How We Do It: Aug. 1999, Building an office at Bozzuto Landscaping

When Bozzuto Landscaping Company strategically planned its recent move, location was the overriding issue we faced. We found that there are many different factors that need to be considered when selecting the location of your company’s main facility.

In selecting Laurel, Md., we considered the various issues, which were all directly related to location. In our case, Laurel made the most sense because it is located in the middle of our geographic service area. Our new facility is conveniently located between Washington and Baltimore with easy access to several interstates.

We believed it was necessary to select a location that would help us serve our customers better. Locating in Baltimore or Northern Virginia would have created an obstacle in serving our clients at the other end of our service area. An additional consideration was the facility’s proximity to our field offices in Springfield, Va., Gaithersburg, Md., and Upper Marlboro, Md.

Keeping in mind the facility’s location relative to the field offices was important since many of BLC’s crews are dispatched from the field offices each morning. This keeps the crews close to the customers and keeps them out of traffic, which ultimately increases productivity.

Locating the facility near a quality labor pool was also important. When BLC began conducting market and location research, several of the company’s employees encouraged us to consider Laurel as a viable option. It turns out many of the company’s existing employees already lived in the Laurel area and recommended it to be a good source of qualified labor. Additionally, locating in an area that had reliable public transportation options for some of our employees was also a desire.

Location also comes into play when you consider your suppliers. Throughout the years, we have developed key partnerships with our suppliers and have come to rely on each other. Moving your facility to a region where it becomes inconvenient or difficult for them to deliver materials and mechanical parts puts unnecessary stress on the relationship, which, in the long run, could impact the level of service you deliver to your customers. Again, our decision to strategically locate between Washington and Baltimore solidified our working relationships with most of our business partners.

One of the more obvious considerations in planning our new facility was creating a productive and exciting work environment. We took into account not only the office space but also the maintenance and storage facilities. Having enough space to maintain and repair our equipment was imperative to continuing the Bozzuto tradition of providing superior landscaping services. In order to meet the needs of our projected growth, we actually sought more space than we currently require. The new facility includes approximately 5,000 square feet of office space (with an additional 3,500 square feet for expansion), a 15,000- square-foot maintenance and repair shop and is surrounded by 10 acres of land. In addition, the new office houses BLC’s training center, which includes audio/video/presentation equipment, conference and seminar facilities and a training video library.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, financial considerations played a large role in the decision-making process. While profit margins in the landscaping industry are traditionally thin, finding the right location at the right price is vital to the bottom line. At Bozzuto Landscaping we were able to find a location that met and exceeded our current and future space needs and placed us in close proximity to our customers, suppliers and employees while only modestly increasing our costs. The cost increase, however, is offset by efficiency gains.

Everyone at Bozzuto Landscaping is extremely excited about our new facility. The decision-making process was not quick or easy by any means. However, with the proper amount of research, knowledge and patience, it is possible to identify the most appropriate location that meets or exceeds your business needs. The new Bozzuto Landscaping headquarters is proof.

The author is president of Bozzuto Landscaping, Laurel, Md.