July-August 2011 Landscape Trades

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JULY/AUGUST 2011

VOL. 33, NO. 6 landscapetrades.com SNOW.

SERVICE. SUCCESS.

Snow control bidding,contract clauses, tuning systems,boosting sales and more...

Snow and Ice Management 2011

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COMING EVENTS 46

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WHERE TO FIND IT 50

FEATURES

8 Struggling with sales?Create a systematic process for better resultsBY PHIL HARWOOD

12 Manage Mother Nature and make moneySIMA workshops build on core business principlesBY BRIAN K. BIRCH

18 Shovelling out waste A plan to ban profi t-eating wasteBY MARK BRADLEY

22 Getting smart about saltCertifi cation program is a boon to snow and ice managersBY BOB HODGINS

SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING

16 Green niche is suddenly viableBY SEAN JAMES

BUILDING BUSINESS

36 Solving production problems improves work flowBY GEORGE URVARI

ROAD TO SUCCESS

38 Good service will reap rewardsBY ROD MCDONALD

LEGAL MATTERS

42 Understanding the hold-harmless clauseBY ROBERT KENNALEY

contentsJULY/AUGUST 2011

30 1812

onthecover:

This month in Landscape Trades, a special focus on snow and ice management looks at building a profitable, yet competitive bid, making more money by clearing out waste, as well as contract pitfalls to avoid.

PHOTO BY MELISSA STEEP

4 | JULY/AUGUST 2011 | LANDSCAPE TRADES 4 | JULY/AUGUST 2011 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

july/August 2011 VOl. 33, NO. 6

PuBlIsHER Lee Ann Knudsen CLP | [email protected]

EdItORIAl dIREctOR Sarah Willis | [email protected]

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WEB EdItOR Robert Ellidge | [email protected]

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gRAPHIc dEsIgNER Mike Wasilewski | [email protected]

AccOuNtANt Joseph Sabatino | [email protected]

sAlEs MANAgER, PuBlIcAtIONs Steve Moyer | [email protected]

cOMMuNIcAtIONs AssIstANt Angela Lindsay | [email protected]

AdVIsORy cOMMIttEE Gerald Boot CLP, Laura Catalano, Hank Gelderman CHTM, Tim Kearney CLP, Marty Lamers, Jan Laurin, Bob Tubby CLP

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Are your sales a problem, and are you looking for help? I regularly encounter businesses that talk about sales. They know they need sales. They may even have sales goals. But their sales processes are undefined. They’re murky. Without a clearly defined sales process, these businesses are just hoping for the best and will not likely achieve their sales goals.

In many small businesses, the owner is a part-time, untrained salesperson. He or she is also actively involved in marketing, operations, customer service, account management, administration, accounting, finance, human resources, legal issues, and more. The challenge for these owners is to be able to carve out time to focus on sales and to follow a systematic sales process when they have their sales hats on. Their sales skills get rusty between sales calls, and they struggle to keep up with leads. Many great opportunities fall through the cracks because of the simple lack of follow-up.

Even in many mid-sized and larger businesses, sales processes are often not well defined and are sometimes even inconsistent with strategy. I also regularly find underfunded sales budgets and an effort to replace sales activity with marketing activity. Marketing

is absolutely necessary, but a business cannot completely ignore the sales function. Driving traffic to your website is great, but if you can’t return a phone call from a prospect in a reasonable amount of time, you have a broken sales process. Marketing builds awareness and credibility, but sales pays the bills.

I recently sent an email to a business requesting some information. I received a reply almost immediately. I was thrilled by the response time until I opened the email. It said that my email was received and that someone would get back to me within two business days. Are you kidding me? This is simply not acceptable in today’s fast-paced, always-connected, hypercompetitive business climate. This business is telling every new lead, “Please go away. We don’t need your business. In fact, we can’t handle what we have.” This is one example of a poor sales process. Alienating a prospect before you ever have a shot at winning his business is not very smart.

Developing a great sales process isn’t all that difficult. But it does take some focus and effort. Let’s look at some of the components of the sales process.

The struggle with sales

No doubt about it: Many businesses struggle with sales. They have no problem doing the work, but they have a serious problem selling the work. And until they fix this problem, their growth will be severely limited. does this describe your business?

BY PHIl HARWOOd

JULY/AUGUST 2011 | LANDSCAPE TRADES | 9

Set a goalEstablishing sales goals is a logical place to start. Goals should align with your long-term vision and three- to five-year plan. Many businesses lack both vision and plans. Without these in place, it’s almost impossible to establish a reasonable sales goal or to communicate the importance of achieving the goal.

Sales goals should be established for each market segment and service line. For example, a contractor who provides landscape construction services for both commercial and residential market segments may project an increase in one segment and a decrease in the other. By establishing sales goals for each market segment, the business will be able to target its sales and marketing efforts toward the growth areas and fine-tune its messages for each segment.

Own the goalAccountability for results is next. Specific people in your business must be accountable for sales results. Results must be tracked, reported, and compared to goals on a daily or weekly basis. If nobody is specifically accountable for sales results, there will either be finger-pointing and arguing when sales results don’t materialize, or you may become complacent.

Create a carrotIncentives are another important component in a great sales process. Owners obviously have an incentive to sell, but what about non-owners? If a salesperson’s incentive to sell is to keep his job, fear is the incentive. Fear is definitely a powerful incentive and may work for the short-term, but it will ultimately push your best people out the door as soon as a better opportunity comes along. Nobody likes to work in a fear-based environment.

Creating an incentive plan for salespeople requires effort, but it can be done quickly and simply. In my experience, many businesses over-engineer compensation plans, creating an unnecessary administrative burden. Incentives may be financial in nature or non-financial. Keep in mind that some of the most powerful incentives, such as recognition among peers, are non-financial.

Process is keyWith goals, accountabilities, and incentives in place, the next step is to define the steps that will occur in your sales process, from the initial contact to the renewing of the business. These steps will need to be created for each market segment since the buyers are different in each segment. If you sell to multiple market segments, you’ll need multiple sales processes. This is one of the

drawbacks to diversification. As you develop these sales steps, think

about what has been successful in the past. How did you land that most recent customer? Whatever it was, it would be smart to incorporate these steps into your sales process. There’s a rule in sales: If something works, keep doing it.

Let’s pretend you landed the new customer through a referral from an existing customer—someone you play hockey with every Thursday evening. Once you were referred, you met the prospect for lunch at a nice restaurant. Since this meeting went well, you invited the prospect to visit your facility. After this, you made a presentation at the prospect’s office and signed the agreement. What can we learn from this?

In this example, your relationship with a customer made all the difference. A logical sales process for you would be to invest in relationship-building and learn how to ask for referrals. Inviting a prospect to visit your facility should be standard procedure from now on since this step made your prospect more comfortable. It might be wise to make your facility even more attractive and comfortable for prospects. You may want to invest in better presentation materials and skills.

Keep in mind that a shorter, less cumbersome sales process is generally better

Tips to improve selling skills

Focus on uncovering the prospect’s needs.1. Keep in mind your prospect will rarely state his deepest needs. It’s your job to draw them out.

Ask questions. 2. The most effective sales people ask a lot of questions, and do very little talking.

Sell, don’t tell. 3. Nobody cares what you know until they know you care.

Invest in relationship-building. 4. Relationships matter more today than ever before.

Don’t waste time on unqualified prospects. 5. The most effective sales people spend more time with prospects, qualifying and building relationships. They bid much less, but close much more.

Don’t focus on price. 6. There will always be someone cheaper than you. Sales people who complain about losing bids on the basis of price are simply being outsold.

Get face to face.7. It’s always best to present your proposal in person. If someone isn’t willing to meet with you, does he really plan to hire you, or does he just want your numbers?

Win the face-off. 8. Someone will control the sales (buying) process. Don’t let it be your prospect.

Sell constantly.9. Be prepared at all times with your introduction, business cards, a pen, notepad, etc.

Say thank you and keep in touch. 10. Don’t ignore new customers after the sale is made. This is a rookie mistake and will result in low customer retention.


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than a longer, more complicated one. In our previous example, was the lunch meeting necessary? If not, it should be removed. Fewer steps means a more efficient, less costly process.

By the numbersOnce the process is defined, tracking the progression of sales activity is vital. Going back to the previous example, you should be tracking the number and frequency of customer “touches” to build relationships,

the number of referrals asked for, the number of referrals received, the number of facility visits, the number of presentations, and the number of sales. Tracking of these steps may be done by raw number, dollar value, or both.

With a good tracking system, you will always know what’s in the sales pipeline. In addition, you’ll always know the rate of success for each activity or step in the process. This closing rate for each step is an important number to calculate and track, as it will allow you to recognize the steps that need improvement. Your tracking system may be a manual system or you may utilize a software package – a customer relationship management program or module.

Bringing home the bacon doesn’t just happen by itself. It takes a great sales process to make it happen. LT

Phil Harwood is the founder of

Pro-Motion Consulting, helping landscape

and snow contractors create healthy, profitable,

and sustainable businesses. Visit www.pro-

motionconsultingllc.com for more information.

Taking the time to draft a step-by-step sales process that builds in accountability,will result in a higher close rate.

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snow and ice management is tough work, hands down. Countless hours of planning, extensive equipment and logistics preparation, and salty customers make it even thankless work sometimes. As winter weather again approaches (it’s only 3-4 months away in some places!), the focus of your snow and ice management company this fall should be on the concept of building a bidding and planning process that is sustainable, scalable, accurate, consistent and unique to you. In this article we will ask two questions, and then provide some insight based on several workshops SIMA has created over the last three years.

Question One: What are the core principles of building a bid in snow and ice?There are four main aspects to accurate bidding in snow and ice:

Know your costs: Breaking down the true cost of their services, including equipment, manpower, overhead, and more, is key for contractors who want to create accurate pricing for their companies. Do you factor in ALL of the costs for your equipment, for example? A true cost estimate of a plow truck and spreader combination, for example, could include life expectancy of the equipment, original cost of purchase, resell price of equipment, maintenance of equipment over a period of time, insurance on the equipment, loan and interest rate costs, and more. Each of these elements affects the total and true cost of providing that equipment for service, and should be factored in to your cost structure and carried to your bidding methodology! Production numbers and measuring:Knowing your costs is only the start; now

you need to factor in your average costs to conduct the work during the season, using some production data collected over time. For the sake of snow and ice, there are two definitions that can apply to the term ‘Production Number.’ Use whichever makes the most sense to you:

The number of units produced in a given •period of time or the time required to produce a single article/outcome.Average amount of time it takes a piece •of equipment, a person, or a material to finish a measurable job.

