Plant Interscapes, Fosterplants Make Acquisitions 

Two interior landscape companies announced acquisitions today. IB Top 40 company Plant Interscapes, San Antonio, Texas, and Fosterplants, Miami, Fla., each acquired a company.

Plant Interscapes purchased Plants By Design, Austin, Texas – the first acquisition for owners Mike and Karin Senneff. The acquisition is an effort to continue growing the $5.5-million company, which increased its revenue by 11 percent from 2000 to 2001.

“The acquisition of Plants By Design represents our commitment to continued expansion and strategic positioning throughout Texas,” said Mike Senneff, president, Plant Interscapes. “Plants By Design is recognized as a top-quality provider and has an excellent record of customer care. It’s a natural fit for our organization.”

Plants By Design was previously run by Luther Lawson, a 20-year veteran of the interiorscape industry who also built and sold Plant Solutions, Austin, Texas, from the 1980s through the early 1990s. Plants By Design brought in $450,000 in revenue in 2001 and focused on corporate market segments.

The Senneffs’ purchase brings 150 new commercial accounts to their company’s Austin branch. “Our Austin team is strong and enthusiastic about opportunities this acquisition provides in increased interiorscape and holiday sales,” Senneff said. “It provides an additional customer base in which to vertically integrate our sales efforts.”

Growing his commercial client base also was the goal for Steve Foster, president, Fosterplants, Miami, Fla., with his acquisition of Plant Rentals, also a Miami-based interiorscape company.

“One of our short-term goals has been to broaden our client mix and increase our commercial client base,” Foster pointed out. “Plant Rentals’ accounts bring us closer to the 50/50 client mix that we wish to achieve within the next two years.”

In addition to the business value of this move, it holds sentimental value for Foster. “The merging of Plant Rentals into our operations has great sentimental meaning to us,” Foster said. “More than 20 years ago, I started out in the business as the first maintenance technician with Plant Rentals. As we come full circle with this acquisition, we’ll be adding several clients to our roster whose plants I personally service more than two decades ago.”

Plant Rentals is a boutique operation with a loyal commercial client – many clients have been with the company for as long as it has existed, Foster added.

Fosterplants was founded in 1982 by Steve Foster and Phil Nicholas as a specialty interiorscape firm with a client base consisting of 70 percent high-end resident and 30 percent commercial accounts. – Ali Cybulski

The author is Managing Editor of Interior Business magazine and can be reached at acybulski@interiorbusinessonline.com.

Wednesday, October 2, 2002