The South Carolina-based company was founded in 2019.
BrightView Holdings has acquired Apex Land Group, a commercial landscaping company based in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 2019 by Conall O’Brien, Apex is a full-service landscaping company specializing in commercial landscape management, irrigation, and new construction landscape installation. The acquisition of Apex expands BrightView’s Myrtle Beach presence.
“BrightView’s acquisition of Apex Land Group is another step in our long-term strategy of growing our business and strengthening our position as the country’s leading landscaping company,” said Andrew Masterman, BrightView President and CEO. “With its strong maintenance portfolio and focus on delivering quality service, Conall has established Apex as one of Myrtle Beach’s premier landscaping services providers. We look forward to welcoming Apex team members to the BrightView family and working in concert with them to expand our market services and opportunities.”
“The Apex team couldn’t be more excited to join forces with BrightView. We have an exceptional group of dedicated people that are capable of so much,” said O’Brien. “It feels good to be working with so many like-minded individuals that put their people first and are committed to delivering great service and a superior product to the customer. We are proud of what we have built and are excited to take it to the next level with BrightView.”
The electric Ultra Buggy runs for up to eight continuous hours.
After a decade in the material buggy business, Toro has introduced the new electric Ultra Buggy at World of Concrete in January 2022.
Now available, the new electric Ultra Buggy offers operators a battery-powered solution that will open the door to new job sites. The electric Ultra Buggy is powered by Toro’s proprietary HyperCell battery system. HyperCell is optimized to deliver up to an eight-hour continuous runtime. When it needs charging, the on-board charger plugs into a standard 120v wall outlet and fully charges the machine in up to eight hours.
“Designed with a deep understanding of customer needs and jobsite demands, the new buggy is exciting on multiple fronts. Exceptional runtime and a compact design make it nimble and convenient, electric power eliminates on-site engine exhaust emissions, and the thick, polyethylene tub easily handles all types of material,” said Toro’s associate marketing manager Kaitlyn Ingli. “It’s the perfect, versatile addition to indoor and outdoor construction and renovation projects, and a great machine for rental operations and customers.”
Featuring a compact design, zero engine exhaust emissions, and a narrow width of 31.5 inches, the new electric Ultra Buggy can fit through a three-foot door with a crash bar. It also features zero-turn-radius steering to navigate hard to access areas. It’s equipped with a fold-up platform so operators can choose to stand on or walk behind the unit. The fold-up platform serves a second purpose, as well, allowing the unit to fit inside elevators or on trailers for easy transport.
The electric Ultra Buggy’s durable design is ready to haul up to 16 cubic feet or 2,500 lbs. of material, making it ready to handle even the most challenging material handling applications. Additionally, the mounted directional and dump switches ensure continuous movement while operating the machine.
The polyethylene tub has an increased thickness of 3/8 inches allowing operators to haul more than just concrete, and a steel tub is also available for applications that require it. The optional steel tub is designed with the same 16 cubic foot or 2,500-lb capacity and can be used with any machine in the Toro Ultra Buggy lineup.
Weller Brothers Landscaping is a 21-year-old company based in the Sioux Falls area.
Action Lawn and Tree Service has merged with Weller Brothers Landscaping, effective Oct. 13, 2022.
“Our Action Lawn and Tree Service customers will continue to receive the same quality services from the same team,” says Ryan Myott, owner of Action Lawn and Tree Service. “Now, with Weller Brothers, we will be the one-stop-shop for the best outdoor living experience in Sioux Falls.”
“We are very excited about this merger,” says Cole Weller, president and CEO of Weller Brothers Landscaping. “With the addition of Ryan and his team, we are able to expand our services to include enhanced pest control, and a full scope of tree healthcare, pruning, and removal services. This aligns perfectly with our commitment to offering our customers a full scope of the highest quality lawn and landscape maintenance services in the Midwest.”
Weller Brothers Landscaping is in its 21st year of business in the Sioux Falls area, and currently provides residential and commercial landscape design and maintenance services. Earlier this fall, the company celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony of its new facility in Rochester, MN. The Sioux Falls location employs approximately 100 people.
Action Lawn and Tree Service has specialized in lawn, tree and pond care and pest control services since 2016. The company has 14 employees.
Weston Miller spearheaded the project.
A new Oregon State University Extension Service website provides science-based solutions for garden pests, weeds and disease problems in one easy-to-navigate place.
The project was shepherded by Weston Miller, an OSU Extension community horticulturist who started six years ago when collaborators expressed interest and provided funds for what would become the Solve Pest and Weed Problems website.
“Our stakeholders – Metro, the East and West Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation Districts and the city of Gresham – challenged OSU to create a user-friendly pest management resource for the public. Part of my job was to figure out the resources Extension has and pull them together in one place,” Miller said.
Solve Pest and Weed Problems focuses specifically on the Pacific Northwest and prioritizes low-risk approaches. Based on feedback, Miller incorporated household pests, invasive plants, pesticide safety and pollinators, as well as pests and diseases.
“We did extensive planning, including community involvement, user testing, feedback from agencies, nonprofits and many more,” Miller said. “We were able to hire a professional to design the website and do graphic design. Gradually, we kept improving it and building on it.”
The peer-reviewed content is presented in categories with information presented below photos. Clicking on the photo takes you to another page that offers information about identification, look-alikes and specific information on control. Photos illustrate each subject.
After compiling Extension resources from sources like the Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks, entries are written by Miller with help from Signe Danler, OSU Extension Master Gardener online horticulture instructor, and other OSU experts. The content is peer reviewed by the OSU Department of Horticulture in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Miller edits the content and posts it on the website. More entries will be added in the future.
To provide more information, the website features links to other OSU Extension resources, as well as to other university-level, science-based sources.
“We hope that people both public and private property managers find practical pest management and prevention,” Miller said. “We want people to use it to make informed decisions for their gardens and public spaces.”
To do that, users will find sections on using less pesticides, pesticide safety, organic pesticides and preventive measures like planting in the right place for the size, water needs, exposure and soil for each plant. Using good selection criteria keeps plants healthy and a healthy plant can fend off pests and diseases, Miller said. The hope, he added, is that people will use less pesticides – or if they do, in a safe manner.
Weeds – from both sides of the Cascades and from throughout the state – get attention. Examples include cheatgrass in eastern and western Oregon; pampas grass on the coast; and tree of heaven, a species of concern statewide. The website includes guides about how to manage landscapes without pesticides or herbicides and 20 pages of pesticide safety guidance.
“We’re putting together material that’s not available in one place with such complete information,” Miller said. “We are super grateful to our partnerships in the broader community who were looking to have a durable information service to meet a fairly defined need. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished.”
Make sure to register for Real Green’s “Power Up your Lawn Maintenance Business” free webinar on Wednesday, Nov. 16.
Real Green is hosting a free webinar on how to take your maintenance business to the next level on Wednesday, Nov. 16, at noon EST.
During this educational event, Real Green Product Manager Mike Carden will discuss how the software can help you: set up and manage crews and equipment, create the ideal scheduling frequency, configure accurate labor hours and pricing, and build property inventories with measurement Assistant.
Can’t make it Wednesday at noon? No worries! A recording will be sent out to all who register in advance.
For more information, and a link to register, click here.