Once you have determined some specific production numbers for your company, you can apply what is called an efficiency rating to each property, to help standardize how your production numbers apply to different properties. Here is an example of an efficiency rating scale:

100% A Lot: No obstructions in the lot85% B Lot: Some islands, obstructions or light posts70% C Lot: Many obstructions, truck docks, parked vehicles etc.In the above example, applying an efficiency

rating to a production number on a B lot would mean that your production outcome would decrease by 15% (100% - 85% = 15%) due to the difficulty of plowing the lot itself.

Snow event specifics: This is where snow gets fun! The weather is the single biggest challenge in creating bids that work for your company long term; it is unpredictable to a large degree, but you can institute management tools and data that help you manage the risk of winter. By closely monitoring/researching the average number and intensity of events each season, you will be able to come out with a baseline to

Manage Mother Nature AND make money:

Snow bidding workshops BY BRIAN K. BIRCH

SIMA’s Build A Bid was a success at 2010’s Municipal and Contractor Fall Equipment show in Waterloo, Ont., as well as in Ottawa. The workshop, as well as Beyond the Bid, will be offered again this September in both cities.

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build bids on. For example, let’s say that your market averages 25 snow/ice events per season, and you break them out into normal, medium, or heavy events based on your research. You can then apply your own production numbers to determine a solid baseline for the average time it will take per season to do the work:

15 Normal visits x 45 minutes (calculated from production numbers) = 675 minutes per season7 Medium visits x 60 minutes = 420 minutes per season3 Heavy visits x 75 minutes = 225 minutes per season

These numbers can be totaled, then coupled with other information (costs, efficiency ratings, and desired profit) to calculate a specific bid for a specific property for one season. Remember that in these numbers, the difficulty level is based on amount or intensity of snow/ice, while the efficiency factors discussed earlier focus on the level of difficulty of the property.

Customers are key: This step in the bidding process is making sure your profit is protected, and illustrating the entire value of your services to the customer. A common mistake is to bid on work for unqualified customers, which is costly to you and wasteful in general. But what makes a customer qualified? In order to know the answer to that question, each contractor must create a set of criteria that potential customers MUST meet before they bid on their property, which could include:

Size or type of property•Geographic area or zone•

Reputation or loyalty •of the potential customerPayment terms•Scope of work and onsite expectations•Understanding the four major areas of a

snow and ice bidding process can really help a snow professional move from pricing based on what the guy next door is charging to a more accurate pricing system that reflects the unique characteristics and strengths of the company.

Question Two: What are the current major strategic issues in snow and ice?Bidding snow and ice accurately is half the battle, but what about creating a long term strategy for growth in snow? Here is a quick review of some key issues:

Confronting trends: Over the past five years, the snow industry in North America has proven to be a dynamic, highly adaptive market. With a relatively low barrier to entry, intense pressure on pricing from consumers, and generally more dramatic weather patterns, these trends can be impossible to predict and difficult to manage. In the U.S., large national and regional service management companies have grown substantially in many major markets, especially the retail/commercial sectors. These trends are occurring Canada too, and as increased globalization drives retail and large commercial property management further toward efficiency and sustainability, these trends could become key factors in the Canadian private snow industry.

Managing financial and liability risk: Perhaps the single-biggest task assigned to

the owner or manager of a snow business is managing the risk associated with snow and ice management.

One key principle that comes into play more and more often is the concept of portfolio management for snow accounts. In essence, contractors in the U.S. have created methods to offset the risks associated with both low- and heavy-snow seasons. In Canada, the risk is managed most often through a number of years, due to the predominantly seasonal nature of Canadian snow contracts. Strategically, there is both some security in the Canadian seasonal pricing and a great deal of risk, and some strong opportunity for differentiation. With new pricing models like Per Event taking hold in the U.S. market, Canadian contractors should stay in tune with these changes, as they may affect markets long-term. Managing a stronger, more balanced portfolio is key, as is instigating some more firm controls on the ebbs and flows of the snow business, with such tools such as weather insurance, weather-specific brokerage tools and contractual controls helping limit the impact of dramatic winter conditions (such as extreme snowfall, ice storms, etc.).

Identifying new opportunities: At the crossroads of newer technologies, increased risk, changing political and economic conditions, and intense winters lies opportunity for those contractors who can manage change effectively. More than anything, snow contractors need to find ways to accelerate their ability to analyze and adapt to market conditions. For example, some simple capacity calculations and having a greater understanding of how to increase capacity are key for growth in snow. It is no longer as simple as taking on a new account and purchasing a piece of equipment; contractors need to leverage every piece of equipment they have, use subcontractors and rental when it makes sense, and create a growth strategy focused on their capacity to do work in a focused geographic area. LT

Brian K. Birch is assistant executive director of

the Snow and Ice Management Association

Workshops for winter warriors

The Snow and Ice Management Association has developed several workshops for snow pros. The Build A Bid program is an eight-hour workshop where attendees have the chance to test their bidding skills in an open, supportive environment.

Beyond the Bid creates a long-term strategy for growth in snow. The course is updated annually to be relevant to what is happening in the market now, and it is focused solely on snow and ice.

SIMA and Landscape Ontario are presenting the Build a Bid and Beyond the Bid workshops in several locations this autumn.

Sept. 12, at the Canadian Snow and Ice Expo, held at the Rideau-Carlton Entertainment Centre in Ottawa. More information and online registration is available at www.horttrades.com/canadian-snow-and-ice-expo-2011.

Sept. 14, at the Municipal and Contractor Fall Equipment Show 2011, at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex, Kitchener, Ont. Information and online registration is available at www.horttrades.com/municipal-and-contractor-fall-equipment-show-2011.


I am, quite frankly, shocked by the night-and-day shift in attitude towards the environment being demonstrated by corporate customers this year.

At my company, we’ve always focused on residential projects but recently, through networking and word of mouth as well as public speaking engagements, we’ve had many requests for our services from business, both large and small.

The trends, they are a changin’A family developing its farm into a subdivision approached us to consult on every aspect of the project, and are proving themselves to be open to new ideas. Together, we’re looking at everything: bioretention gardens designed to replace the curb-and-gutter method of moving storm water, geothermal heating

under permeable driveways; solar power; native plantings and more. It should be a profitable and exciting, template for future developments.

We were approached by a builder of carbon net-neutral condos and offices, to create landscapes to support a variety of bird, insect and animal life. The understanding is that, not only are these creatures pretty, but they are part of the web that supports us all. It was pointed out in the book, Bringing Nature Home (more than worth a read by the way!), that nature is like a game of Jenga; we can remove a certain number of the blocks, or species, without the tower collapsing, but we don’t know how many. If the tower collapses, so do we. The more diversity of life is in a landscape, the more that landscape takes care of itself, supporting the nutrient cycle and keeping pests under control.

In my own garden, pests never reach a level that requires control because the birds and beneficial insects keep them in check.

Selling the IdeaNow, there are important considerations when selling to a business. If you can show how they will save money, it certainly helps. For example, deciduous trees will shade the building in summer, reducing cooling costs, and allow the sun in during the winter. Employees are proven to be more productive when they have a view of nature. If installed during initial construction, geothermal is cost-effective. Converting turf areas into a meadow habitat reduces maintenance and irrigation costs. The public is becoming aware of greenwashing — the practice of appearing green without actually being green — so companies really have to put their money where their mouth is. You never know where the next eco-customer will come from.

We, as an industry, are recovering our reputation from the pesticide days and are even becoming involved with local groups such as the Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition (Landscape Ontario is a founding member), and getting involved sitting on boards of local environmental advocacy groups. All of these are the right thing to do, and also lead to more business.

The more you get your name out as a person or company that can make the difference, the more work you get. The more work you get, the more you learn, because no one knows it all, and the better able you are to offer your expertise for the next project. It’s a cycle that just keeps improving!

Questions or comments? As always, contact me at [email protected]. Your feedback is always appreciated. LT

Sean James is owner of an Ontario-based

environmentally-conscious landscape design/

build/maintenance company. In addition, he is

an eco-consultant and a popular speaker.

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No matter the size of the snow operation you run, we all have waste — costs that rob us of valuable profit and opportunity. There’s simply no better time to deal with it than before the snow flies.

Waste is any process that does not add value to your customer. In snow and ice, our customer’s value is simple. They pay us for safe lots, liability protection, snow removal or relocation (in some cases) and accurate billing. Almost everything else is waste. How we get to their site, how we prep and fuel our trucks, where we pick up salt, how we pay our staff, how we track our vehicles during an event — all these processes are necessary for us, but they don’t provide any value to our end-customers. Your customers aren’t going to pay you more than your competition because you have to drive further for salt. All they want to pay for is a clean, safe, professional-looking property.

Because we’re busy, and stretched for time, so many of us stop questioning the problems and waste in our business and just accept them as the way we do business. Years slip by, and before we know it, we’re

surrounded by waste that nobody questions, much less tries to find a solution for. As you begin your preparations for the snow and ice season, question everything. Look at your business and all the time and money spent not serving your customers — then work to eliminate this waste. The process of eliminating waste is never-ending, but the journey will go a long way to ensuring your success.

Here are just a few examples of waste that eat at the profits and potential rewards of snow contractors.

Equipment downtimeWhen a machine goes down, a design-build project schedule might slip for a day or two, but there’s no delaying snow and ice control. When your equipment goes down, your costs go up — and fast. It’s very likely you need to get the equipment to a dealer, wait in line behind the other 100 contractors needing an urgent repair, and then get the equipment back to site. In the meantime, you’ve got to move replacement equipment to the site to complete the job, your labour

costs are rising as you move equipment around, your staff is working longer and getting more tired, and your customers get frustrated.

Eliminate the waste: The cheapest repairs are the ones that don’t happen. Issue pre- and post-shift checklists to all operators that include preventive maintenance procedures.

Look beyond the sticker price when you purchase equipment. Buy from dealers with great service departments who carry a large inventory of parts. A few lost days waiting for parts or repairs will cost your company much more than you’ll save on the sticker price.

Train your staff on inspections and simple repairs. A small tool and parts kit and a pre-season meeting to show your staff how to perform simple repairs can help them fix small issues before they start to cost you money.

Equipment utilizationUnused equipment capacity is a big waste for many contractors who do snow in the

Shovelling out waste Building better snow and ice operations BY MARK BRAdleY

Shovelling out waste Building better snow and ice operations


winter and grounds maintenance in the summer. I see many expensive pieces of equipment parked in the summer, waiting for the next snow season to arrive.

Eliminate the waste: The right equipment purchase could be doing much more for your business. Agricultural tractors aren’t much use for contractors in the summer. Consider renting equipment for the snow season, or buying construction loaders instead of agricultural tractors which can be used or even rented out during the summer. Construction loaders cost more, but have more power, depreciate less, are more efficient at switching work tools and are more useful in the summer months to a typical landscape contractor.

