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Monthly Professionals Update
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April 2016
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Why do consumers choose to hire one contractor over another?
 Industry veterans will tell you it's not all about price. According to several studies out this spring, customers are motivated by a variety of factors in choosing landscape professionals including convenience, a desire for more free time and expectations of great results.
Customers want to hire a pro. We all know this, but sometimes we let things slip. We forget to return phone calls or we neglect keeping our equipment in top condition. Know that customers really do "judge a book by its cover", so you should strive to always be playing your A-game.
Expertise matters. Consumers expect professionals to know the latest products and be up to date on the latest trends. More than ever, they do their homework and you should too. That's why we work hard to bring you the latest news and opportunities.
Results count. Consumers rely on professionals to bring better products and a commitment to seeing the job done right. Great contracting businesses are built on delivering what the customer expects.
The Team at CPS Distributors
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New Spring Hours Make CPS Even More Convenient!
 Our Spring and Summer hours begin on Monday, April 4th. Extended hours provide you with more flexibility to pick-up materials on your way to the job site. We will be open Saturdays beginning on April 9th.
Visit us 7:00am to 4:30pm Monday - Friday / 8:00am to NOON on Saturdays
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Need to Find Employees? Download Our FREE Guide
 In today's market, irrigation and landscape contractors are struggling to find responsible, capable and motivated employees.
- Many experienced employees left the industry during the construction downturn.
- The first wave of baby boomer retirements is resulting in experienced technicians and managers leaving when they're needed most.
- Contracting firms without a recruiting or talent-development plan are poaching talent from their competitors, driving up industry pay rates.
- Companies adjusting to increasing demand have been caught without a plan for attracting new candidates.
Our free guide "7 Smart Recruiting Tips for Green Industry Businesses", developed especially for irrigation and landscape contractors, is intended to provide you with tips and tools to improve your in-house recruiting capabilities. Download it here.
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CPS Spring Fling - Another Successful Event!
CPS would like to extend a heartfelt "Thank you" to everyone that attended and presented at our event. We had a great turnout and the new facility was outstanding! This year was one of our largest Spring Fling events and we were thrilled that mother nature treated us with a warm and sunny day, setting the stage for a great 2016 landscape season.
What was your favorite part of Spring Fling? Click here to share your thoughts.
Click the pictures to view them larger.
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Thank you for attending our training classes this winter. It is our pleasure to provide a variety of training opportunities. Now that training classes have ended at our branch locations, we want to welcome you online training and education portal. You will find many helpful courses and videos regarding products from all manufacturers and best practices from business consultants. Click here to register. |
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NIBCO Releases Second Quarter Economic Forecast for Green Industry Professionals
 How will the economic outlook for our region impact your spring and summer workload? Leading industry supplier NIBCO has commissioned nationally-recognized economist Andrew Duguay to provide us with regional forecasts specifically targeted to the landscape and irrigation professional. Get valuable insights to help your planning for the busiest months of the season. Click here to view the PDF report.
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 Rain Bird's 1800 Series Outperforms All Others in Spraynalysis
Installed in parks and backyards across the globe, Rain Bird's 1800 Series is the #1 commercial-grade irrigation spray head brand in the world.
Chosen for its reliability, heavy-duty materials and versatility, the 1800 Series has first-rate quality built in for reliable operation and long life. Their superior components and features make them the spray heads of choice for a wide variety of applications.
See the proof that 1800 Series outperforms all others here.
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 Choosing the Perfect Water Feature Pump by Calculating Total Dynamic Head
Finding the right pump for a water feature can be a challenge, and the stakes are high. The right pump, delivering the right flow at the right head height, while at its Best Efficiency Point, will last and last. Specifying the wrong pump or plumbing can damage the pump, increase operating costs, shorten pump life and lead to pump failure, perhaps even a fish kill if the water feature happens to be a fish pond. In order to properly size the pump for any water feature, you'll need to know both components of the work it has to do, both the flow and the pressure. The flow is the volume of water it can push in a given time, measured in gallons per hour (GPH). The pressure is the force required to push that flow through plumbing and up to the top of the water feature. We measure pressure in 'feet of Head", because it's easy to visualize. A waterfall four feet high requires the flow be delivered at 4 feet of "Vertical Head", plus the extra work required to push that flow through the plumbing, the "Friction Head". The total pressure required is the "Total Dynamic Head" (TDH) of your water feature. Once you know the GPH and the TDH, you can plug them into Atlantic's Comprehensive Pump Chart to find the right pump.
