It can be easy to feel as though you have to be a jack of all trades and do everything in and for your turf business. But developing strong working relationships with complementary businesses along the supply chain can give growers the freedom to do what they do best. Sandra Godwin reports.
When they started Bormann Turf in 1978, Barry and Monica Bormann were not only learning by trial and error how to produce turf, but they also had to manage their new business and take care of marketing and grow sales.
“For the first two years, Mum and Dad tried to do everything themselves,” Scott Bormann said. “It got too hard – Dad really wanted to focus on just growing the turf and being a supplier.”
Scott said their solution was to engage two South Australian agents to handle sales:
• Paul Munns Instant Lawn in 1980.
• Hicks Instant Turf in 1985.
It’s worked so well, those valued partnerships continue to this day. During 2021, Bormann Turf and Paul Munns Instant Lawn collaborated on a project to turf a reserve in the new subdivision Clover Park, near Mount Barker, southeast of Adelaide.
Above: Kenda Kikuyu laid at the Clover Park Development site.
LD Total state manager Chris Collingwood said they had a longstanding relationship with a firm of landscape architects which invited his commercial landscaping company to tender for works at the subdivision.
“We were successful in gaining the contract,” he said. “And as the job went along, we started looking at who we can use for suppliers. Generally, it’s specified who we might have to go to for a lot of stuff, but the turf side is fairly open.”
The contract specified Common Kikuyu, but at the time supplies of instant turf in Adelaide and the southeast of the State were limited because of the cool conditions and slow start to spring that had hampered grass growth.
Chris has worked in the South Australian “turf scene” for more than 25 years – he joined LD Total 18-months ago – and his teams have often dealt with Paul Munns Instant Lawn.
So, he began discussing potential alternatives with Paul Munns Instant Lawn operations manager Kym Rowett.
Kym said they had supplied about 1600 square metres (m2) of Kenda Kikuyu for an LD Total job at Blackwood High School at Eden Hills, south of Adelaide, in September last year.
“At the time, Kikuyu was in very short supply, but we did have access to the Kenda Kikuyu so we were able to quote on that for Clover Park and that’s what they accepted,” Kym said.
He attributed the shortage to a combination of the weather and very heavy demand for turf during the first 18-months of the Coronavirus Pandemic.
“Over the course of COVID a lot of people had been spending their money in their backyards rather than going on holidays,” he said.
“Industry-wide we had very heavy demand here. And then unfortunately, we had a very late start to spring in terms of the weather. So, a lot of the turf that was expected to have been matured by then still wasn’t, and that’s what caused the shortage.”
Above: Paul Munns Instant Lawn operations manager, Kym Rowett.
When he and Chris were talking about the Mt Barker job, Kym said he knew the council would have to approve the change in turf variety and would ask questions about its suitability and the higher price.
“As I explained to Chris, if it is a council job and a park for a council, Kenda has got four times the rhizomes of standard Kikuyu, which makes it extremely hard wearing,” he said. “It’s being used in places like dog parks and things like that now. So, the fact that it is a much tougher Kikuyu is perfect for council applications.”
The reserve at Clover Park required more than 3000m2 of Kenda Kikuyu. LD Total prepared the ground and Kym arranged collection of the turf from Bormann Turf and delivery to the site over several days in November.
LD Total rolled it out and completed the installation process. The company is maintaining the surface as works continue on a playground area, but eventually the reserve will be handed over to Mt Barker District Council.
“So far it’s performing very well,” Chris said. “Feedback is it’s looking very green and lush.”
Chris said he had recommended Kenda Kikuyu for a number of jobs, although many of their bigger clients – including developers and local government – found the higher price a deterrent, especially for large quantities.
“They’re all well aware of the price of Kikuyu and the various types of grass,” he said. “Kenda’s probably that next level when it comes to pricing.”
Kym said the wonderful thing about working with Bormann Turf over such a long period was the strength of the relationship that had developed.
Above: Scott Bormann from Bormann Turf in his field of Kenda Kikuyu.
“Scott sells into other states as well,” he said. “So, with that relationship, we know that he’s always there to take care of us, as well as his other clients. And with Scott’s farm itself, he runs a very tight business down there and the quality is always exceptional and consistent.”
Barry and Monica have retired, but Scott said the collaborative arrangements had been hugely beneficial for the business during the past 32 years.
“They’re doing the promotions, organising the transport and collecting money from a range of clients, so we get one bulk payment from them each month,” he said.
“That cuts our admin down considerably, then we can just continually focus on growing a top-quality product. And the respect and the trust and the loyalty gets stronger and stronger every year.”