Material waste All you need to calibrate your salters is a scale, a bag or bucket, and a watch, and yet most snow and ice contractors don’t make this simple investment in calibrating equipment. Improperly calibrated salters cause massive waste. Applying too much salt increases your material costs, while too little salt causes re-work, customer dissatisfaction and potential liability problems.

Eliminate the waste: Before the season hits, calibrate your salters to ensure proper application rates of salt and de-icing materials.

Estimating waste To price your work profitably, you have to be right on two sides of the same coin. You need accurate quantities and you need accurate prices. If you’re not accurate on both sides of this coin, you’re losing money. All-too-often, contractors go to great lengths to estimate quantities accurately, then watch all that accuracy go to waste by pricing those quantities incorrectly.

A loader or agricultural tractor, for instance, will have very different costs and prices, depending on who is using it. If Joe’s Landscape bills about 200 hours per year on the equipment while Greentree Landscape bills 1,200 hours per year, it’s highly likely that Greentree’s costs per hour are less than half of Joe’s. Joe may even be a little faster on the machine than Greentree, but if Joe tries to price his loader with Greentree’s charge-out rate, Joe will be out of money and out of

business quickly. For both companies to price work successfully, they must know what their cost per hour is to run that machine.

Eliminate the waste: Use online tools to measure site areas (Google Earth, Bing Maps, findlotsize.com are some free examples):

Visit sites to look for obstacles, problems, historical issues and other slow-downs that don’t show up on overhead pictures

Know your costs — especially the hourly costs of your employees (wages, burden, downtime, etc.) and the hourly costs of your equipment (including purchasing, repairs, insurance, fuel, utilization, etc.)

Know your company — your prices must recover not only your costs, but also your overhead and desired profit. Are you certain your prices have got you covered?

Systems waste Timely, accurate information ensures we pay our bills, our employees and invoice our customers accurately. However, time spent on these tasks is waste, it doesn’t add value to the customer. Entering information into our systems is waste. Mistakes in processing this information are waste. Transferring this information from person to person is waste.

Eliminate the waste: New technologies improve the accuracy and reduce the time (and man hours) spent managing information — enabling your office to manage more work in less time, and with fewer people.

Smartphone time-keeping solutions electronically track employee times and locations, and instantly import data into accounting for payroll and/or job-costing. GPS fleet systems track vehicle locations, site service records and even monitor driving habits. One person and a screen can manage route changes, get site service updates and generate instant time and service reports in real time … without having to disrupt field productivity with phone calls. Review your paperwork — what information gets filled out and handed in but never used? Is it really necessary to track it?

Productivity waste We’ve all been there. It’s the first snow event of the year. Drivers are lost, running behind, looking at maps and site instructions and trying to figure out their routes in the

middle of an event. Mistakes happen. We get called back out to fix missing areas, or piles left in the wrong spots.

Eliminate the waste: Staff need to know exactly where to go and what to do. They need to be provided with the information they need to do their best on each site. This includes:

Route maps, to show where they are going and the order they should hit the sitesSite maps, to show exactly which areas on the site they are responsible forContact information, so they’re not calling you wondering if the salt vendor is openChecklists, what gets done at the beginning of the shift (inspect all fluids, check plows and mounts), what gets done at the end of the shift (empty and clean salter, fuel truck, submit all paperwork)Dashboard GPS for trucks, a small investment that will pay for itself over and over again. Your drivers can focus on driving safely while the navigation system gets them exactly where they need to go with no stopping, no map shuffling, no stress.

Sometimes, we get so focused on just getting the work done, for the least cost, that we focus too much on the little costs. We can save money here and there, but too often we lose sight of the costs to our operations as a whole. “I can’t afford to pay the guys for a full-day snow prep meeting,” “We’re not big enough for GPS,” “I don’t have the time to put together checklists.” These reasons seem sound when we’re in the moment, trying to save every dollar, but the costs of the problems without these systems are exactly what keep us working too long, too hard, and for too little money.

With a long-term focus on reducing the costs of waste, looking not just at the costs of improvements, but the costs of not improving, I know you will find running your snow and ice business more simple, more rewarding, and ultimately, more profitable. LT

Mark Bradley is president of The Beach

Gardener and the Landscape Management

Network (LMN), based in Ontario.

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the smart About salt (SAS) certi-fication program is run by a not-for-profit council that is dedicated to reducing the environmental effects of road salt by improving snow and ice control practices on parking lots and sidewalks — without compromising safety.

The program was created in 2008 by the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ont., to address elevated salt loadings to its groundwater. The SAS program complements the Region’s efforts to reduce salt put down on its roads, by focusing on salt used at private retail, institutional and manufacturing sites.

The SAS training and certification program caught the attention of Landscape Ontario; many snow and ice control contractors belong to the trade association. Landscape Ontario’s executive director Tony DiGiovanni says, “The Smart About Salt program is a gift to the snow and ice management industry. It will increase knowledge and professionalism, reduce the environmental impact of salt operations and at the same time maintain safety. The support of the insurance industry is revolutionary. Landscape Ontario is proud to support the SAS program.”

At the same time, the Ottawa chapter of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) also recognized the SAS program’s benefits. Dean Karakasis, executive director, said, “The Building Owners and Managers Association of Ottawa believes that Smart About Salt is a logical extension of its environmental strategy, to assist building owners and property managers in the Capital Region, to reduce the overall impact that the commercial real estate industry has on the environment, through the reduction of salt usage.”

To take the program beyond Waterloo, it was necessary to form the Smart About Salt Council. This council was created in 2010, with the Region of Waterloo, Landscape Ontario and BOMA Ottawa as founding members. Later that year, the Ontario Good Roads Association (OGRA) saw the importance of the program to Ontario municipalities and joined the SAS Board of Directors.

Contractors and managers work togetherThe SAS program is two-pronged, promoting the concept of a partnership between facility owners and managers, and their snow and ice control service professionals. So if you are a contractor providing snow and ice services to public and private facilities, you can become a Smart About Salt Certified Contracting Company. If you are the owner or manager of a facility such as a shopping mall, manufacturing site, public housing site, education facility or hospital, you can become a Smart About Salt Certified Site.

What does it take to be a certified contractor? First, you have to complete a self-assessment of your current operations, asking yourself some soul-searching questions. Are you calibrating your equipment properly? Are you using proper application rates? Do you

really know how much salt you are putting down? How good is your record keeping? How well do your people understand how salt works? Are you storing your salt in a way that protects the environment? Are you plowing enough and are you training your staff in best salt management practices?

Then, you will develop a plan to improve your operations where necessary. If you are prepared to commit to making the necessary changes over the next couple of years, you can become SAS-certified — a requirement for bidding on contracts for the Region of Waterloo. So far, 25 contractors have become certified, achieving recognition for their efforts to be good at what they do.

Facilities can become SAS-certified by completing the self-assessment worksheet designed for sites. The goal is to assess the sites, identify areas that ice-up because of poor drainage and improve these problem areas. They also must commit to hiring SAS Certified Contractors or to having their own forces earn SAS Certification.

For both contractors and facilities, there is a fee for certification and an annual renewal requirement.

Idea catching fireBob Hodgins, executive director of the Smart

Safety vs. the environment: A win-win story

diverse groups get proactive to develop Smart About Salt, a program to prevent unnecessary use of salt, while assuring public safety

Why should a contractor or site become Smart About Salt Certified?

To improve salt management practices to reduce the amount of salt needed to maintain winter site safety. To better manage your risk through proactive snow and ice control practices and better record keeping. To reduce infrastructure damage from excessive salt use. To reduce snow and ice control costs. To potentially qualify for reduced insurance premiums. To demonstrate your commitment to environmental stewardship.

Safety vs. the environment: A win-win story

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About Salt Council and co-designer of the program, has seen tremendous interest in the program on several fronts. “Recently, I have had several municipalities express interest in requiring their facilities to be SAS-certified and to require SAS certification from bidders on snow and ice control contracts for their facilities. A major transit authority has also stated a strong intent to implement the SAS program for its extensive network of stations. “

Protection of drinking water is a major Ontario initiative, with its Clean Water Act requiring source protection plans throughout the province. The province has identified road salt as a significant threat to drinking water, that needs to be addressed in these plans. Drafters of these plans have been given sample wording permitting facilities to use salt, provided they are Smart About Salt Certified and use SAS Certified Contractors.

The Smart About Salt program is an important tool in managing winter-related risks. The value of the program has been recognized by Marsh Canada, broker for the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association’s (CNLA) HortProtect insurance. Lyne Erwin, managing director of Marsh Canada Limited wrote,

“The current HortProtect insurance program through CNLA offers a liability premium discount for members who have their Smart About Salt designation.” The Smart About Salt Council and Marsh Canada will work together to develop ways that serve the snow and ice control industry and their clients.

A program that worksSmart About Salt Certified contractors are dedicated to proactive winter control using best management practices to reduce winter risks. “SAS certified contractors know that being proactive, using the right tools and maintaining accurate and detailed records are the keys to reducing liability,” says Hodgins. The program also requires facility owners that want to become SAS Certified to conduct a risk audit of their sites to develop strategies to reduce the potential for slips or falls. The partnership model that the Smart About Salt Program promotes between facility and contractor is the best way to work together to manage risk.

Training is a program priority. Over 140 operators have passed the Smart About Salt training program and become SAS Accredited

Operators. Training covers everything from salt science to the use of liquid deicers, from the environmental effects of salt to understanding weather, from risk management and record keeping to equipment calibration and much more. “There will be a big push on training this year, with a focus on the Ottawa area, given the high degree of interest in the National Capital Region,” says Hodgins.

“The Smart About Salt Training program has helped us to focus on improving service to our clients with less salt by being proactive and using liquids,” says Brian Perras of BP Landscaping and Snow Removal, Caledon, Ont.

As long as you are SAS-certified, you can use the Smart About Salt logo in your promotional materials, you will be listed on the SAS website and you have access to salt-related resources through the member section of the website.

Now is the time to start getting SAS Certification, so when facility managers and public tenders specify that you must be SAS Certified to bid, you are ahead of the crowd. LT

Visit www.smartaboutsalt.com to find out more about the program, and download application forms and worksheets.

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Landscape Trades devotes space in each issue to provincial association news. This month features news from British Columbia Landscape and Nursery Association and Landscape Newfoundland and Labrador, page 28.

Spring reviewWith the arrival of mid-summer, we can now take time to review the spring that never was. “Slow sales from November to June due to the weather have taken their toll on B.C.’s industry,” says Sandy Mathies, president of BCLNA. “If you didn’t adjust your input costs and control your labour costs, year-end will not look pretty.” Mathies recommends, “No matter what size of company you are in, it would be wise to take some time to plan how your next revenue cycle is going to play out.”

