Landscape Management, December 2015

Mowing Landscape Maintenance Get walking F or John Erbert walk behind mowers are the driving force behind the success of his company Erbert Lawns The 3 million firm in Littleton Colo exclusively uses 21 inch walkbehind mowers to serve its all residential clients This strategy is part of an effort to take the extra time and effort to do it right the frst time The 21 inch gives a beautiful cut Erbert says Just about the best cut you can get Like Erbert many landscape contractors are seeing the benef its of using walk behind mowers Particularly on residential properties they provide a level of craftsmanship that homeowners appreciate these companies say sending the message the clients property is worth the extra work As manufacturers improve these machines become more effcient and user friendly Erbert Lawns started as a fullservice company with residential and commercial clients But about 15 years ago Erbert found his niche The company now offers only mowing and fertilization services to residential clients He targets dense neighborhoods with homes that have small lot sizes and dominates them if you will using only 21 inch walk behinds The residential people didnt like the big mowers on their lawn Erbert says citing complaints about ruts matted grass and messed up landscapes from the larger mowers We saw it as a unique selling proposition for us After switching to walk behinds productivity has increased though the mowers deck sizes decreased His crews mow faster with the maneuverable machines and they are easier to get on and off the trailer With only one mower on the truck his crews no longer debate which machine to use for each job The larger mowers also left behind clippings and debris a mess eliminated by using the smaller mulching mowers Training has also become more streamlined Erbert says it took 30 to 45 days for employees to get comfortable on the larger mowers but they master the 21 inch in a day Gentle Cut walk behinds are softer on lawns and dont cause rutting and matting some contractors say We can bring people in train them fast and get them to do a professional job fast he says Commonwealth Irrigation Landscape in Fredericksburg Va also uses walk behind mowers on its residential properties which make up about half of its business The 2 million company offers 40 percent mowing maintenance 30 percent irrigation 20 percent landscape hardscape installation and 10 percent snow removal services The walk behinds are more forgiving in tight spaces gates and fences says Mike Garrett grounds maintenance division manager for Commonwealth The company uses 36 and 48 inch walk behinds and 21 inch self propelled push mowers newsFeed Stihl Recall Stihl recalled certain gaspowered edgers trimmers brushcutters pole pruners and Kombimotors due to potential fuel tank leaks Only products with serial numbers between 501830112 and 504083576 sold from Nov 2014 through Sept 2015 were included califoRnia MeRgin Two Northern california companies marizco Landscape management LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET December 2015 34 and coast Landscape management merged operations coast Landscape management the name the companies will operate under ranked No 146 on the 2015 LM150 list The companys 2015 revenue was 83 million RuppeRt honoRed ruppert Landscape based in Laytonsville md was named one of the 2016 Future 50 award winners in Washington D c by SmartCEO magazine The program recognizes the regions 50 fastestgrowing mid sized companies PHOTO HOnda POwer equiPmenT profit centers Continued on page 36 John erbert some contractors use walk behind mowers to give homeowners the pristine cut they say larger mowers cant provide By eMiLy schappacher