Source: www.TurfMagazine.com
Coneqtec Acquires Terramite Assets
Terraquip Construction Products, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Coneqtec Corp., Inc., announced that it has acquired the assets and the rights to manufacture and distribute the product lines of the Terramite Co., Inc. Terramite was formed in 1965 and sells its products domestically and internationally. Coneqtec is headquartered in Wichita, Kan., and has facilities in Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, West Virginia and England.
SavATree Establishes New Division
SavATree announced the launch of its Natural Resource Consulting Division. The new business division is designed to provide specialty services to private, corporate, institutional and municipal clients. SavATree services include landscape management planning, site evaluation, tree inventory, formal tree risk assessment, tree appraisal, legal and expert witness, project management and tree preservation. Patrick Parker, SavATree’s plant health care program director, will head the division. He is an ISA/Massachusetts Certified Arborist, Connecticut and Rhode Island Certified Arborist and New Jersey Certified Tree Expert with a background in plant biology, insect/disease management and product technology.
CST Signs National Agreement With TPC Network
CS Trading LLC, based in Liberty, S.C., has established a national account with the TPC Network. CS Trading distributes Sisis turf equipment and 3PointPower products.
ASTM Requests Papers for 2009 Symposium
ASTM International is seeking paper submissions for the 30th Symposium on Pesticide Formulations and Delivery Systems: Regulations and Innovation, scheduled for October 20-22, 2009. Participants can submit preliminary abstracts by May 22 and will be notified of acceptance by June 26. Dr. P.V. Shah of the EPA will be the keynote speaker, and the event will feature presentations on biopesticides, drift reduction and development of multiactive formulations as well as industry commentary. Visit www.astm.org for more information.
Second Half of FY 2009 Cap Reached
The Department of Homeland Security announced that the 33,000 cap for the second half of fiscal year 2009 was reached January 7, 2009, meaning that many companies may not get the H-2B workers they need without congressional action. The Professional Landcare Network continues to lobby Congress for an immediate H-2B fix. Representatives and senators can be contacted through the congressional switchboard at 202-225-3121, and letters can be sent through PLANET’s Web site, www.landcarenetwork.org.
DHS and the Department of Labor issued final rules related to H-2B program administration that went into effect January 18, 2009. The rules make changes to program administration and enforcement, but do not impact the 66,000 cap. DHS delegated additional enforcement authority to DOL. The rules also prohibit recruiters or employers from collecting application or recruitment fees from H-2B workers, establish an attestation process and change the role of the State Workforce Agencies. To view the complete text of the rules, visit www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/pdf/H2BFinalRule.pdf for DOL and http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-30094.htm for DHS.
Horizon Offers Water Rebate Resources
To help landscape contractors provide water-saving solutions to their customers, Horizon Distributors has created a section on its Web site dedicated to water district rebates. The section is categorized by city and includes information on rebates currently available for installing smart irrigation products. For details, visit www.horizononline.com/waterrebates.
CGC and SPI Merge
Commercial Grounds Care, Inc., Johnson Creek, Wis., and Schiller-Pfeiffer, Inc., Southampton, Pa., have merged to create Schiller Grounds Care, Inc. The new entity will continue to manufacture and distribute the BOB-CAT, Bunton, Classen, Little Wonder, Mantis, Ryan and Steiner brands through three manufacturing facilities in Norfolk, Neb., Southampton and Johnson Creek. The Southampton facility will also serve as the corporate office.
John Deere Redesigns Equipment Site, Wins IA Award
John Deere has redesigned its MachineFinder Web site at www.MachineFinder.com. The site now features an enhanced search and browsing system, built-in shipping integration, ability to save searches, Google Maps, detailed gallery views, user profiles, comprehensive equipment information and more.
John Deere Green Tech won an Irrigation Association 2008 New Product Award, which honors innovative products and services in four categories: specialty, golf, agriculture and turf and landscape. John Deere Green Tech took top honors in the specialty category with the MHG (Micro Hydroelectric Generator), a system that produces electricity from water flowing through pipes.
Cipriano Offers New Service
Cipriano Landscape Design, based in Mahwah, N.J., announced the launch of a new outdoor home staging service to help residents improve curb appeal and sell their homes faster. The service ranges from a home visit with do-it-yourself suggestions, the sale or rental of garden elements and outdoor furniture to a complete landscaping and swimming pool makeover. Cipriano was founded by Chris Cipriano in 1989. For more information, visit www.PlantNJ.com.
PECO Opens Green Roof
PECO unveiled a completed green roof on top of its headquarters in Philadelphia, Pa. Totaling more than 45,000 square feet, it is the largest green roof ever installed on an existing building in an urban area in Pennsylvania. The roof will help reduce stormwater runoff, save on heating and cooling costs and absorb air pollution. The project is part of a more than $15 million initiative at PECO to preserve the environment and help customers become more environmentally responsible.
LDM Wins Award for Landscaping
Laura D. and Richard McCarty, owners of LDM Squared LLC, Goshen, Conn., received the award for Best Use of an Exterior Environment from the Home Builders Association of Connecticut. They won the award for their work on a home in Winsted, Conn., and were nominated by Connecticut Stone, whose stone was used in the project. Laura McCarty earned her bachelor’s degree in horticulture and landscape design at the University of Rhode Island.
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