PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon Tool is celebrating its 75th anniversary by launching the T.R.E.E. Initiative, focusing on four key areas: training, recovery, environment and education. As part of T.R.E.E., the company is continuing their partnership with Tree-Nation to further reforestation, with the goal of planting 75,000 trees in 2022. The company will be hosting its second annual RUN, WALK, BIKE event throughout the year, inviting team members around the world to get moving in support of the health of the planet.

Oregon Tool has grown into a multinational organization with numerous acquisitions and mergers. At 3,000 team members strong, Oregon Tool sells thousands of products in more than 110 countries. Oregon Tool is a manufacturer of saw chain and guide bars for chainsaws, diamond saw chain for concrete and pipe and agricultural tractor attachments, and the leading original equipment manufacturer (OEM) supplier of first-fit and replacement parts.

In 1947, Forester Joe Cox observed the C-shaped jaws of a timber beetle larva deftly chewing through wood. This was the inspiration for his “Cox Chipper Chain,” which he invented in the basement of his home in Portland, Oregon. That same year, Cox started the Oregon Saw Chain Corp. to produce his saw chain – from a basement startup to a global manufacturer.

“Joe Cox sought to improve cutting performance for those in his industry. His innovative and pioneering spirit led him to look to nature for a solution, and what he learned from the timber beetle provided the blueprint for not only his namesake chain, but every saw chain made in the last 75 years,” said Oregon Tool CEO Paul Tonnesen. “Joe’s efforts changed the industry and gave way to our company, and what he did and who he was continues to inspire our Team Members around the world.”

From supply chain issues to rising inflation, there are a myriad of reasons lawn care companies need to raise prices. Luke Hawthorne, the owner of Texas-based Emerald Lawns, doesn’t anticipate this trend changing anytime soon.

“It’s an interesting time to be in the market,” Hawthorne says. “I’m not so worried about myself, but I am worried about how the littler guys are going to navigate the waters with supply line issues, the prices of fertilizer and gas and everything else. I’m concerned about those guys.”

Prior to last season, Hawthorne says his company instituted its highest price increase since it was established in 2006.

“We did a 10% price increase last year,” he says. “In 16 years of business, that was by far our biggest price increase. Before that, I think the biggest one was like 2%. Usually, every two to three years we’ll add a $1 to everybody’s application price. It’s been really minuscule.”

Without any resolution to inflation in sight, Hawthorne says he raised prices again this year and is already planning another increase in 2023.

“Moving forward I was just going to do that annual increase, but that’s not going to cover all the added expenses as the price of fuel, fertilizer and labor have gone way up,” he says.

Like for everyone else, Hawthorne says labor is always a worry.

“A few years ago, we were starting people at $15 or $16 an hour and now it’s up to $19 and it needs to go up from there,” he says. “So, we’re trying to find the money somewhere to make that happen. It’s challenging.”

To keep from having to constantly hire, Hawthorne says culture and employee retention should be top of everyone’s to-do lists.

Emerald Lawns of Austin, Texas, services about 22,000 lawn care customers and is constantly looking to grow. But Owner Luke Hawthorne says that growth is contingent on several factors.

Hawthorne says when he initially started the business in 2006, it was just him and his wife. Nowadays, they have 200 employees and service the Austin, Waco and San Antonio markets.

“We’re a fast-growing company, and I remember when I was first starting out, people would ask me, ‘How big do you want to get?’ and I would say ‘I want to get as big as I possibly can.’ I didn’t even understand how that could be a question,” Hawthorne recalls. “But now I understand. The bigger you get, the more things creep up. Once you get so many people on board, it’s inevitable that things are going to happen.”

Hawthorne says standard HR-related issues has kept him from expanding too fast and really focusing on the inner workings of Emerald Lawns.

But, when it is time to make headway into a new market, Hawthorne says they always look internally for a leader of the newest branch.

“It’s not always about which market is going to make us the most profitable, but it’s really about the people for us. Do we have the right person who’s ready to be a branch manager? Then we’ll find a market to put them in,” he explains. “But we’re growing so fast and expanding and promoting we don’t have anybody in the pipeline just yet.”

There are also a few other things that Hawthorne weighs when reviewing new markets for expansion.

“Growth potential, median income and the water situation all factor in,” he says. “Water’s a big thing and I want to make sure that if I move into an area customers won’t have to cancel their lawn care service because they aren’t allowed to water their lawns.”

