Landscape Management, October 2010

WHAT YOUR INDUSTRY IS BUYING EQUIPMENT TYPE PURCHASED IN 2010 WILL PURCHASE IN 2011 Mowers 51 45 Construction equipment attachments 13 16 Sprayers spreaders 51 30 Aerators 12 13 Handheld equipment 71 53 Trucks trailers 46 43 Alternative fuel vehicles 3 5 Trees shrubs 70 66 Annuals perennials 71 66 Turf seed sod 69 67 Hardscapes retaining walls pavers etc 53 49 Water features 31 31 Landscape lighting 38 40 Irrigation systems products 46 44 Herbicides 64 62 Insecticides 54 54 Fungicides 43 43 Fertilizers fertilizer pesticide combination products 69 63 Plant growth regulators 19 20 Tree care chemicals 21 22 Snow ice control equipment and products 34 33 Computers business design software 47 38 Mobile phones handheld devices Nextel 53 35 GPS systems software 23 18 Consultants 16 15 Subcontracted services 48 39 or out of cash for new equipment expansion or for new employees must generate enough additional value to pay off the investment And if you want to be effi cient Senske adds you have to replace stuff Effi ciency actually topped the reasons for buying equipment this year Pacifi c Landscape Management replaced his walk behind mower fl eet with standon zero turning radius riding mowers Its a smart capital investment because theyre more effi cient says Bob Grover the Hillsboro OR based companys president If you dont keep your fl eet upgraded you end up paying the same amount over time in repairs So its better to continue that investment now Its either pay me now or pay me later In some cases lawn care and landscape professionals feel equipment can be a better investment than people Adding crews and hiring more people can be a problem fi nding good people having employee problems plus paying their salaries says Giuseppe Baldi landscape maintenance manager Baldi Gardens Arlington TX Instead I think were focusing SOURCE LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT 6 The number of equipment categories showing a predicted increase in spending next year more on increasing our effi ciency and using the same manpower but getting more machines When companies have made purchases this year improving vendor relationships to get the best deals has been a key strategy Joe DiRoma tries to buy from the same two places because he thinks the more volume he can give them the better offers hell get We have been trying to barter with suppliers a little more asking them for the best prices says the owner of Lisbon CTs DiRoma Landscaping Christy Webber never questioned her vendors or their pricing before But this year she took some time to shop around Her usual vendors places where shed spent a lot of money in the past werent straight up with me says the president of Chicagos Christy Webber Landscapes That was sad to fi nd out Because I didnt shop around and question them I wasnt getting the best price And its not just me its happening to anyone who isnt shopping around This year I shopped around and saved 35000 overall thats someones salary Thats a lot LM OCTOBER 2010 LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET S21