Enviroscapes acquired by Schill Grounds Management, based in North Ridgeville
NIMISHILLEN TWP. – Stark County-based Enviroscapes has become part of Schill Grounds Management, a growing family-owned commercial landscaping business based in North Ridgeville.
Terms of the deal weren't announced. Plans are for Enviroscapes to maintain its local operations, with Todd Pugh — company founder and chief executive officer — having an ownership stake in Schill.
Pugh will serve as market president for Schill's operations in the Akron-Canton region.
Both companies have been in business for about 30 years. During that time Pugh and Schill have developed a friendship, and the companies have worked together with some customers.
No major changes expected by Schill Grounds
The addition of Enviroscapes creates one of the largest landscaping companies in the Midwest, said Jerry Schill, founder and CEO of Schill Grounds Management.
Plans are for Pugh to play a crucial role helping the company expand its customer base and service area in the the upper Midwest, Schill said. The Enviroscapes brand will be used in the Canton and Akron areas, as well as in western Pennsylvania.
Enviroscapes has more than 200 employees, with customers in Northeast Ohio, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The company provides commercial customer landscape maintenance, design and installation services, snow and ice removal, and public utility clearing and mowing.
Schill provides landscaping and snow removal services for retail, office, industrial and multi-family properties. The company has 400 employees throughout Ohio and neighboring states.
Acquisitions over two years
About two years ago, Schill began working on a plan to consolidate the fragmented commercial landscaping industry. He started working with Argonne Capital Group, based in Atlanta. Argonne Capital made a majority investment in Schill, allowing the company to begin adding other landscape operations.
The deal with Enviroscapes is the largest for Schill so far. Over the past 18 months, Schill has acquired Ward & Thornton Landscapes in Cincinnati, Fredericks Landscaping in Cincinnati and northern Kentucky, the Ohio Valley Group in Cleveland, and McCoy Landscape Services in Marion.
Schill described the acquisition process as one of "bolting on" other landscape operations to build a larger company. Schill is considering other acquisitions in neighboring states, but not pushing to grow too quickly.
The goal has been to work with companies and help overcome barriers that may have held them back, Schill said.
“I’m excited that, after many years of professional collaboration, we can finally come together as partners in building a best-in-class company serving customers well beyond our Ohio roots,” Schill said of the deal with Pugh and Enviroscapes.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Enviroscapes acquired by Schill Grounds Management