The good news though, is that June sales picked up with the weather and the Canadian economy is still performing well. Massive overproduction in the U.S. has ended and the dumping of inventories has slowed right down. There are major changes and opportunities happening in our industry. Long-time suppliers of nursery stock from the U.S. have disappeared or severely curtailed their production, leaving gaps in the supply chain. Slow sales in the box store world have prompted all major suppliers to focus more attention to new products specifically for the independent retailer and landscaper. This is all good news for B.C.

Investing in inspection

Garden retailers from the Sunshine Coast and Lower Mainland met at David Hunter Garden Centre in Surrey, B.C., in June to watch Eve Tigwell critique the garden centre. Tigwell

provided her perspective on what works and what doesn’t with regards to displays, setup and traffic.

Clean Plants minimizes pest risksOver 100 B.C. nursery growers have successfully transitioned to the Phase 1 Clean Plants Domestic Phytosanitary Certification program. Clean Plants enables growers who are currently in the P. ramorum program to adopt several new best practices while keeping their ‘P. ramorum Certified’ status. Clean Plants effectively incorporates an ISO-type system to the nursery production process, minimizing the risks of not only P. ramorum, but all invasive alien species and other pests and diseases.

While many growers initially resisted the change to Clean Plants because of technical difficulties, the Canadian Nursery Certification Institute (CNCI) has agreed to streamline the program and has already changed several requirements. The CNCI will be working with an advisory group composed of growers across Canada to further reduce technical concerns and restructure the program to make it less complicated while maintaining the integrity of the program.

New landscape development coordinator

The BCLNA is pleased to announce the hiring of David Adkins, as landscape development coordinator, who started in the position at the end of May. Adkins said he sees the position as a great opportunity to promote, develop and

engage in the B.C. landscape and nursery industry.

“I’m looking forward to getting fully involved with industry and representing members on critical matters,” he said. “The landscape industry is still emerging from the economic downturn and that will be one of the challenges of my new position. Best practices and sustainable development for industry will also be key parts of my role.”

Adkins has two decades of experience in landscape design and environmental management in both the private and public sectors, in Canada and the U.K. He has also delivered green roof

britishcolumbiaupdate

Garden Centre Inspection Event: Eve Tigwell (left) with Rei Cowan and Miles Hunter at David Hunter Garden Centre.

David Adkins

projects, including LEED platinum and gold projects, such as the Vaughan Civic Centre, Native Family and Children’s Services in Toronto and Southlake Regional Hospital. He received a first prize London in Bloom Environmental Conservation award and contributed to a Britain in Bloom Gold award for Bromley City. Before joining the BCLNA, Adkins was general manager of Livingarc (Living Architectural Contracting) in Burlington, Ont.

CanWest a must-attend event

Plan to make sure you are profitable this fall and next spring, and plan to exhibit at or attend the CanWest Hort Show in Vancouver on September 28 and 29. CanWest features industry and garden tours and the new Equipment Demo Day on Sept. 30. With its high-calibre education program, CanWest offers the best chance to learn about and capitalize on all the changes that are happening in our industry. For details visit www.canwesthortshow.com. LT

CanWest Hort Show is ‘Under the Green Roof’ at the Vancouver Convention Centre Sept 28 and 29, 2011.

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Landscape Trades devotes space in each issue to provincial association news. This month features news from Landscape Newfoundland and Labrador and British Columbia Landscape and Nursery Association, page 26.

Landscape Newfoundland and Labrador (LNL) has gone through many changes since the beginning of 2011. We would like to congratulate our new slate of board members for 2011-13, including our executive board members and new president Doreen Layman CLT, our vice president Jeannette French CLP, our secretary/treasurer Krista Russell, and past president Anthony O’Neill. We would like to recognize Don Barry, Patrick Hewitt, Len Hickey, and Gordon Day as they leave the LNL board, and appreciate the support they have given to LNL throughout the years. Our volunteer board has become more active than ever with the loss of our executive director in January. Rebecca Doutre, manager of provincial relations with the CNLA, has been filling in along with a number of dedicated board members. We intend to hire a part-time executive director this fall.

With that being said, things keep chugging along with a number of events coming up this fall and some new and exciting opportunities for our members.

The year 2011 started off with Newfoundland and Labrador’s first-ever Landscape Industry Certified Manager evaluation. Jeannette French of Daisy Design, took on the challenge of this industry-developed exam and is now Landscape Industry Certified! LNL is proud of Jeannette’s accomplishment and is hoping to offer more certification opportunities in the future as interest grows.

newfoundlandandlabradorupdate

Our annual Turf Conference and AGM was well attended this spring and featured well known speaker Glen Sampson at this two-day event.

Trees for the futureArbor Day was celebrated across the province on June 1, with a number of tree plantings coordinated by LNL and our members. Since 2008, LNL has been celebrating Arbor Day in Newfoundland, with tree plantings around the island and in 2009, the Minister of Environment proclaimed June 1 Arbor Day. This year LNL president Doreen Layman planted a linden tree on Confederation Hill with the Minister of Environment Ross Wiseman. In addition, LNL expanded its Arbor Day program this year to partner with local schools. Students were asked to portray the benefits of trees towards a healthy lifestyle for children and their families in a poster contest. Trees were planted at the two winning schools on June 1. Thank you to Sheridan Nurseries for donating three linden trees for the Arbor Day plantings. Other plantings took place across the province with participating LNL members including Daisy Design and the Town of Grand Bank, Murray’s Horticultural Services and the Town of Portugal Cove – St. Phillip’s, Traverse Gardens and the Town of Flatrock, O’Neill’s Gardenland and the Town of Spaniard’s Bay, C.D.’s Trees and the Town of Logy Bay, Middle Cove, and Outer Cove, Balsom Gardens Ltd. and the Town of Clarenville. Thank you to all LNL members that participated in this important day!

Exciting events plannedNow in its third successful year, the 2011 Atlantic Green Forum will examine issues surrounding The Green City, including the value of urban

parks, challenges in design and maintenance of industrial commercial green spaces, and the value of green space and park development for social and health benefits. Our speaker program includes Nancy Rottle, Landscape Master Planning in Seattle; Mitchell Hewson, Horticulture as Therapy; Paul Ronan, Living Green Infrastructure; Tetsu Nomura, Green City Landscaping in Japan and the Relationship between Japanese Gardens and Landscaping, and much more! Sponsorship and exhibit opportunities are available, as well as the opportunity to post poster, paper and landscape design submissions.

LNL will also continue to be involved in the planning of HortEast, Atlantic Canada’s premier trade show and conference, taking place Nov. 21-23, 2011 in Moncton, N.B. More educational workshops on Monday and a demo area on the trade show floor on Tuesday and Wednesday have been added to the already-packed schedule, to offer more value for delegates and exhibitors. Booths are booking quickly, visit www.horteast.ns.ca for more information.

We are planning for our bi-annual Landscape and Garden Show, taking place in April 2012. Gardening is a huge pastime in Newfoundland and we are calling on industry suppliers to join us at next year’s show to showcase new trends in gardening. We are looking for outdoor furniture suppliers, equipment suppliers, weed control products, nursery suppliers, etc. to exhibit.

If you are looking to get involved with Landscape Newfoundland and Labrador, contact the LNL office at, 709-726-5651 or [email protected]. We wish our members in Newfoundland and Labrador and across Canada a profitable 2011! LT

Left: LNL celebrated Landscape and Newfoundland’s official Arbor Day, June 1, by planting a tree on Confederation Hill. Pictured are LNL president Doreen Layman and Minister of Environment, Ross Wiseman.

Far left: Students were asked to portray the benefits of trees toward a healthy lifestyle for children and their families in an Arbor Day poster contest. Sydney Young, a grade four student, was one of the winners, with her entry, We speak for trees.


newproductsIce melter

Toronto Salt & Chemicals says that its new Ultra Melt Ice Melter is safer for the environment, pets and vegetation. The company formulated Ultra Melt to provide quick melting action

so ice and snow can easily be removed from steps and walkways. Coloured green for even distribution, coverage is enhanced and overspreading is minimized. Toronto Salt and Chemicals www.torontosalt.com

SpreadersChemical Containers introduces the Vortex granular blower spreader line. They can be used for

snow treatment materials like salt and de-icing/anti-icing products, along with fertilizer, pre-emergent herbicides, insecticides and growth regulators. The units are offered as a push-style with 50-lb. hopper and a skid unit with a 250-lb. hopper. The skid unit fits in utility vehicles and pick-ups. The spreaders throw up to 25 ft., and feature a fully adjustable valve for varied rates of material delivery. Chemical Containerswww.chemicalcontainers.com/de-icing/anti-icing

Walk-behind spreader

SnowEx introduces the SP-85SS walk-behind broadcast spreader, which comes with a stainless steel frame. This new feature helps eliminate rust on the frame, while the hopper is protected by corrosion-resistant polyethylene construction. The

SP-85SS offers a 160-lb. capacity and is capable of spreading bagged rock salt and pelletized material. For enhanced material flow, the unit contains an exclusive single-slot port design and extra-wide throat opening. It also comes with a 10-in. plastic spinner and adjustable deflectors, allowing the SP-85SS to spread material up to 20 ft. wide.TrynEx Internationalwww.trynexfactory.com

V-snowplow

Fisher says its new Xtreme V-plow features fast hydraulics with industry-best operating speed and the Minute Mount 2 on/off system. The Xtreme V lets contractors quickly handle the toughest jobs. The plow is available in 7½- to 9-ft. sizes, in stainless or powder-coated steel, and features standard insta-lock double acting cylinders for unmatched back dragging performance.Fisherwww.fisherplows.com

All-weather paperNo more wet mushy notes with Rite in the Rain all-weather writing paper, made to repel not only rain, but also snow

and ice, making it ideal for using when working outdoors in these conditions. Rite in the Rain copier paper is perfect for printing contracts and forms. And Rite in the Rain notebooks are great to keep track of day-to-day notes on the job. Rite in the Rainwww.riteintherain.com

Multi-use vehicle

Use one machine to do it all. Toro’s Groundsmaster 360 Quad-Steer four-wheel drive model has the optional quick attach system for front attachments. One person can change attachments in less than a minute, no tools required. An articulated plow, rotary broom, or snow thrower give you winter options so you can do more than mow. Torowww.toro.com/360

Commercial ice melterContractor’s Choice ice melter brings aviation industry standards to the winter fight, matching Aeronautical Material Specification (AMS) quality and standards. The aviation industry

has the most stringent requirements in the world when it comes to what they use on their runways. Contractor’s Choice brings this standard to the professionals that keep parking lots clear and walkways safe.Future Road Solutions www.futureroadsolutions.com

Heated wiper blades

Everblades heated windshield wipers have always been popular with people who have to operate in

Model # JD Sans Medium 55 pt, Model Discriptor JD Sans Medium 16/21pt

The ZTrak™ PRO 900 SeriesNo more time spent blowing clippings. Or putting a mulching kit on or off. With the Mulch-On-Demand deck, you can switch instantly from mulching to side-discharging, then back again, without ever leaving your seat. It’s available only on a ZTrak PRO 900. To see how you can save time and money with an MOD deck, see your local John Deere dealer today.