Ultimately, Hawthorne says the growth of the town or city is the primary factor.

And having the right people to research that growth is important.

“I have a really good marketing team of three full-time marketers, and they do market analysis and all of that in house,” Hawthorne says.

Weather is just one element of lawn care that will always remain unpredictable. To try and circumvent the effects of drought in his Austin, Texas, market, Luke Hawthorne, owner of Emerald Lawns, added irrigation services to his existing lawn care business.

“It’s not a hugely profitable service line, so I’m hoping to break even, but it’s another added benefit to the customer,” he says. “It’s another layer of customer service and adds to the lawns looking better than their neighbors’. It’s pretty competitive here, so it always boils down to that.”

Despite Austin being a boomtown, Hawthorne says its lack of water has made business more difficult lately.

“Water is a big issue here,” he says. “It’s growing fast. Growth potential is a lot, but the future is a little murky just because we have one prime water source, and we’re very susceptible to droughts here. And they haven’t really done anything to improve the water situation. We have a bunch more people moving in, but the water situation is the same. It’s a little worrisome right now.”

And without being able to rely on steady rain flow, lawns can suffer even if treated. That’s why Hawthorne has made water retention and water conservation a priority.

“We service from San Antonio to Waco, and six years ago we were in the 100-Year Drought,” he says. “And in a lot of our markets, you couldn’t even wash your car in the driveway let alone water your lawn. There were major water restrictions. So, I started to look at what golf courses were doing and how they handled drought and the restrictions.

“We got into the water retention products and also in our top dressing, instead of putting out compost, we also started offering topsoil. There are some parts of town where there’s not much dirt so it’s impossible to keep it properly irrigated. If you offer a top dressing service, it makes the soil better,” Hawthorne adds.

In the three years since Emerald Lawns started offering water retention products and irrigation services, Hawthorne says most of his customers have taken advantage of it for the added benefits to their lawns.

“It’s made us a better company and made us more profitable, because even when we’re not in a drought, these are some things we can include as part of our service line,” he says.

Currently, crews are going out and doing audits on irrigation systems quarterly to adjust to seasonal changes in the weather and to offset any water restrictions. But even with doing this, Hawthorne says there’s still plenty to worry about.

“I can’t budget according to a potential weather pattern or anything,” he says. “I have to go on and keep spending as business as usual, but there’s always this kind of dark cloud that looms over everything.”

While the drought is difficult, Hawthorne says it keeps his team from getting comfortable or just going with the flow. Being able to react quickly and accordingly to change is critical in the lawn care game.

“You budget as if everything is hunky-dory and it’s going to be beautiful weather, and we’ll get enough rain and the lakes will stay up to level, but that’s not always reality,” he says. “And you’ll need to be able to pivot, which is something we’ve always done very well in the past.”

MOORESVILLE, N.C.  - Greenworks Commercial, a provider of battery-operated outdoor power equipment, is announcing the expansion of its 82V line, which made its initial debut at GIE+EXPO last year. With the addition of 26 new product offerings rolling out throughout 2022, the Greenworks family of commercial-grade, battery-powered lawn care equipment continues to grow, providing even more solutions for industry professionals such as stand-on and ride-on zero-turn mowers, and various utility vehicles. Unlike other competitors on the market, Greenworks Commercial offers the most extensive product line-up for professionals with a complete ecosystem of tools that work interchangeably together.

“Greenworks is proud to transform the landscaping industry and provide a full ecosystem of solutions to improve the productivity of work.” said Klaus Hahn, Greenworks president. “With high performing machines for enhanced workflow, top-of-the line materials and innovative technology, Greenworks Commercial is made to be reliable for everyday landscapers.”      

The Greenworks Commercial 82V line consists of products that can withstand the toughest jobs while providing power, performance and runtime without the noise, hassle or harmful emissions of traditional gas counterparts.

Right now, landscapers can get their hands on a wide assortment of the new Greenworks Commercial 82V line including a variety of edgers, trimmers, blowers, chainsaws and power cutters. Additional new products from the 82V expansion will be rolling out in both fall and winter of 2022, including the Greenworks Commercial 30” Walk-Behind Mower and the 24” Dual Stage Snow Blower utilizing a Trubrushless motor that auto-adapts to any condition for best performance every time.

To check out the Greenworks Commercial 82V line visit www.greenworkscommercial.com.