The importance of streamlining

Photo: adobe stock © Oleg

It has been almost five years since Bailey Nurseries and Carlton Plants joined forces under the Bailey umbrella. This union of two prominent nurseries with similar product lines was a significant undertaking that brought both excitement and numerous challenges. Looking back, we can draw valuable lessons from this experience and leverage them to shape a promising future.

The integration process required a purposeful approach to align the synergies and offerings from different areas of the country, as well as harmonize multiple growing and shipping sites. During the initial months, we conducted an extensive analysis, which revealed numerous advantages for both our company as a supplier and for our customers. One of the major impacts we observed was the elimination of redundancy in crops and crop cycles.

Having the benefit of operating in multiple states allowed us to strategically grow crops in the most suitable geographic locations. For instance, our Oregon location provided a diverse range of bareroot trees, including Acer, Aesculus, Amelanchier, Carpinus, Cercis, Ginkgo, Malus, and fruit and hydrangea trees. Oregon's growing conditions and the ability to harvest throughout the winter without major disruptions alleviated the pressure on our home operation in Minnesota, which faces challenges during each harvest season.

Furthermore, the former Carlton location already had over seven acres of functioning cold storage in place. This invaluable asset enabled us to store and ship bareroot trees from Oregon during dormancy—an otherwise impossible feat. While most plants in Oregon begin to shed dormancy as early as mid-March, customers in other regions of the U.S. and Canada may still be dealing with wintry conditions. By leveraging the cold storage in Oregon, we can meet the needs of these customers in May and June, as if the plants were shipped in March or April. On the other hand, container trees, shrubs, seedlings and greenhouse products from Oregon cater to the middle to western half of the country, optimizing freight practices.

In Minnesota, we focus on bareroot tree production, specializing in Alnus, Betula, Cornus, Poplus, Salix and Syringa. Additionally, Minnesota shoulders most of the bareroot shrub production alongside its tree production. With a major ship site and a large cold storage operation, we can process orders throughout the harsh winter and maintain consistent shipping schedules. The production of container trees, shrubs and greenhouse products in Minnesota and Illinois allows us to provide quick turnarounds to the central portion of the U.S.

Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries

These examples illustrate the importance of streamlining processes throughout an organization as a leader. By eliminating redundancies and embracing best practices, we can achieve remarkable results. The integration of Bailey Nurseries and Carlton Plants serves as an exceptional example in my professional career, achieved through the collaborative efforts of our production and sales teams. Our guiding principle has always been to prioritize the best interests of the plant and the customer, even if it means setting aside personal opinions or horticultural agendas. Implementing changes for the benefit and betterment of the business can be challenging, but it is essential.

When communicating the need for change, it is crucial to explain the reasons behind it. Most employees and customers understand that improving efficiencies ultimately helps save costs. In some instances, even seemingly simple improvements in organization and cleanliness can have a transformative effect on departments. As managers, we must continuously evaluate processes and procedures, empowering individuals to help themselves and fostering pride and consistency across all departments to enhance profitability.

By reflecting on our past experiences and adopting a forward-thinking mindset, we can continue to innovate and grow, setting a course for a successful future in the horticultural industry.