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*Offer valid from March 1, 2011 until August 1, 2011. Offer subject to AgLineTM approval and dealer participation. For purchases on AgLine agricultural consumer accounts only. For eligible purchases of goods and services: 1) minimum monthly payment required (see example below); and 2) nance charges will begin to accrue immediately on amount nanced at 0% per annum. No down payment required. A statement of account will be provided monthly. For example, on a new John Deere 997 ZTrak, based on a cash selling price of $19,532 (selling price in example is based on MSRP as of 01 March 2011 and may change at any time without notice. Dealer may sell for less) to be nanced for a maximum of 2 years with 24 monthly payments of $813.83, totaling $19,532 based on 0% APR with a cost of borrowing of $0 results in a total amount to be paid of $19,532. In the event you default on this or any AgLine transaction, interest on all outstanding balances on your AgLine account (including on this and all other Special Terms transactions on your AgLine Account) will begin to accrue immediately at 19.75% APR /AIR/ACR from the date of default until paid in full, and you will be required to make monthly payments on your AgLine Account equal to 2.5% of the original amounts nanced plus interest. Taxes, set-up, delivery, freight, and preparation charges not included and may increase price or monthly payments. Minimum nance amount is required. See Dealer for details. Program subject to change, without notice, at any time.

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Landscape Trades

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newproductssnow and ice conditions. Everblades has changed its wiper material to silicone rubber, with a new squeegee profile design for better durability, life, and functionality. Winter driving vision, safety and productivity are enhanced by the new Everblades.Everbladeswww.everblades.com

Snow and ice melter

Occidental Chemical Corporation (OxyChem) introduces a 40-lb. square pail to its packaging offerings of Peladow Premier Snow & Ice Melter Calcium Chloride Pellets. It is ergonomically-friendly and readily available for the 2011-12 winter season early-buy.Occidental Chemical Corporationwww.oxycalciumchloride.com

Snowplows

Pro-Tech introduces two new Sno Blade attachments for winter maintenance. Featuring independently-adjustable wings, Sno Blades come with a universal coupler for attaching to skid steers, and they have a rear mount option for compact tractors. The AB07S includes a 7.5-ft.-wide moldboard, and the AB09S comes with a nine-ft.-wide moldboard. Both models come standard with one-ft.-wide, multi-positional wings, which can be manually adjusted to nine different positions according to the operator’s needs. The moldboard can be hydraulically angled 30 degrees left or right. Pro-Tech Manufacturing and Distributionwww.protechcorp.com

High output spreader

SnowEx introduces the V-Maxx 8550 high output spreader. Featuring higher material feed rates than other available V-Maxx spreaders, the new unit is ideal for snow and ice professionals looking to spread high volumes of bulk material in one pass to achieve a heavy application, rather than making multiple passes. With a two-cu. yd. hopper capacity, the new spreader features a transmission with a gear ratio of 40:1. The unit can spread 295 to 680 lbs. of material per minute (3.6 to 8.3 cu. ft. per minute). The hopper is made from corrosion-resistant polyethylene, and there are no engines, pulleys, sprockets, belts or chains to maintain. TrynEx Internationalwww.trynexfactory.com

Snow blower

The 52 in.-wide Ventrac KX523 snow blower is built for commercial snow clearing of sidewalks, driveways, and other areas. A two-stage snow blower, the KX523 features a 16-in. diameter solid auger for best snow transfer, a large 20-in. diameter fan, and the ability to move 4,500 pounds of snow per minute at distances up to 40 ft. Ventrac www.ventrac.com

Compact sectional snow plowArctic Snow and Ice Control Products introduces its Compact-Duty Plows. Compatible with small skid-steers, compact tractors and small wheel loaders, the snow pushers were developed by a veteran of the snow and ice management industry

who combined the precision of a small plow with the capacity of a much larger one. The CD plows reduce fuel and salt usage by increasing pushing efficiency and eliminating follow-up plowing. The Sectional Sno-Plows also feature a sectional moldboard design; each 24 in.-wide section is has its own spring-loaded trip edge and polyurethane cutting edge for precision plowing. Arctic Snow and Ice Control Products www.sectionalplow.com

Ground-thawing machine

Serious Thermal Products introduces the new Serious Toaster ground-thawing machine. Using patented infrared technology, the manufacturer claims the Toaster thaws frozen ground more than three times faster than similar competitive units, and is the only CSA-approved product of its kind on the market. Ideal for underground installations such as irrigation lines, each Toaster thaws up to 1.6 in. deep per hour in a two- by 10-ft. area. Weighing only 345 lbs. each, Toasters fit in standard pickup beds and can be easily moved by two men. Serious Thermal Productswww.serioustoaster.com

Front end loader plow bladesCurtis Industries introduces a line of Sno-Pro front end loader plow blades featuring a 30-degree hydraulic angle for efficient and productive plowing, four heavy-duty trip springs for added protection

34 | JULY/AUGUST 2011 | LANDSCAPE TRADES 34 | JULY/AUGUST 2011 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

newproductsagainst blade damage from surface obstructions, easy-adjust depth shoes, and highly visible guide markers for easy location of blade edge/corners. Blades are made with heavy-duty 11-gauge powder coated steel, an extended four-ft. push frame for added durability and a high carbon steel reversible cutting edge. Available in five- through eight-ft. models and recommended for tractors and skid steers up to 47 hp, with quick-attach front mounting adapters.Curtis Industrieswww.curtisindustries.net

Winged snowplow

Blizzard’s Speedwing snowplow thinks for itself with wings that automatically angle forward or back, based on blade position, to maximize plowing efficiency. When angled for windrowing, the trailing wing folds back in line with the moldboard while leading wing retains its forward position to capture more snow, reduce spill-off, and allow use of the entire blade. Blizzard Speedwing snowplow is the cost-effective multi-position plow that’s as easy to use as a straight blade.Blizzardwww.blizzardplows.com

Walk-behind snow blower

The Pro 36 Sno-Thro by Ariens easily removes snow from sidewalks and large areas with its 36-in. clearing width. The all-steel, 16-in. serrated

auger and three-blade, 14-in. steel impeller enhance clearing ability. A 50-ft. discharge range ensures that snow lands out of the path of the machine. Automatic traction control optimizes maneuverability, and with no levers or triggers, steering is effortless. The Sno-Thro also features a 120-v electric start with recoil back-up, a 3.2 qt. fuel capacity, with six mph forward speeds and two mph reverse. Ariens Company www.ariens.com

Snow blower attachments

Pro-Tech introduces two new Sno Blower skid steer attachments — ideal for quickly moving large amounts of snow, especially when stacking or piling the snow is not an option. The Sno Blower line includes two models, the BL72S (74.5 in. wide by 38.5 in. high) and the BL78S (38.5 in. high by 80.5 in. wide). Both models feature a 20-in. fan diameter, a 14-in. auger diameter, and a maximum throwing distance of 40 ft. Thanks to universal coupler mounts, they easily attach to skid steers from all major manufacturers.Pro-Tech Manufacturing and Distributionwww.protechcorp.com LT

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buildingbusiness

Fix production problems to make jobs flow BY GEORGE URVARI

Smooth, steady, productive, satisfying and efficient. These are adjectives that describe a company that runs like a well-oiled machine. When flow is achieved, stress levels are low for the owner, and profits are high.

The goal is to remove all obstacles that get in the way of achieving a zen-like state in business. In fact the word easy comes to mind. I am sure that most entrepreneurs do not find business easy, but it can be. Turnkey is another phrase that comes to mind.

Start with your peopleSo what is the biggest obstacle to flow in most companies? I would suggest it’s people problems. Great people make life really easy. You can rely on them, you can trust their judgement and they make everything better. I cannot emphasize enough just how important this is to successful growth. Mediocrity is just not an option. Attitude, aptitude and experience are the three key ingredients in this formula for success. If you have all three in spades, you have a superstar on your hands.

Superstars are those rare individuals who do everything right, see into the future, can improvise and require very little instruction. They are few and far between.The more of this type of character you have, the easier it will be. They even thrive in new situations and can pull the proverbial rabbit out of a hat.

Hire methodically, train continuously, fire quickly, reward well. These four principles will move your company rapidly toward success when it comes to your human resources.

Ironically, you can pay productive people more because they produce more!

Unfortunately many of us pay the best people too little.

Imagine you have a difficult client, which is a people issue, and you do not have a superstar dealing with them. You are in for trouble. Absolute trust in someone only comes when they have attitude, aptitude and lots of experience. Letting anyone else loose on your clients is asking for headaches.

In order to keep superstars, you need to have great sales flow and great process. Great people eventually get tired of pulling rabbits out of hats!

Leadership, which is a subset of people, is of course another key ingredient of success. Are you and your people great leaders? Do you inspire others? Does your staff trust your judgement completely? Do your employees respect you? Do they believe you have the vision to take the company, as well as them, forward? People stick around if they see a benefit coming tomorrow. Leadership is intangible but it is real nonetheless.

One of my fellow contractors has actually sent supervisors to a Dale Carnegie management and leadership course in the States. I believe the bill was over $60,000. Clearly, the owner of this company was not afraid to invest in his people and then see them leave. In fact by empowering them, everyone can benefit.

Winston Churchill’s leadership was integral to saving Britain from the Germans in the Second World War. Had it been left up to Neville Chamberlin, we all might be speaking German now.

Get your people problems fixed, and your company can start to improve.

Processes drive productivityProcess is the next big ingredient of success. It is impossible to keep good people when the work to be done is frustrating. Try cutting wood with a dull saw, and you will understand what I mean. Process can be purchased or copied ... inventing it yourself is a huge amount of work. Questions like, why is the equipment abused? or why is the boss too cheap to buy a new blade? come up when process is not followed. The flow of work will be interrupted if there is no process for caring for the tools or supplying new blades. Poor process leads to wasted time and eventually frustrated people — especially when it is a recurring problem.

Get your process problems fixed, and your company can thrive and grow.

Trying to be all things to all people is impossible. It is sometimes better to specialize, because trying to do too much, especially on smaller projects with no economies of scale, makes it very difficult to make money.

For example, car companies focus on assembly and engines, but do not build the car seats. They do not try to do everything because they are not good at it, or the margins are too low, or they cannot do it on a scale to make it worthwhile. The last thing they need is to have production stop, because they cannot produce the car seat in time for assembly.

