd you about the Willow Tree blogger, but he was/is a number of different people so not that easy to contact.

[The_forester]

Thanks to anyone who has helped me on this especially James from Lekka UK. I still have time to get more information! Don't be shy 

[Nickauger]

Thanks to anyone who has helped me on this especially James from Lekka UK. I still have time to get more information! Don't be shy 

Blimey, is he still in business?

[trypewriter]

Have you tried Kippax?

[The_forester]

Not sure if still in business or on an extended holiday in Thailand. Either way he seems to have given me decent figures on approximate costings for various things

[Ciaran]

Hes a nice guy just maybe over posts a little when on the forum!

[Nickauger]

Hes a nice guy just maybe over posts a little when on the forum!

ha ok!