Atlantic's Choosing the Perfect Pump By Calculating Total Dynamic Head Guide makes it easy.
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No Muddy Paws! Dog Runs Are More Fun with EasyTurf
 Constructing a dog run is a great way to keep dogs active and ensure that they get enough exercise, but finding the right materials can be tricky. Gravel and dirt are uncomfortable for dogs to run on and often make for dirty paws. Natural grass is expensive to maintain and cannot easily be kept alive in inclement weather. The ideal dog run surface is soft, durable, and offers substantial drainage. Synthetic turf is the leading green alternative to natural grass, and with its 100% permeable backing, UltimateGrass is your dog run surface solution.
In addition to being pet-friendly and low-maintenance, UltimateGrass is discoloration and stain resistant, making clean-up of dog messes quick and easy. Safe, non-toxic, and chemical-free, it is also durable enough to stand up to even the most challenging of pets.
Last year, world renowned dog whisperer Cesar Millan partnered with EasyTurf, parent company of UltimateGrass, on the 10,000 sq. ft. installation of artificial grass at his Dog Psychology Center in Santa Clarita, California. It has also been installed in countless dog parks, animal shelters, animal hospitals, pet resorts, and veterinary clinics throughout North America. The experts agree that installing UltimateGrass makes dog runs cleaner, more comfortable, and more fun!
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Kichler Lighting Tip: Mixing Kelvin Temperatures
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| | White Birch tree illuminated to a bright white with 3000K, while the brown tones of the home are kept warm with 2700K. |
In landscape lighting, you can use light in various shades of white to bring out the best in a home's features. A fixture's Kelvin Temperature indicates this subtle difference in light color - from the warm white glow of 2700K to the pure white effects of 3000K. Here's how to mix them wisely:
- Start with 2700K Consider 2700K fixtures your backdrop and the ideal choice when lighting the majority of homes, most of which are traditional in style. Fixtures with 2700K also work well with ground coverage that rests against a house.
- Add 3000K The key to adding 3000K fixtures to your mix is to do it with purpose, to enhance blue and purple plants, dense green foliage or cool grey landscape features. Think blue spruce trees or colorful flowerbeds set away from the house.
- When should you start with 3000K? If you're working on landscape lighting for a home that's predominately contemporary in architecture and materials (like a home made out of glass and steel), use 3000K fixtures as the backdrop and 2700K fixtures for items set away from the home that are warm in color - orange, red or yellow.
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| Make Landscape Lighting Installation Easier with L-Tool
 The L-tool® from King Innovation® is a new stainless steel multi-tool designed specifically with lighting contractors in mind. Lighting installers and professionals have a number of tools required on a daily basis, and carrying all these items to each site location is cumbersome and time consuming.
Cousin to the I-tool®, the L-tool focuses on the lighting industry. The L-Tool is every landscape lighting professional's best friend, used for lighting system installations, troubleshooting or repair.
The following eighteen (18) easily accessible, auto-locking, tools are included in the L-tool: Wire Stripper, Wire Cutter, Wire Puller, Pliers, Cross Bit Screwdriver, Small Flat Head Screwdriver, Large Flat Head Screwdriver, 5/32 Hex Key, 5/64 Hex Key, 3mm Hex Key, Scribe, Brush & Tube Brush, Level, Ruler, Saw, Lift Tool, Knife, Tape Roll Holder (on pouch). Constructed of sturdy stainless steel, each tool locks into place after each use. We crafted a lightweight, yet strong, compact tool to last. In addition, a durable nylon carrying case is included with every tool. The way the L-tool is organized provides for maximum leverage and easily releases after each use.
Compatibility with all major lighting brands makes the L-tool the only tool a contractor will need for every job. Carefully engineered, the L-tool exudes exquisite craftsmanship and can be easily navigated, making the lighting professional's job easier and more efficient. Don't fumble with multiple tools on your truck ever again! Ask to see it at our counter.
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