At the end of the day, the things that are interrupting flow in your company need to be fixed. People are usually the biggest problem. LT

George Urvari has been a partner in a

Toronto-based design-build landscape firm,

for over 20 years.

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roadtosuccess

This spring has made it more apparent than ever that customers are starved for service. It is not a matter of poor service; it is more often a question of nonexistent service.

I am up on my high horse these days, over a couple of incidents in my life as a consumer. I had a new roof installed on my house two summers ago, with a five-year warranty included. At four a.m., one morning this spring, it began to rain in my upstairs hallway. It rained so hard that some of the plaster collapsed. I called the roofer. He told me that it was leaking because when I cleaned the snow off the roof this winter, I must have broken the seal on the flashing. “Okay” I said, “if it is not a warranty issue, will you at least make it stop raining inside my house? I will pay you for that work.” He agreed he would but two phone calls later, no roofer. I hired a young carpenter who climbed up on my roof, assessed the damage, and rebuilt that section so I would have better drainage. He sealed everything up tight and even though I have had two more severe storms, my roof does not leak. Amazing that when I wanted a new roof, which by the way was $22,000, the roofer was much more civil in tone than when I needed a repair.

What I was asking for was to be looked after, and if it was not a warranty issue, so be it. And that is what most of us really want, to be taken care of by those who are supposed to be in the service industry.

Green industry is guiltyThere are people inside our trade who do not grasp the concept of service. Those people work in all areas, both retail and wholesale. They just don’t get it. They spend more time explaining to anyone who will listen, why it was not their responsibility to accommodate someone, than the time it would have taken to accommodate that person. One of their

favorite phrases is, “I don’t have time for this stuff,” or, “If I did it for him I would have to do it for everyone.”

Except not everyone is asking for this or that. There is no line-up of people asking for assistance at the door or on the phone. The line-up consists of one person, and they just turned that one person down. And now, that one person is not too pleased with how he was treated.

When I was first starting out in this trade of ours, I did some things well and it took me time to learn some lessons. One of those things that I did well at the beginning was that I listened to what customers told me. I had a well-known businesswoman come into my little garden centre. She was upset. She had been a loyal customer at the biggest greenhouse in our area, and now she was telling me that she would never set foot in that business again. What had happened that made her say this, with such intensity? She had asked the owner, another woman, if one of the staff would place a bale of peat moss into her trunk. She had recently had back surgery and could not lift anything heavy. The owner told her, “We don’t have carryout service here.” An argument developed and she was now in my first-year operation. I figured it out: All I had to do to earn and to keep this woman’s business was to load a bale of peat moss into her car trunk. Simple?

Anything you wantOne of my favorite stories regarding customer service (and I have written this before but it bears repeating) was at Calories Café in Saskatoon. It was a Sunday morning and my wife did not see anything on the menu that appealed to her. She asked our server if she could have one egg, one piece of bacon, one piece of whole wheat toast, half a grapefruit and a cup of herbal tea. The server said with a smile, “You can have anything you want.”

Contrast that with many other places that actually post ‘no substitutions.’ I, as no doubt you, have witnessed servers who were so inflexible that arguments broke out across the aisle.

Service actually sells. It sells your product on that particular day but more importantly, it sells your place of business. If you provide good service to a customer, she will be imprinted and drawn back to your establishment again and again.

I deal with a men’s wear store that is one of the last holdouts of old-school service. I took in my suit jacket. There was a small problem with the left cuff. The assistant manager actually ran it over to the tailors, two blocks away, had it repaired, and then ran back with it. Total elapsed time was under twenty minutes. He could have as easily told me to come back in a week and I would have done that.

I have been making my rounds of the local greenhouses this spring as well as the box stores. At one of the independents, the owner is front and centre, selling to his customers. He shows them his new introductions and provides advice. The sale is rung up and he does not stop there. It is loaded into the customer’s car. Not surprising, in spite of a wet and cool spring, this man’s greenhouse has had good sales. He has a loyal clientele who shop with him no matter what the weather. He put it best by saying, “I have always looked after my customers and they have always looked after me.” The man recognizes the returned benefits of service.

Not too far from this independent, there is a major box store. There I was, doing my undercover bit, playing Joe Customer. I engaged one of the staff. To her credit, she was very personable and willing to assist me. But her role was a tag reader. I would ask a question and she would read the tag to me. I asked her how long she had been working

Win them over with service BY ROD McDONALD


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in the greenhouse and not surprisingly, she said it was her first year. She knew that hostas and impatiens grew in the shade and that marigolds and petunias were for the sun, but after that, she ran out of gas. And it was not as if she were a junior, starting out, supervised by an experienced sales person. She was it, the one and only employee working the floor.

The box stores have a great reluctance to provide training for their garden centre employees. The box store managers view their seasonal employees more as a commodity than as an asset. And if the employees are a commodity, why would you invest any time or money in them?

Commitment to trainingContrast that with my wife’s volunteer position at our historic Government House here in Regina. They hold training seminars for all volunteers, teaching them how to work in the museum, how to address tourists, and what is expected from them. They have a tea room that is staffed by volunteers and prior to being allowed to serve visitors; volunteers

are instructed on the proper way to carry out their duties. The question begs to be asked: If a volunteer-run historic site believes in training, why not a commercial operation?

My second negative experience as a customer recently was with two major corporations, Lexus and Michelin. I called my Lexus dealer and reported a suspected problem with one of my front tires. I was told that I had probably damaged the tire myself and this opinion was offered, without the service rep having seen the tire. I asked, if the Lexus dealer would not look after my problem, then whom? I was instructed to contact any Michelin dealer and they would take care of it. I did that. I contacted two Michelin dealers. Neither wanted anything to do with my tire problem because they had not sold me the tires. Interesting enough, both of the Michelin dealers were quite willing to quote me a price to install four new tires. According to one dealer, even though I have less than 40,000 km on my tires, they are practically worn out.

It was a similar situation as had occurred with the roofer at the beginning of this

column. If I had indeed damaged the tire, so be it. I would pay for that damage. What I could not comprehend was, that I needed new tires all way round according to these two dealers, and no one would address the warranty claim. I was entitled to be accommodated, to have a much better level of service. Had I not paid in advance for this level of service? Do I have to write in block letters my answer as to whether Lexus or Michelin will be getting another purchase from me?

The race to the bottom is over. The customer is starved for service. Those garden centres, greenhouses and contractors that provide what the customer wants and in reality, what they need, will be successful. Service is the road to success. LT

Rod McDonald owned and operated Lakeview

Gardens, a successful garden centre/landscape

firm in Regina, Sask., for 28 years. He now works

full-time in the world of fine arts, writing, acting

and producing in film, television and stage.


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cnlanewsThe latest Statistical Overview of Canadian Horticulture 2009-2010 shows a steady increase in the ornamental horticulture industry, including the nursery, sod/turf and Christmas tree sectors.

The report was prepared by the market analysis and information section of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada (AAFC). It shows that horticulture continues to rank third within Canada’s agriculture industry, behind the grains and oilseeds sector and cattle, but ahead of dairy.

The overview values Canada’s ornamental horticulture industry at $1.9 billion. CNLA executive director Victor Santacruz says some industry members may question that figure, because older reports, including the 2009 Deloitte economic impact study, valued Canada’s industry at $2.2 billion. The discrepancy arises because the earlier study was based on farm gate receipts; Statistics Canada is now reporting production values based on farm cash receipts, which is a more accurate reflection of value.

Ontario and Quebec continue to dominate the sector, with 39.7 and 21.4 per cent of the country’s share, respectively . B.C. is third with

14.4 per cent. The ornamental section of the statistical

overview report has been posted to the CNLA website: http://bit.ly/hortreport

Improving export marketsAs part of an initiative to improve export market opportunities for Canadian growers, CNLA has received funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s AgriMarketing program for two separate initiatives.

The first program is an exploratory mission to Moscow in early September.

This trip will be timed to coincide with an industry exhibition in Moscow. CNLA will work with AAFC’s trade commissioner based in Moscow to organize a variety of industry visits.

Companies interested in taking part should immediately contact CNLA. A limited number of delegates will take part. Those applying for the program will be requested to complete an evaluation questionnaire.

Through the AgriMarketing fund, candidates are reimbursed for 50 per cent of airfare costs and a

daily per diem to help offset hotel, meal and other travel-related costs. All other costs must be paid by the delegates.

The second AAFC initiative supports a Canadian Grown booth at the International Plant Fair in Essen, Germany in late January, 2012. Canadian Grown (www.canadian-grown.com) is a program to promote Canadian nursery stock overseas. This will be the second year Canadian Grown exhibits in Essen.

This year’s booth will also include participation by delegates from Flowers Canada. Successful delegates will be required to participate on an organizing committee and assist in staffing the trade show booth.

For further information, on both programs, contact Rita Weerdenburg, grower manager, at 1-888-446-3499, fax 1-866-833-8603, or email [email protected].

COPF’s new managing directorThe Canadian Ornamental Plant Foundation (COPF) Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Victoria Turner Shoemaker as managing director.


Shoemaker is a University of Guelph graduate with an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University and considerable corporate experience. After taking

on the position in June, she has been onsite in North Bay, Ont., learning the nuts-and-bolts of COPF’s operations.

With her family residence in Guelph, Ont., Shoemaker will establish the new COPF office there on Aug. 1. She has also attended the Ohio

Short Course and Trade Show in Columbus, Ohio, where she was introduced to the floral industry.

Shoemaker is replacing Peggy Walsh after 20 years as managing director, who earlier announced her retirement. Walsh will continue in her role as managing director of Plant Watch, while helping with the COPF transition over the next year.

CNLA has partnered with COPF on a number of projects, in particular when CNLA was given the rights to the breeding programs at Morden Research Station in Manitoba and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research Station in Quebec.

Growers: don’t miss out on 2010 AgriInvest benefitsAgriInvest helps producers manage small income declines, and provides support for investments to mitigate risks or improve market income. Your AgriInvest account, held at a participating financial institution of your choice, builds as you make annual deposits based on a percentage of your Allowable Net Sales and receive matching contributions from governments.

Because your AgriInvest account is self managed, you have the flexibility to withdraw your AgriInvest funds at any time by simply visiting your financial institution.

AgriInvest is delivered by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in all provinces except Quebec.

Participating in 2010 AgriInvest is easy:Step 1: Complete and submit your 2010 AgriInvest form by the deadline

The deadline to submit a 2010 AgriInvest form is September 30, 2011. Farmers can submit their 2010 AgriInvest form until December 31, 2011, but their matchable deposit will be reduced by 5 percent for each month or part of the month that the application is received after the September 30,

2011 deadline.Step 2: Receive your 2010 AgriInvest Deposit

NoticeAAFC will calculate your benefits based on the

financial information reported on your application and send you a Deposit Notice outlining the amount you are entitled to deposit.

