Reinders celebrates 150th anniversary at 2015 Green Industry Conference

Reinders held its 22nd Green Industry Conference, Celebrating Our Past with Our Eyes on the Future, March 11-12 at the Waukesha Expo Center in suburban Milwaukee, Wis.

Reinders began to celebrate its 150th anniversary by hanging banners in the show hall depicting significant events in the company’s history. Each morning began with a video presentation (left) which showed how the company has expanded from its initial roots back in 1866.

Some amenities from the event include homemade donuts and a Skee-Ball Entertainment Zone.

There were more than 35 seminars and six different educational tracts available for golf course superintendents, landscape contractors, lawn care operators, sports turf managers, equipment mechanics and irrigation contractors.

In a keynote speech, Michael Boettcher, director of grounds for the Milwaukee Brewers, shared how to build a superior pitcher’s mound. He said championships are won at every level of the game because of pitching, and to maximize their performance pitchers need a high quality and consistent mound.

Toro‘s Dale Getz covered cultural practices for managing athletic fields. He stressed the importance of aeration, topdressing, water management and mowing practices and their ability to maintain an athletic field’s aesthetics, playability and safety.

Grady Miller, Ph.D., North Carolina State University, examined fertility, pest control, water management, compaction, overuse and budgetary limitation and how those factors can lead to a field’s demise.

Current trends in seed bio-types, varieties, various mixtures and proper seed selection were reviewed by Leah Brilman, Ph.D., Seed Research of Oregon. She presented on current renovation and overseeding practices.

Show attendees had the chance to win a drone and camera by visiting exhibitor booths. Paul Meyer, grounds specialist for the Franklin (Wis.) Public School District won a Phantom 2 by DJI.

Reinders has hosted this conference and tradeshow every other year since 1973. Its 23rd Green Industry Conference will be held in March of 2017.