TurfCare Supply, A growing business

Manufacturing in Action, Source : The Manufacturer US

Recent equipment updates, employee teamwork, and a well-earned reputation for superior quality have resulted in increased sales for TurfCare Supply. Cynthia Garber learns more

Sales have doubled and business is booming at TurfCare Supply. The company was created in October 2005 when Los Angeles–based Platinum Equity purchased the supply chain and manufacturing assets of Lesco Inc., a leading distributor of professional turf and pest-control products with more than 300 retail stores in the United States.

Chief Operating Officer Frank Vetter explains that TurfCare Supply produces a wide range of granular and liquid fertilizers, combination products (fertilizer plus pesticides or other active ingredients), grass seed, chemicals, and ice-melt, all geared to appeal to the professional landscaper and for use on golf courses, athletic fields, and municipalities.

Headquartered in Brunswick, OH, the company has liquid processing capabilities and can blend and package almost any type of granular product at its four plants, which are located in Hatfield, MA, Martins Ferry, OH, Sebring, FL, and Silverton, OR. Its sulfur-coated urea plant in Martins Ferry is the largest in North America.

Although only a year and a half old, TurfCare Supply has already made some major upgrades to its core competency processes and has begun to invest heavily in capital improvements and facility maintenance. “Because of normal wear and tear, we spent a substantial sum to replace some of the blending equipment. We also added some capabilities to make a number of different products that we were not able to make in the past,” Vetter explains.

TurfCare Supply utilizes a number of lean techniques to improve its purchasing of raw materials and chemicals, production scheduling, inventory management, and manufacturing reliability. “I would say that these techniques allow us to more efficiently plan and schedule our production lines and manage the procurement of our raw materials more cost-effectively—and all of that results in better cycle times and lower inventories,” Vetter says, adding that the company has also developed expertise at managing changeovers and cleanouts in its manufacturing process in order to maximize uptime.

The company motto is “Growth Is Our Business,” and its culture also stresses individual growth as well as the importance of the team concept. TurfCare considers its associates to be its most important asset, and team members are empowered to take risks and make decisions. As a result, employees are intimately involved in all the processes that will ultimately lead to TurfCare’s success. TurfCare associates are encouraged to think and to act. And this strong focus on developing a team-oriented culture is paying off big time as the company works toward achieving its goals.

TurfCare also partners with its suppliers, and this partnership is helping both vendors and the company to achieve success. “We look to leverage our partnership with our vendors, and one of those ways is to have a consigned inventory. Suppliers of key raw materials store inventories in bulk warehouses in close proximity to our plants, which reduces lead times and improves service,” Vetter says.

TurfCare’s major initiative for 2006 was the transition to the Ross ERP system along with implementation of a Web-based transportation management system called Highjump Transportation Advantage. And though only a few months into full operation, the project has already resulted in significant improvements in operations, production planning, raw material utilization, and customer service responsiveness.

“Both systems are fully implemented. We are now in the stabilization phase and are already starting to reap the benefits,” says Vetter. “Some of the things we were doing before we implemented the system were not automated, and it took us a lot of time to finalize reports. Now that we are fully operational, we are able to access information on a daily basis, and we are able to run our company more efficiently.”

True to its motto, “Growth Is Our Business,” and because it is recognized as having the best quality in the industry, Vetter says that TurfCare has taken on many new customers over the course of the past year.

“Our reputation for superior quality is our top selling point,” says Vetter. He points with justifiable pride to the fact that the company doubled its sales goal in its initial year of operations. TurfCare is ahead of the aggressive targets set for year two.

“Last year, we set out to implement a results-focused, teamwork-oriented culture, which our employees quickly embraced, and we are already seeing results,” he says.

Spring is the company’s busiest season, and TurfCare Supply is optimistic as to its future. “We are in the midst of our peak season, and sales are already going very, very well,” Vetter beams.

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