Step 3: Make your 2010 AgriInvest depositYou have 90 days from the date your Deposit

Notice was issued to make a deposit into your AgriInvest account at your financial institution. AAFC will process your deposit and credit your account with matching government contributions.

Step 4: Withdraw your AgriInvest funds when you need it most

You have the flexibility to withdraw your funds through your financial institution at any time.

For more information about AgriInvest, visit the website at www.agr.gc.ca/agriinvest or contact AAFC toll free at 1-866-367-8506. LT

The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association

is the federation of Canada’s provincial

horticultural trade associations. Visit www.

canadanursery.com for more information.

Victoria Turner Shoemaker


legalmatters

The responsibility to guard against a slip-and-fall lies at first instance with the “occupier” of a premises. This is pursuant to the law of occupier’s, or premises, liability. This law can be traced back hundreds of years. In many Canadian jurisdictions, this law has for the most part been encoded in legislation. See for example the Occupier’s Liability Act in Ontario (R.S.O. 1990, c.O.2), Alberta (R.S.A. 2000 c.0-4) and British Columbia (R.S.B.C. 1996, c.337).

The question of who is an occupier for the most part turns on who has responsibility for, or control over, the premises, and depends on the facts of each particular circumstance. There can be more than one occupier of a premises. For present purposes, it suffices to say that owners, landlords, tenants and property management companies may all fall under the definition. More importantly, a winter maintenance contractor’s client will generally always be an occupier of the premises to which they provide their services.

The significance of this is that, under the law of premises liability, the responsibility to manage the risk of a slip and fall starts with the occupier. The occupier, of course, may contract with a maintenance company to meet some of these responsibilities. The contractor however does not, by simply agreeing to meet some of these responsibilities, automatically assume any obligations beyond those which

Hold-harmless and indemnification clauses in winter maintenance contracts BY ROB KENNALEY, McLAUGHLIN & ASSOCIATES

are expressly or by implication described in the contract.

Specify scope of workThe terms and conditions of the contract are therefore extremely important. If it is not clear what work the contractor was to perform under his contract, for example, it will be difficult for a Court or insurance company to determine whether or not the contractor properly performed that work. Such ambiguity can lead to the contractor being found liable where he believes he has done nothing wrong, or to an insurer settling because of the uncertainty.

If, on the other hand, the contract properly describes the scope of work, the contractor should only be liable for breach of contract if he fails to perform that work in accordance with the contractual terms. (The contractor might also be found liable in negligence, of course, independently of the contractual obligations. This can occur, for example, where the contractor becomes aware of a clear and obvious danger but fails to remove the hazard or warn the occupier, or where he creates a clear and obvious danger through activities unrelated to his contract.) Winter maintenance contractors are generally willing to accept this risk. They will assume responsibility for the consequences of their own breaches of contract or negligence.

The lessons to be learned, when we turn to a discussion of contractual terms and conditions, include the following:

1. Contractual terms and conditions should be specifically tailored to the snow and ice maintenance industry;2. The contract should specify which of the parties is responsible to determine when and where ice melting products will be applied; 3. The scope of work under the contract should be fully and accurately described; and4. The contractor should not agree to indemnification or “hold-harmless” provisions which hold the contractor liable for a slip and fall regardless of whether or not the work is properly performed under the contract.

Clause protects clientIt is the fourth of these considerations that we will now discuss: the hold harmless /indemnification clause. Occupiers will often ask contractors to agree to “hold-harmless and indemnify” the client from claims relating to a slip and fall. Some of these clauses can be very broad; some contracts can be interpreted to require the contractor to indemnify for slip and falls which occur inside the premises. Others can be so vague or ambiguous so as to have little certain meaning.


Hold harmless and indemnity clauses are often drafted so that they do (or might) require the contractor to provide something for which he is not being paid. In other words, they can be interpreted as a ‘side agreement’, where the contractor says ‘I will hold you harmless for a slip and fall claim, even if I meet the terms of my contract, and do nothing wrong’.

From the contractor’s perspective, these clauses should be drafted so that the indemnity will clearly only apply if the contractor is either negligent or fails to perform his work in accordance with the contract. Anything beyond this is to agree to be liable for events over which the contractor has no control and for which the contractor is not being paid. All contractors should accordingly be very wary of extending an indemnity any further in this regard. If in doubt as to the scope of hold-harmless or indemnification provisions in any particular circumstance, the contractor should seek independent legal advice,

preferably from counsel experienced with such contracts.

It is also suggested that, if contractors agree to hold-harmless or indemnification provisions, the client should be required to give timely notice of a potential slip and fall claim so that the contractor has the opportunity to put its insurer on notice of the claim. It is suggested that notice within 48 hours of knowledge of the claim is a reasonable notice period.

In addition, contractors might consider exempting certain areas of the premises from the application of the hold-harmless and indemnification provisions. For example, if a leaky eaves trough is of concern, the contract might expressly provide that the contractor is not responsible for a slip and fall which occurs on water or ice formed due to that leak. Similarly, the contract might exclude the contractor’s liability for areas where water might pool because asphalt or concrete is in need of repair. In either circumstance, of course, the client should

have the option of repairing the defect to resolve the issue. Often, it is a simple matter of putting such an exclusion on a site-map, so long as the map is incorporated as a contract document, and takes precedence (as it should) over the general terms and conditions of the Contract. LT

Robert Kennaley, practices construction law

in Toronto and Simcoe, Ontario. He speaks

and writes regularly on construction law and

contract issues and can be reached for comment

at 416-368-2555, 519-426-3777 or at kennaley@

mclauchlin.ca. This material is for information

purposes and is not intended to provide

legal advice in relation to any particular fact

situation. Readers who have concerns about any

particular circumstance are encouraged to seek

independent legal advice in that regard.


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industrynews

NAFTA pesticide dispute settledThe settlement of a NAFTA dispute that challenged Quebec’s pesticide ban has both sides claiming victory. In 2008, DowAgroSciences launched a challenge alleging Quebec’s pesticide bylaw violated Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement, because it outlawed the company’s herbicide ingredient 2,4-D. NAFTA’s Chapter 11 allows investors of one member country to sue other NAFTA countries for actions or measures deemed to hurt their trade interests.

On May 25, a settlement was reached. Dow received no financial compensation, but the Quebec government issued a statement in which it agrees with Health Canada that 2,4-D is safe when used according to the product label directions.

Environment advocacy groups support the settlement, saying it reinforces the right of municipalities and provinces to ban pesticides. DowAgroSciences is pleased, because Quebec has now acknowledged that the weed killer can be used properly without health risks. Dow spokesperson Brenda Harris says, “We always believed that there was no basis for their decision, their decision had

nothing to do with science,” Harris said. Quebec is entitled to regulate, but, “that ban is not based on science, it’s on something else,” Harris said.2,4-D remains on Quebec’s list of 20 chemicals banned for use on lawns.

Expo 2011 brings you closer to your customerFollowing a decade of success, Landscape Ontario’s Expo 2011 is launching a host of initiatives, from a new venue to spotlighted merchandise, intended to bring vendors and buyers closer together on October 19 and 20, 2011 in the North Building of the Toronto Congress Centre.

The move to the Toronto Congress Centre’s state-of-the-art North Building offers twelve loading docks, spacious, sound-proofed meeting rooms that transform to accommodate meetings of any size and a richly appointed lobby to shelter delegates during the registration process.

Enhanced lighting throughout the show will create a unique ambience. By putting the spotlight on products, the show hopes to draw visitors into booths and stimulate buying from over 200 vendors.

The Garden Centre Symposium, traditionally held the Monday prior to the show, is being revamped to become the opening morning breakfast event. The event will feature a keynote address by Karl Stensson, president of Sheridan Nurseries, entitled ‘Taking a Good Garden Centre and Making it GREAT!’, featuring a journey through garden centres around the globe. The keynote is hosted by Landscape Ontario’s Garden Centre sector group, and will take place on Oct. 19 at 7:30 a.m. Winners in the garden centre and grower categories of the Awards of Excellence program will be announced at the breakfast.

Landscape Ontario’s Interior Plantscape sector group offers a new event, Coffee and Cookies, on Wednesday, October 19 from 1 to 3 p.m. based around this theme. Besides the delicious treats, delegates will be enthralled with food for thought as acclaimed horticulturists Dr. Casey Sclar and Lorrie Baird, of Longwood Gardens, present Living Walls at Longwood Gardens.

On Thursday morning, the third annual Landscape Designers’ Breakfast and Networking Event will feature Rory Sheehan, of Positive Strategies, as he shares tactics for achieving results in Close More Business and Have Happy Clients.

Register for the show and special events at www.loexpo.ca.

Manderley expands to CalgaryManderley Turf Products of Ottawa, announced it completed the acquisition of Terra Turf Farms of Calgary. Manderley acquired Terra Turf’s current inventory from its Cluny, Alta. farm with the intention of consolidating operations at Manderley’s Glenmore, Alta. farm.

Green roofs to benefit from native plant researchNew research sponsored by the Canadian Ornamental

Expo takes on new energy for 2011; new venue and new education opportunities

For 85 years, STIHL has been a world-class innovator in outdoor power equipment. German engineered products featuring the latest pioneering technologies make STIHL the market leader. STIHL products are only available at independent STIHL Dealers who provide expert advice and on-site service. Thank you for supporting the leading team and for making STIHL the Number 1 Selling Brand in Canada.

* #1 Selling Brand in Canada is based on an independent market share analysis of imported gasoline powered handheld outdoor power equipment for the year 2010.

Innovation at work.

www.stihl.ca

*

HT 131 Pole Pruner BR 600 MagnumTM

Backpack Blower FS 90 R Trimmer

INNOVATION SPOTLIGHTINNOVATION SPOTLIGHTThe STIHL 4-MIX ® engine technology is designed for the hard working professional user like you. This innovative technology combines the proven benefits of a 2-stroke with the high torque of a 4-stroke engine. It is lightweight, powerful, quiet and super fuel efficient. Plus, it is one of the cleanest, most environmentally friendly engines you can buy. The performance, quality and durability of the STIHL 4-MIX ® engine is a force to be reckoned with.


Horticulture Alliance (COHA) at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland) and Nova Scotia Agricultural College will assess plant diversity and survival issues for green roofs.

“Multi-year survivability has been an on-going issue for green roof habitats in Canada. With this research we are particularly interested in moving away from the more common plantings dominated by Sedum species, to a broader selection of native plants that demonstrate sun, wind, cold, and drought tolerance,” said Dr. Rumen Conev, Vineland’s research scientist, ornamental plant breeding.

With over 20 new native species being studied, a green solution to making Canadian buildings more energy efficient could be right under our feet.

