Summit Plastics, Nursery Supplies Inc. Merge

Chris Beytes

Two of the biggest container companies in the business just announced a merger … but it’s less of a surprise than you might think, because they’ve shared common ownership since 2006.

Nursery Supplies Inc., based in Pennsylvania, specializes in tree and woody containers, from 1 gal. up to 250 gal., while Summit, headquartered in Ohio, focuses on the smaller container needs of the annual, perennial and potted plant trades. But both companies are majority owned by Lincolnshire Management of New York; Nursery Supplies since 2005 and Summit since 2006.

Said Summit President and CEO Norm Belliveau when we called him about the announcement: “We finally decided to put the [two companies] together under one financing umbrella—we were both with different banks. We’re going to work a little closer together now. We were sister companies, at arms length because of the financial deal, but now under one financial package we are definitely merged and going to take advantage of it.”

The combination makes the best use of the synergies between the two companies, who will continue to service the North American market from the strategically located five Nursery Supplies and two Summit facilities.

“Their container line begins where ours ends,” says Norm. “We have very good complimentary products, we both sell across North America, and with our combined product lines I think we offer better service to our mutual customers. I’m glad we’re finally under one roof.”

Norm adds that both companies service national programs such as Knock Out Roses and Proven Winners, where they can now coordinate and cooperate on producing all the various sizes needed and making them match perfectly. “Just be a better partner to our allied suppliers.”

He says there won’t be any name changes and both companies will retain their own sales forces since the two markets are unique. GT