“Why can’t I ever get a handle on figuring out freight costs when it comes to containers?”

“Why am I getting charged a 30 lbs rate for an item that only weighs 10 lbs?”

“Why does it cost three times more to ship a 20-inch pot than it does a 16-inch pot?”

These are frustrating questions Interiorscapers find themselves asking when ordering decorative containers. It is not uncommon to miscalculate the freight from a wholesaler, include that miscalculation in a bid and discover the wholesaler charged you far more for freight than expected. Unlocking the freight conundrum is linked to one concept used by all major freight companies like FedEx and UPS: dimensional weight.

Understanding dimensional weight is important when trying to order containers since Interiorscapers must also determine their mark-up. By charging only by actual weight the lightweight, low density packages that contain plastic decorative containers becomes unprofitable for freight carriers to deliver. Why? A package containing a large but lightweight item takes up a lot of space in a delivery vehicle relative to its weight. So a vehicle filled with 20 large, lightweight packages means less profitability for a freight company than a truck filled with 100 boxes of smaller, heavier items.

Understanding the formula
 carriers use to determine dimensional weight is straightforward: length times width times height then divide that amount by 194. FedEx includes a calculator that can be viewed by clicking HERE. In NewPro’s case, FedEx uses this number for boxes that are 17in x 17in x 17in and larger to determine the cost of shipping an item. For boxes under this size, the shipper charges by actual, or gross, weight. Read the rest of this entry »

Are you searching for a way to increase plant longevity AND decrease your workload? Wrapping a plant’s rootball using a quarter-inch thick piece of foam inserted into a water-tight, no-hole liner is a practice many Interiorscapers are using to accomplish this.

This foam and liner combination also adds stability and integrity to the rootball. You should fill with water to what seems like a third of the way to the top of the plant (see graphic).

This graphic illustrates how a simple foam liner benefits plant health

The plant hair-roots seek out the oxygen trapped in the foam.

“Despite the fact that the rootball is saturated, oxygen exchange is occurring within the hair-roots of the plant at the point of contact.” said Fred Scott, Vice President of NewPro Corp. “This gives the interiorscaper the luxury of more time between watering visits and extends the longevity for plants such as Peace Lillies, Ficus or Palms.”

You may not choose to sub-irrigate some plants, therefore the foam/liner combination may not be needed.

“By the time you need to replace the foam insert, it’s time to replace the plant anyway,” Fred added. “The presence of the foam will maintain the integrity of the rootball and help you avoid its disintegration all over your client’s carpet when it’s time to change or remove it.” Read the rest of this entry »

Interiorscapers possess a variety of talents. Of course they understand how to install plants and related accessories to keep them alive, as well as horticultural knowledge and design skills. Yet during the holidays, they must wear many more hats (carpenter, electrician and even engineer). This all must be accomplished while avoiding neglect of existing non-holiday installations.

During the holidays, customers, ironically, are oftentimes less patient and forgiving. Clients are more demanding, and your chances to “get it right” are fewer. Even the best intention to tap into holiday cheer can create situations better suited for Halloween!

NewPro Corp Vice President Fred Scott, a former purchaser and manager of installations at one of the largest exterior and interior landscape supply companies in the US, has seen holiday planning go well and, not-so-well.

One strategy that works well with poinsettias is selling a pot with each plant. It saves time on installation and clean-up. A decorative container, rather than simple foil or even a speed cover keeps the poinsettia more stable and therefore healthier throughout the holiday. Read the rest of this entry »

Interiorscapers who will be knee-deep in garland and Christmas trees late in November and December sometimes earn a chunk of their annual income during the week or two of holiday installations.

Veterans who profit from “Holidayscaping” know pulling off a successful installation means planning for it months in advance. After all, the 200 poinsettias you will be placing in your clients’ lobbies are taking root at the growers right now.

Fred Scott, Vice President of NewPro Corp., is a former purchaser and manager of installations at one of the largest exterior and interior landscape supply companies in the US. He’s seen the good, the bad and the ugly the holidays can bring to Interiorscapers.

“People who install artificial Christmas trees, wreaths, garlands and poinsettias are beginning now to plan for Christmas” Fred said. “The first step is just diagraming what each client needs and then taking a simple inventory of what you have on hand and what you will need to match or expand your service for what client.”

That service includes the non-living – lights. It is safe to assume not every bulb survived the off-season or will survive this year’s installation rush. Many interiorscapers just purchase a set percentage – say 20, 30 or even 40 percent of their light inventory lighting so they don’t have to count every bulb or go shopping for them at the last minute.

While there are many ways to store and transport artificial Christmas trees, wreaths and garlands, one method is preparing the display in advance at your location. This is accomplished by decorating and then shrink-wrapping the pieces at your location before transport and installation at the client site.