The environmental benefits of green roofs are already well-documented, including significant reductions in building heating and cooling costs, storm water runoff management, and natural habitat creation. However, lack of research into planting options and managing green roof health in Canadian climatic conditions has been a barrier to uptake.

“Canadian cities are lagging behind in North American green roof rankings,” said Andy Kuyvenhoven, president, Kuyvenhoven Greenhouses and president of COHA. “Growers and nurseries have a suite of native plants that we believe can do the job. This research will confirm the best choices from dozens of species that are already highly adapted, and can help resolve the issues of the Canadian conditions.”

Bill Stensson, president of Sheridan Nurseries, says, “As a grower I am interested in understanding how best to start plants in the nursery to ensure successful transition to a green roof habitat. Our industry wants to see a green roof explosion in this country, with planting materials that can survive for 50 years, not one or two.”

Funding for this research was received in part from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s agri-science cluster initiative. Vineland’s green roof research initiative will be on display beginning in June 2011 at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, Vineland Station, Ont. For information on this research go to www.vinelandresearch.com/ornamental.

Fafard acquires stake in Heveco Fafard et Frères has purchased controlling interest in New Brunswick-based peat producer, Heveco.

As a result of this transaction, Fafard now harvests in three provinces, Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick. This geographic diversification is expected to help reduce exposure to fluctuating weather patterns that can often affect harvesting.

“Heveco has been an important supplier to us for

several years now, and we are pleased to solidify this relationship with a major ownership position. This ensures our long-term access to Heveco’s extensive reserves of high-quality peat, and at the same time enables us to work more closely with its management to develop their products and markets,” stated Martin Fafard, president and CEO of Fafard.

An added benefit of this investment is Heveco’s block-cut peat, which is unique in North America. Fafard notes that the coarser nature of block-cut peat makes it ideal for producing unique top-of-the-line

growing mixes. In addition to the financial investment, Heveco will

also benefit from other Fafard resources including its R&D department, and its quality control labs. Heveco’s founding family, the Meckings, continues to hold a significant share of the company and to be actively involved in the day-to-day operations.

Financial support for this transaction was provided primarily by Farm Credit Canada. LT


comingeventsJuly 23-27, ISA Annual Conference and Trade Show, Sydney, Australia www.isa-arbor.com

August 2-4, Penn Allied NurseryTrade Show, Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, Oaks, Pa www.pantshow.com

August 7-11, CGTA Fall Gift Show, International Centre and Congress Centre, Toronto, Ont. www.cgta.org

August 16-18, Independent Garden Center Show, Navy Pier, Chicago, Ill. www.igcshow.com

August 21-24, Canadian Fertilizer Institute 66th annual conference, Fairmont Empress, Victoria, B.C. www.cfi.ca

August 24-27, Plantarium, International Trade Center, Boskoop, Holland. www.plantarium.nl

August 25-27, Farwest Show, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Ore. www.farwestshow.com

September 4-6, Spoga-Gafa 2010, Cologne, Germany www.spogagafa.com

Sept 11-16, IGCA Congress, Italy www.igcacongress2011.com

September 19-21, GLEE, Birmingham, U.K. www.gleebirmingham.com

September 21-24, IPPS Western Region Meeting, Radisson Hotel, Sacramento, Calif. www.ippswr.org

September 22-24, IIDEX/NeoCon Canada, Direct Energy Centre, Toronto, Ont.www.iidexneocon.com

September 28-29, CanWest Hort Show, Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre, Vancouver, B.C. www.canwesthortshow.com

October 4-7, Greenbuild 2011, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto www.greenbuildexpo.org

October 5-6, Canadian Greenhouse Conference, Scotiabank Convention Centre, Niagara Falls, Ont.www.canadiangreenhouseconference.com

October 10-15, International Garden Centre Association Congress, Bolzano, Italy. www.igcacongress2011.com

October 19-20, Expo 2011, North Building, Toronto Congress Centre, Toronto, Ont. www.loexpo.ca

October 19-22, 61st IPPS Eastern Region Meeting, Seelbach Hilton Hotel, Louisville, Ky. www.ipps.org/EasternNA

October 26-29, Communities in Bloom 2011 National Symposium on Parks and Grounds and Awards Ceremonies, Quebec City, Que. www.communitiesinbloom.ca LT


classifieds

WHOLESALE TREE NURSERYGrowing caliper shade trees and evergreens.

Custom tree basketing.Contact us for availability and pricing.

STAM NURSERIES INC.593836 Hwy 59, RR 2

Burgessville, ON N0J 1C0Ph. (519) 424-3350Fax (519) 456-1659

E-mail: [email protected]

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING INFORMATIONPayment: All classified ads must be pre-paid by VISA or Mastercard. Rates: $56.50 (includes HST) per column inch (Approx. 25 words). Min. order $56.50. Annual rates also available. Deadlines: The 10th day of the month prior to issue date. (eg: June issue deadline is May 10th). Jan. deadline is Nov. 10. If day falls on weekend or holiday, deadline is the next business day. Space is limited to a first-come, first-served basis. To place an ad: E-mail your name and phone number and your ad to Rob at [email protected]. Also mention the ad is for Landscape Trades. You will be sent a proof/confirmation/payment form by e-mail. Online advertising: All paid ads are posted to our website at www.landscapetrades.com/classifieds for the corresponding calendar month. Website only ads are available for $45.20 (HST included) and are posted for 30 days. Additional charge for ads over 325 words.

NURSERY STOCK

SERVICES AND SUPPLIES

LARGE TREE MOVING AND SALES115 inch and 90 inch tree spades available for

hire. Largest truck mount machine in Ontario.

Call Burkraft Services(905) 689-1269

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FINN Hydroseeders & Bark BlowersNew and Used:

• Flex Guard FRM • Soil Guard BFM• Erosion Control Blanket

Seed & FertilizerToll free: (888) 761-1101 Fax: (905) 761-7959

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SCENIC GROVE NURSERYLinden ‘Glenleven’ 50-70mmLinden ‘Greenspire’ 50-70mm

Lynden, OntarioEmail: [email protected]

Fax: (905) 648-6395

SENIOR LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION ESTIMATOR

We are a well established landscape construction company, located in Milton. We require an experi-enced and highly motivated estimator to help us in 2010 and beyond. Excellent wages and benefits offered. The applicant must have 5 years experi-ence in residential and commercial projects.Start Date: ASAP (as soon as possible)Wage: NegotiableMedical Benefits: After 3 months.Responsibilities:• provide estimates and negotiate contracts• meet with clients to present estimates• site supervision when requiredQualifications:• excellent technical knowledge in all aspects of both hard/soft landscaping• good communication and organizational skills• able to work with clients and capture their needs• be self motivated and have the ability to meet deadlines• the ability to manage and provide direction to on site crewsPlease send a resume and cover letter by email or fax to the contact information below.

Email: [email protected]: (905) 331-3169

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Visit one of

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O�ce and yard: 25 Langsta� Rd. E., �ornhill, Yonge & Hwy 7-407Manufacturing plant: 12350 Keele St., Maple

416-222-2424 or 905-886-5787 Fax: 905-886-5795www.beavervalleystone.com

A wide selection of natural stone

and precast concrete products

Contact Rob Ellidge, 647-722-5645, [email protected]

Don’t miss this one-time opportunity to buy planters featured at the Landscape Ontario garden, Canada Blooms 2011!

First come, first served!

Custom-fabricated steel planters


BROWNRIDGEgreenhouses & nursery ltd.

WHOLESALE GROWERS OF PERENNIALS - GROUND COVERS1000 VARIETIES • GALLONS • ASTILBES • PEONY

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9527-10th Sideroad R.R.#5 Milton (Halton Hills), Ontario. L9T 2X9 • Tel: 905-459-1314 • Fax:905-878-9511 • Catalogue available

FALL SALES GARDEN MUMS • FLOWERING CABBAGE/KALE

EARLY SPRINGPRIMULA• PANSIES

classifieds

where to find it ADVERTISER PAGE PHONE EMAIL WEBSITE

Arctic Equipment 2 905-844-6902 [email protected] www.arcticsnowplows.com

Banas Stones 23 905-857-9684 [email protected] www.banasstones.com

Barrett Marketing Group 13, 15, 17 800-668-3481 [email protected] www.barrettmarketingltd.com

Beaver Valley Stone 48 416-222-2424 [email protected] www.beavervalleystone.com

Becker Underwood Inc 27 306-373-3060 [email protected] www.beckerunderwood.ca

Bobcat 11 [email protected] www.bobcat.com

Brownridge Greenhouses & Nursery Ltd 50 905-878-1948 [email protected] www.brownridgegreenhouses.com

Caledon Treeland 40 800-268-9516 [email protected] www.treeland.ca

Duke (GC) Equipment Ltd / Sno-Way 24 800-883-0761 [email protected] www.gcduke.com

Echo Power Equipment Canada 4 877-324-6660 [email protected] www.echo.ca

Future Road Solutions Inc 52 800-668-1783 www.futureroadsolutions.com

G & L Group 40 905-669-3938 [email protected] www.gandlgroup.com

General Motors of Canada Ltd 21 800-GM-DRIVE www.gmcanada.com

Horst Welding 29 519-291-4162 [email protected] www.horstwelding.com

John Deere Limited 31 www.johndeere.com

Kubota Canada Ltd 19 905-294-7477 [email protected] www.kubota.ca

L&R Shelters 34 866-216-4113 [email protected] www.lrshelters.ca

Modern Power Products 37 800-567-6775 www.mppcanada.com

Munger Lawnscape Distribution 45 519-738-2571 www.mungerlawnscape.com

Permacon Group Inc 5 888-PERMACON www.permaconpro.ca

Peterbilt of Canada 33 www.peterbilt.com

Pro Tech Engineering Inc. 16 519-699-5899 [email protected] www.protecheng.ca

Pro-Tech Manufacturing and Distribution, Inc 51 888-PUSH SNO www.snopusher.com

Reist Industries 39 877-467-3478 www.reistindustries.com

RM Adams Trucking Ltd 43 519-744-0151 www.adamslandscapesupply.ca

Stihl Limited 7 519-681-3000 [email protected] www.stihl.ca

Thames Valley Brick & Tile 44 905-637-6997 [email protected] www.thamesvalleybrick.com

The Salt Depot 41 905-479-1177 [email protected] www.saltdepot.ca

Turf Revolution 10 800-823-6937 [email protected] www.turfrevolution.com

Unilock Ltd 25 800-UNILOCK [email protected] www.unilock.com

Windsor Deicing 35 www.windsorsalt.com

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pt0062-protech-print2011-ad-1.2.indd 1 11/07/2011 08:14

Documents

July-August 2011 Landscape Trades