The Artlab created the H&O Plastics online shop, before planning and implementing a new digital marketing strategy to target small business owners in the UK.

H&O Plastics is a plastic container manufacturer that sells to the trade and the public.

Since Managing Director Bob Lavender bought the company, H&O Plastics has grown from a two machine production shop to become one of the largest plastic container manufacturers in the UK.

The Birkenhead-based business has successfully fought off competition from cheaper foreign imports thanks to its focus on quality and flexibility, as well as a willingness and desire to innovate.

In 2013, Bob Lavender commissioned the Artlab to create a new e-Commerce website that would help him reach new customers and supplement the larger trade accounts with small but regular orders.

The e-Commerce website opened a new revenue stream for the manufacturer and targeted SEO and marketing work helped boost website traffic and online sales.

We use a balanced combination of search marketing, content marketing and social media marketing to reach the right audience and turn more of them into repeat customers.

Since the new website we've taken orders from companies I never would have thought to target previously. We’ve taken orders from restaurant chains, wildlife centres and even TV production companies. Without the Artlab, H&O would be a very different business today. And I would be spending a lot more time at the office instead of with my family.

Bob Lavender, Managing Director of H&O Plastics

About the work

The Artlab performed a variety of design and marketing work for H&O Plastics to try and boost the company's online business.

  • Content

    The Artlab manages two blogs for H&O two separate blogs for H&O Plastics, one delivering B2B communications and one targeting B2C clients.

    As well as regularly updating company blogs, The Artlab also writes and pitches content to local media organisations such as the Liverpool Echo and other organisations with links to the H&O websites.

  • Social

    The Artlab manages several social media accounts for H&O Plastics. We use Twitter, Facebook and Google+ to build relationships with potential and existing customers. In addition to engagement tweets we also designed simple graphic banners to stand out on people’s social feeds.

    We have also helped train H&O employees on how to blog and use social media to engage with customers. This was important to Bob Lavender because he likes to complete as much work as possible in house.

  • SEO

    The Artlab optimised both websites for key search terms. The primary aim of this SEO strategy was to ensure that BuyBuckets.co.uk consistently ranked amongst the top search engine results for people shopping for plastic containers online.

    We identified the key search terms used by people shopping for plastic containers and performed

    To increase traffic we set up both websites with Google Analytics to measure user interaction. We are constantly analysing data from the websites to understand which parts of the site and change the parts which are performing badly.

Thinking about something similar?

We work with lots of manufacturers helping them to succeed online

Find out more