John Deere selects Hancor as Golf & Turf One Source™ strategic partner

HDPE pipe manufacturer will be the drainage supply resource

Findlay, Ohio — Two of the most trusted names in their respective industries have formed a partnership that will enhance the commitment of both companies to their customers and to the environment.

Hancor, Inc. has been selected as a strategic partner for the John Deere Golf & Turf One Source™ program, to be launched in 2004. The selection recognizes Hancor’s position as a leader in water drainage solutions for the golf and turf marketplace.

The One Source program includes mowing and maintenance equipment, irrigation and landscaping supplies, credit, parts and service. To provide this wide variety of products, John Deere has also formed strategic partnerships with leaders in the seed, fertilizer, irrigation and microbial soil solution industries. In addition to Hancor, product partners include Aquamaster, Calcium Silicate Corporation, Advanced Microbial Solutions, Howard Fertilizer, Hunter, John Deere Landscapes, Nu-Gro, Profile Products, Progressive Turf, Spring Valley and Turf-seed.

“The One Source concept builds on the strength of the John Deere brand, offering our customers a single point of contact to access a broad range of quality products and services,” says Dave Truttmann, Division Sales Manager for Golf & Turf One Source. “It makes sense for us to include Hancor and its high-density polyethylene pipe products. We expect Hancor to deliver value for us in the drainage solutions category. To maximize that value to the golf course superintendent, we needed to align ourselves with market leaders in compatible product and service areas; and also to ensure that the partners shared our values and commitment to the industry.”

The industry and the environment. For example, Hancor’s EcoFirst is a highly engineered pipe made with a minimum 50 percent recycled polyethylene material content in diameters 12 through 60 inch. It features patent-pending molecular enhancement technology that produces a polyethylene blend containing recycled polyethylene materials with significantly higher slow crack growth resistance, as measured by the well-established industry test methods, NCTL and NCLS.

EcoFirst pipe is a top performing choice for a wide range of golf course and other recreation applications as well as other traditional storm water applications. It’s also an officially licensed product of Ducks Unlimited.

The launch of One Source marks the end of a successful two-year pilot program during which suppliers and John Deere distributors worked closely to align their services and prepare the program for its debut.

Offering a single source for all customer service needs allows John Deere to leverage high-volume buying power, provide competitive pricing, simplify vendor contacts and the ordering process, and provide a product platform that can be customized to meet each customer's needs. With the service and personal touch of a local distributor, backed by the extensive resources of John Deere, superintendents will find an unparalleled support network at their fingertips.

“The John Deere brand is one that speaks for itself with a message of quality and commitment to its customers,” said Steve Anderson, President of Hancor. “We look forward to the opportunity to play a vital role in this innovative program, and we’re committed to fulfilling the promise of the One Source program to architects and contractors nationwide.”

About Hancor

One of the nation’s largest suppliers of storm water management systems, Hancor manufactures a wide variety of plastic drainage products for the commercial, residential, construction and agricultural markets. Hancor was founded in 1887 in Findlay, OH and operates manufacturing facilities and service centers across the country.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Tori Durliat,
Hancor, Inc.
Marketing Communications Manager
401 Olive Street,
Findlay, Ohio 45840
Phone: 1-800-537-9520
Fax: 1-419-424-8302
E-mail: tdurliat@hancor.com