The key is in knowing what the customer is actually willing to pay for The central concept of Lean is to identify process steps that add value and those that are wasteful, eliminating the latter to become more efficient. It sounds simple but isn’t. Rick and Elizabeth Peters own a Wilsonville, Oregon-based Lean consulting firm, […]
Creating ‘standard work’
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— PostedFinding and reinforcing best work flows helps nurseries run a tighter ship Walk into JLPN Inc., a seeding operation and nursery in Salem, Oregon, and even if you’re not familiar with how to harvest or grade container seedlings, you’d soon be doing it like an experienced hand. How? Simply by looking at the laminated diagrams […]
Organizing spaces with 5S
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— PostedThe 5S methodology for storage and arrangement makes waste reduction far easier Many nurseries deploying Lean to make their processes less wasteful have found that organizing work spaces is a crucial part of their approach. To do this, they are deploying a Lean methodology called “5S.” The letters stand for 1) sort, 2) set in […]
Keeping things moving
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— PostedThe Lean concept of continuous flow delivers big for Oregon’s nurseries Twenty people to five. A quarter-mile span to 20 feet. One week to 20 minutes. What do these all have in common? They are all some of the head-scratching efficiencies that individual nurseries across Oregon have realized since they’ve implemented one key Lean concept […]
Looking at your marketing strategy
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— PostedI have the privilege and joy of working alongside my brother Erik at our marketing agency, Pivot. He’s usually the one who sits in meetings, silently following the conversation for a while. Midway through the meeting he breaks his silence and asks a question that is so thoughtful, on the nose, and (often) paradigm-shifting that […]
Celebrating Mom
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— PostedDuring the month of May, I usually write about our industry’s labor needs. Normally, I express my dismay that Congress is kicking the immigration reform can down the road yet again. But on a personal level, it’s really Mother’s Day that defines the month of May for me. Mothers play a central role in molding […]
Knowing our customers
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— PostedLast fall, I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Bridget Behe, a professor of horticulture at Michigan State University. She was giving a presentation on her research into the marketing of edible and ornamental horticultural crops, which is her area of expertise. If you are not familiar with Dr. Behe’s podcast, “Connect 2 Consumer,” I […]
April 2019 — The Greenhouse Issue
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— PostedWelcome to our traditional April greenhouse issue! Our cover story this month is about remarkable annuals, which go beyond your standard selections, offering exceptional color, foliage, durability and interest. In this issue: Remarkable annuals: Wholesale growers pitch popular bedding and garden plants The value of the green label: Survey tests whether customers will pay more, as […]
Emerging threats to conifer foliage
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— PostedGrowers and nurseries should be on the lookout for these diseases By Jared LeBoldus, Dave Shaw, and Paul Reeser Two new foliage diseases of Douglas fir and several other conifer species are emerging in Oregon, and they could be a threat to conifer growers and nurseries. The pathogens include Phytophthora pluvialis, the cause of Pytophthora […]
Social networking tips for garden center businesses
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— PostedMore than three-quarters of Internet users over the age of 15 use at least one social media site, and the more social media sites and apps there are, the more your customers will be expecting to be able to find and engage with you online. If they can’t find your business on Facebook, Twitter or […]
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