This Ontario company is still cutting down the competition after 46 years in business
There’s nothing like a supply chain problem that can turn even the most confident leader into a bundle of nerves. Over the past year, businesses in a variety of industries have had to grapple with mandatory lockdowns and physically distant logistics, but inventory issues hit both small and medium-sized businesses in ways few could have predicted.
For Turf Care Products Canada, a lawn and irrigation equipment distributor, the ability to spin quickly helped avoid the logistical hassles that plagued competitors and validated why it is still among the best in the country. “One of the strategies that served Turf Care well in getting fit quickly when things opened up was foresight to guard against future supply chain delays,” said President Tim Trimper. “The commitment to get more inventory much sooner than we normally would have allowed us to minimize service disruptions and maintain product fill rates for customers.”
While Turf Care specializes in lawn care equipment, irrigation maintenance, and parts distribution, Turf Care has learned to apply its inventory management knowledge to other areas of the business. In November 2020, the company launched a new e-commerce platform that gives customers 24/7 access to order online for thousands of landscaping and irrigation parts and accessories.
“The pandemic has forced us to look inward and do more with fewer resources,” says Trimper. “Without a pandemic playbook, we were forced to think outside the box, and we succeeded.” Turf Care’s successes in 2020 include maintaining an uninterrupted service and the introduction of its e-commerce platform moved to a new warehouse in Keswick, Ontario.
Turf Care’s strong position in the market has grown by leaps and bounds since the company was founded in 1975 when it operated from a single office in Markham, Ontario with 20 employees. Since then, it has grown to 160 employees, with seven offices and warehouses in Ontario and Quebec, and now serves approximately 2,500 customers across the country each year.
Managing the employee-employer relationship is an ingredient in Turf Care’s secret recipe for staying one step ahead of the competition. The company promotes from among its ranks and creates a strong workplace culture, which is facilitated by social events such as barbecues and support for employee-led charity initiatives.
“We have many long-term employees,” says Trimper. “Many employees started working in our warehouse as summer students, got to know different aspects of the business and moved into management positions.”
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