“That way, once the tree is placed in the location, all the (Interiorscaper) needs to do is unfurl the shrink-wrap and fluff the tree,” Fred said. Read the rest of this entry »

Interiorscapers and Plantscapers know the value of living plants in office environments – in a world of office cubicle mazes and glass and concrete entryways, living things provide fresh air and a lively, colorful environment.

Now a study by an Australian university scientifically supports how you make a living. According to the Greening the Great Indoors For Human Health and Wellbeing report, “clear reductions in feelings of stress, anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue, confusion and overall negativity among study participants with plants in their offices,” are evident. A “comparison group” with no plants showed a trend towards increased stress in human test subjects.

The report, recently released by researchers from the University of Technology Sydney, found that “indoor plants can be marketed for their demonstrated benefits to staff wellbeing, which research shows are also associated with improved work performance.”

The study’s author, Prof. Margaret Burchett, says having indoor plants fulfills a basic human need. “We evolved in a parkland setting, we have gone into high-rise buildings for work where we have alienated ourselves from our contact with nature,” Burchett said. “It is hard-wired into our heads that we need contact with nature to feel at home.” Read the rest of this entry »

Interiorscapers rely heavily on rectangular planters. So, naturally, they come in all shapes, sizes and colors, right? They don’t.

Fred Scott, NewPro’s vice president and a 20-year industry veteran, listened to specific design ideas from Interiorscapers across the country who needed a rectangular planter that “had some design thinking go into it.”

Fred took suggestions from Interiorscapers and designed the Quadrangle Rectangular Planter that features rounded corners and a tapered base. It’s made from a poly material that resists smudges and scratches and comes in five colors (black, espresso, charcoal, silver and pearl beige). “But there are two features that make it unlike any other rectangle planter out there,” Fred said. “Its dimensions allow it to house three of the taller six inch grow pots, and the ability to securely mount it with brackets.”

Interiorscapers may place Neanthe Bellas in the Quadrangle and install it in a busy conference room. Aglaonema or ZZ plants also work well in Quadrangles that are placed in a window ledge or on the top of a cubicle. “The Quadrangles are going to be used on top of petitions in an office where floor room is limited. They are a great way to provide plants in areas that a floor plant would be in the way of traffic,” said longtime NewPro customer Meg Goodwin of Botanical Environments, Inc. “I’ll be planting six-inch Golden Pothos in them. The Quadrangles are pleasing to the eye with the curved corners.”
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With Father’s Day just three days away, I find myself reflecting upon family relationships. I am a father of three awesome kids and husband to a wife who loves me (most of the time). I am also thankful for the example my own dad has provided and still try to follow (again, most of the time).

Family is a concept we all have experienced on a personal level, but is it really possible in the often-impersonal world of business? We here at NewPro believe it is, and our loyal customers remind us of that every day.

I’ve lost count of the number of times Tamara, our customer service rep., has asked a customer “What kind of project do you have going on this week?” or hearing Prish, also in customer service, laugh out loud (and trust me it’s loud) at a humorous story someone shared from three time zones away.
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Last week we asked you to submit photos of your interiorscape projects that feature products you ordered from NewPro. We’ve received some great entries, but we’d like to see more!

Wondering what kind of photos we need? QUALITY! Generally that means well-lit, unobstructed shots that tend to be at least 500KB to 2 MB in size. Just ask Caprice Aerts of ArtScape Inc., Kevin Kelly of Kelly Mac Interiorscapes and Brenda Walters of Guaranteed Green Dallas; they sent us the brilliant photos you see below and on our facebook page.

from Kevin Kelly

by Caprice Aerts

Submissions like these will be placed in an overall pool. Images we can use in print and online will be selected by George, NewPro’s CEO, in the next two or three months. If we choose your photo(s), we will give you $100 cash for EACH selection! Or you can receive $150 credit toward the purchase of any product in the NewPro catalogs or newprocontainers.com!

Send us high quality photos of your unique and beautiful installs using NewPro’s many products including: Lechuza, Fiberglass Fishbowls and Orchid Bowls, Vista Fine Metallics, Gainey Fiberglass and Ceramics, Mega Outdoor Pots, Potluck Containers, Rockafillers and more. Tabletops, window planters, floor planters, partition installs, lobby installs, holiday installations, any project, we want to see it! Send as many photos as you would like to mikem@newprocontainers.com.

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It’s safe to say that Netflix, the mail-order DVD-rental company, has become a huge blockbuster, so to speak. Millions of movie-lovers reserve DVDs online, which the company then mail to the subscriber’s door a day or two after the reservation is made.

NewPro's own Tony may have found a Rockafiller created from "A Streetcar Named 'Desire'" DVD!

As you know, DVD’s aren’t the most durable movie medium, so what does Netflix do with DVD’s that are no longer watchable or need to be recycled? Send them to NewPro! While some NewPro employees might appreciate trying to rescue a damaged copy of “Casablanca” or “Avatar,” these classics can find new life in your interiorscape projects.
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