Plant Growers Australia rewarded for smart water use
Plant Growers Australia has won The Age/D&B Business Award in the exporter and wholesaler category for 2008.
The nursery wholesaler’s sales graph has risen by more than 20 percent to over $6 million in the past year, and despite capital investment in new water systems, the company has achieved a very high rating on paying its bills and has kept profit growing.
However, three years ago the company, which is owned by Malchom Dickson, Howard Bentley and Michael Cole, had sales which were at an all-time low.
Malchom says there was a knee-jerk reaction to water restrictions at the time and people stopped buying plants. It was this tough time that led PGA to start operating smarter, particularly in terms of water use.
The business saved money by becoming self-sufficient in water. It increased the size of its dam to six megalitres, put in six water tanks with a combined capacity of 850,000 litres and installed a drainage system in all its buildings to capture rainwater.
Michael says the company also made sure to move with the times. "We always adapt to market changes.” PGA began growing and selling a lot more drought-resistant plants. Rotations of some plants were shortened, creating a greater sales throughput.
Malchom says the aim over the next three or four years was to install an ultra-violet system to purify water used on the plants. "Now we treat the water with chemical gas, but we want to go one better.”.
The awards, which began in 1993, are based on criteria such as business growth, promptness in paying debts, and research and development. The awards are divided into six categories: manufacturing, country/rural, building and allied services, retailing, IT, and exporter/wholesale, and an overall winner.
Triumphant trio: Malchom Dickson, Howard Bentley and Michael Cole at their nursery, Plant Growers Australia.
Photo: John Woudstra