Jul 17, 2015

Save the Date(s) By Tim Hodson

GPN’s Plant Health Management Conference will return to Grand Rapids, Michigan, this fall “¦ and it also will debut in New England because this year we are introducing a second Plant Health Management Conference in Springfield, Massachusetts.

We debuted our Plant Health Management Conference last fall in Michigan and it was an overwhelming success. Growers from around the Midwest had a chance to learn how to address some of their most challenging production issues from industry experts and learn about the newest products in the tabletop exhibits.

On Oct. 6, we will be returning to Grand Rapids and, once again, growers will have the opportunity to learn about the latest disease identification, integrated pest management and plant growth strategies from some of the industry’s top experts, visit the tabeltops exhibits “¦ and earn pesticide certification credits.

For additional information click here to learn more about the Grand Rapids program or to register to attend.

If you are in the New England area, be sure to circle Oct. 27 on your calendar. That is the day we will introduce our second Plant Health Management Conference addressing these critical issues at the Springfield Marriott – complete with educational sessions, exhibits and certification credits.

You can find more information about the Springfield event by clicking here.

If you are looking for solutions to grow healthier and more profitable plants, then Grand Rapids and Springfield are the places to be this October.

I hope to see you there!

– Tim

Lowe’s Uses Humor to Reach Millennials

This summer Lowe’s has been using humor to reach out to and educate its millennial customers about home improvement. Working with the ad agency BBDO New York, the company has developed six-second Vine videos that are humorous and informative – like how to turn a gallon milk jug into a watering can for the garden. Dubbed “Fix in Six,” the video series is intended to be non-intimidating and accessible to today’s consumers.

Home Depot’s Multichannel Strategy Paying Off

In recent years, the Home Depot has spent almost $300 million on its ecommerce operations. The company’s investment in its distribution, supply chain management as well as integrating in-store inventory with its online presence is paying back dividends to the home improvement retailer. Last year, the company saw a $1 billion increase in online sales over the previous year.

Wal-Mart Summit Focuses on ‘Made in U.S.A’ Program

Earlier this month, Wal-Mart convened its 2015 Manufacturing Summit at its corporate headquarters in Arkansas. One of the goals of the summit was to increase the company’s offerings of U.S.-made products. Approximately 2,000 companies attended the meeting and pitched the mass merchandiser on their products to be a part of Wal-Mart’s “Made in the U.S.A.” program. Wal-Mart also helped educate the companies on how they could advantage of its recent efforts to support U.S. manufacturing jobs.