A Winning Formula

A Winning Formula

Balancing efficacy and environmental responsibility to meet the needs of consumers in battling bugs, weeds and rodents

it tends not be to the most pleasant of topics. but bugs and pests create problems for all consumers at one time or another—or even multiple times throughout the year—and things like weeds and poison ivy can linger and even thrive if left unattended.

“nobody counts on having to deal with ants, roaches, mice and other pests,” says tim martin, vice president and general manager of scottsmiracle-gro’s Controls business. “but the reality is, everyone experiences these issues at one time or another. if you do not take preventive steps to control them or fail to effectively address a problem when it does arise, you could very well find yourself overrun.”

that’s where scottsmiracle-gro steps in, providing a comprehensive line of bug, pest and weed control solutions. the products are marketed under brands such as ortho® home defense insect protection, tomcat® animal repellents and traps, and roundup® lawn and garden products.

“We want to make sure our brands are the trusted, go-to products for consumers, both inside and outside their homes,” martin says. “to that end, we are always evolving our products to provide the best possible solutions to keep homes and yards free of bugs and nuisances. most importantly, we’re innovating in ways that ensure our products work in concert with nature.”

one of the company's initiatives is educating customers about and encouraging the responsible use of pesticides through programs like the recent pollinator promise initiative (see page 14) and the line of ortho garden control products that contain essential oil blends. this education gives consumers confidence in

“We are alWays evolving our products to provide the best possible solutions to keep homes and yards free of bugs and nuisances.” —Tim Martin, Vice President and General Manager, Controls using pesticides around their kids and pets when they use the products as directed.

innovation has also played a role in the development of new applicators, which have been designed to improve accuracy. examples include the sure shot spray wand and roundup precision gel, both of which enable consumers to target the application of controls while at the same time limiting potential overspray.

as for new products, last year the company rolled out roundup for lawns, an extension of the roundup brand, which kills weeds in your lawn without harming your grass. innovation with roundup has continued into 2018, as two new roundup products hit the market this spring: roundup landscape Weed preventer, which creates a six-month weed barrier in mulch and landscape beds, and roundup for lawns bug destroyer, which kills more than 100 types of listed insects— from fleas and ticks to grubs—both above and below the ground.

this innovation mindset is evident with tomcat, which scottsmiracle-gro acquired in 2013 and has quickly built into the no. 1 brand in the rodent control category through a combination of product development and strong marketing initiatives.

“it is important to note that our reach in the lawn and garden industry is far and wide,” martin says. “Controls are another important tool for consumers as they take pride in and care for their homes.” m

1962 Retail employees begin receiving special training classes to better serve customers. Coupled with the product “programs” released two years earlier, this means thick, green lawns are easier than ever to achieve.