1946

Stanley Whyatt, father of the current Chairman Graham Whyatt, began selling bulb bowls at local markets under the name of Portland (Distributors) Limited. 

This fledgling enterprise quickly became successful and with the help of two extra staff he developed its offering with the addition of fertilisers and pest control products.

1952

Recognising the potential market in plant feeds and pest control Stanley rented the upper floor of a terraced house in Hucknall and transformed it into a small scale manufacturing unit.

Looking for a brand name that was short and memorable he came up with the idea of ‘doff’, doff being a gesture of respect, as in ‘to doff your hat’.

1953

The Business now employed eight staff and the old Midland Railway Goods Shed had been rented to accommodate its growth. It was from this site that the first Doff Slug Killer Pellet was devised, changing the method of application from a dust/granule format to a more effective pellet, the product that would become Doff’s speciality for years to come.

1974

Doff invested in purpose built premises on Bolsover Street Hucknall in order to expand and fully explore its potential. It was here that its first pellet mill was constructed.

1993

The Business was now a significant employer in the Town with thirty staff and a site running at full capacity.
2000 – 2013

After a further period of impressive growth the Business acquired a multimillion pound purpose built site just off the Hucknall bypass, accommodating all its office, production and warehousing requirements under one roof and growing to a business with over 70 excellent staff.

2013

Doff was acquired by b7 Ventures and 151 Products in a transaction which provided further investment for growth; has underpinned Doff s ability to provide the best value products to consumers in the Home-Garden market and has secured its ability to drive innovation and  product development.