Orange Going Green in Oregon

Orange is more than one of the colors in the spectrum for Pacific Landscape Management president Bob Grover, CLP, CLT. When he and his partners launched their company in 2001, they wanted to stand out. So they painted their trucks orange, wore orange uniforms, and handed out orange business cards. In Grover’s words, “We became the orange company.”

Today, after only eight years in business, that orange company generates $6 million in revenue, almost entirely from commercial maintenance customers. It does this with 85 employees who work out of three Oregon locations: the headquarters in Hillsboro (a western suburb of Portland), and branch locations in Northeast Portland and Tualatin.

“From the very beginning, our mission was to become the greatest and most sophisticated landscape management company in Portland,” Grover recalls. “We wanted to be the smart guys who would provide special products, personalized service at all levels, and the most creative and thoughtful solutions.”

The company was entitled to such a lofty goal. Unlike other startup companies, theirs benefitted from many years of previous experience. Grover alone worked 15 years for highly regarded Northwest Landscape Industries, and later spent another two years with the company after it was purchased by TruGreen LandCare.

After sitting out a year-long non-compete agreement, Grover and his partners hit the ground running, targeting corporate campuses, office complexes, retail outlets, condominiums and homeowner associations. Over the next eight years, the company developed a recognizable brand (in color and deed) and provided a very specialized service to its customers.

“Our entire focus has been to help people get value out of the dollars they spend,” Grover emphasizes. “In many ways, we are very passive salespeople, and look instead to ensure that property enhancements will benefit the customer. Even though light construction and enhancements account for about 40% of our annual revenue, we have never had an incentive program to sell extra work.”

What further separated the new company from the competition, and still does today, is an emphasis on training and education. Partner and co-owner Elias Godinez, CLT, devotes nearly all of his time to training and staffing issues. Employees receive weekly training and are encouraged to advance their professional careers by taking courses that, for example, teach the latest irrigation techniques or prepare them to become licensed pesticide applicators and Certified Landscape Technicians (CLT).

“I was fortunate,” says Grover. “I was able to learn the industry on another company’s dime. My advice to anyone just starting out in this industry or looking to develop a competitive advantage is to take every opportunity to expand their base of knowledge.

“Giving employees the same opportunity—creating an environment where learning is a fundamental part of work—will help posture your company as an expert in its field and instill a sense of pride and loyalty among your people. We have 12 CLT’s. And this learning culture, along with good benefits and a healthy work environment, is one reason why we haven’t lost a manager in our eight years of operation.”

Green is golden

An unquenchable thirst for knowledge is also the driver behind the company’s latest initiative. Grover explains, “Most of us are in this industry for two reasons: We love plants and we enjoy being outdoors. Personally, I consider myself both an environmentalist and a pragmatist. I’ve always been very interested in the green movement, but at the same time hesitant to offer a service that none of my customers are asking for.”