Bench Players

Ellen C. Wells

You are knee-deep in spring right about now, but take five minutes and head out to the nursery and shop floors with your head merchandiser. Are those block-and-board benches making you and your plants look bad? Wish you could display baskets better? Could your accent items get a boost from their surroundings? New fixtures can make a world of difference to how your customers view and value your products. Give these display systems some consideration now as you assess how your current plan can be improved.

Bartlett Bench & Wire
Bartlett Bench & Wire has a new line of self-contained, adjustable-depth Flood Benches for garden centers constructed of Northern White Cedar with a beautiful vinyl liner. Each bench contains a 12-volt battery hidden under one corner that powers a 12-volt pump, which floods the bench. The only thing a garden center provides is a 20-30 gal. water reservoir, which is placed under the bench and refilled weekly. The benefits for garden centers are almost endless—benches won’t over or under water so plants are better cared for than hand watering; there are no wet blossoms, foliage or floors; there are no hoses to trip over or wet floors to slip on; flood benches save labor costs over hand watering, increasing profits. Several sizes are available. www.bbwire.com

Bench Systems
As independent garden centers struggle to differentiate their products and services from those available at the mass merchants, they are moving to more upscale product lines of branded plants, pottery, tools, gifts and services. Successfully selling these nicer product lines to discerning consumers requires equally attractive merchandising as well as a more upscale image to complement the products. Bench Systems manufactures wooden benches, arbors and signage designed to help enhance your business image. Their product line is designed to assist in creating a warmer, more welcoming environment as well as numerous options to display products in a more attractive manner. Their goal is to serve you, the independent garden center, with quality products, affordable merchandising solutions and excellent customer service. www.benchsystems.com

Braun Horticulture
Show off potted plants, pottery, giftware and more on any of the three new merchandising tables from Braun Horticulture. The Side Table (63 in. x 16 in. x 39 in.) features 10 old-style drawers and a bottom rack for displaying a variety of small and large items. The Planters Cart (50 in. x 28 in. x 36 in.) is tin-topped with a bottom slat rack and castors for easy moving. The Tin Top Table (76 in. x 36 in. x 30 in.) is a picnic table-styled fixture that allows for plenty of display space above and below. www.braungroup.com



Farmtek
Whether you grow for profit or operate a garden center, greenhouse benches can be a great way to grow crops or keep plants organized. If you have limited space, you can choose multi-tiered benches, which present a wide variety of plants and create an aesthetically pleasing appearance, while maximizing your usable area. You also have the choice of removable wheel bottoms or stationary legs, depending on your mobility needs. Manufactured from quality aluminum tubing and stainless steel fasteners for durability, Premium Greenhouse Benches are made to withstand corrosive environments. Featuring precut materials and predrilled holes, these benches have a reduced assembly time. They are available with a variety of options, including stationary or rolling bench types, aluminum or hot-dipped mesh bench tops, 2-tier benches, leg levelers, rounded corners and more. All Premium Greenhouse Benches can be custom manufactured to any size or shape.
www.growerssupply.com

Poly-Tex
The Tri-Step Display is just one of the customizable displays in Poly-Tex’s Bench Display line. It features galvanized steel construction and options like hanging basket purlins (with or without canopies), expanded metal bench tops and casters. Stepped shelves improve visual appeal and make product easy to reach for your customers. Check out their other display categories including: Basket Hangers, End-Cap Displays, Landscape Displays and Circular Displays. www.poly-tex.com

Structural Plastics
The Double Decker Cart, a multi-purpose mobile display cart, is perfect for hanging baskets, seasonal live goods, general merchandise, bulk products and much more. This cart is versatile, easily adapts to different merchandise, fits through most standard doors, and can be used all year long, indoors or outdoors. Start with one heavy-duty display and add more as sales increase. www.structuralplastics.com