User talk:BC1278/sandbox/Scotts

Request Edit

Hi,

As per the Contact Us page for the subject of an article to point out "incomplete, inaccurate or biased" information, I am writing as a paid representative of Scotts Miracle Gro, to request the following edits be considered by an independent editor:

1) Insert the following citation to this unsourced sentence in the lead:

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Marysville, Ohio, where O.M. Scott began selling lawn seed in 1868.

2) Replace:

"The company is considered an industry leader in the lawn and garden market,"

with: "By 2009, the company "controlled more than half of the market in consumer pesticides, fertilizers, soils and grass seeds. "

Why?

The existing sentence statement is unsourced and has a slight NPOV problem ("industry leader.") The replacement is specific in assessing the company's market share and is sourced.

3) Delete in lead:

"with regional offices and research facilities across the U.S. and businesses in Canada, Europe and Asia Pacific."

Replace with:

"with operations focused primarily on North America."

Why?

Major change in strategy -- now focused on North America, not international market. Plus this is sourced.

4) Delete in lead:

"Outside of North America, the company's brands include Miracle-Gro, Evergreen, KB, Fertiligene, Celaflor and Substral."

Why?

The company has sold these and all European operations. See Biz Journals

5) Delete:

"In the U.S., the company's Scotts, Miracle-Gro and Ortho brands are market leading in their categories, as is the consumer Roundup brand, which is marketed in North America exclusively by Scotts."

Replace with:

"In the U.S., the company's brand include Scotts, Miracle-Gro, Ortho and Roundup.

Why?

Corrects possible NPOV issue.

6) Delete in lead: "...and most of Europe.." (from "...Roundup brand, which is marketed in North America and most of Europe exclusively by Scotts."

Why?

Company sold European operations. Source above.

7) Insert as last sentence of lead:

"Its Hawthorne Gardening Company subsidiary sells specialized supplies for hydroponic growing..Malone, J. D. (2018-07-08). "Scotts Miracle-Gro accepts risk in pursuing growth via legal cannabis industry". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2019-05-07. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)</ref>

Why?

This is the major growth focus of the company, as explained in these articles.

8) Update Infobox "Employees":

Number of employees is now 6500

9) Replace in Overview

"The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company manufactures and provides do-it-yourself lawn, garden and home protection products in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific."

With:

"The company manufactures and sells consumer lawn, garden and pest control products."

Why?

Provides a source; removes currently inaccurate geographic information; replaces vague "home protection" with less euphemistic "pest control."

10) Add three citations to the following unsourced sentences from Overview:

"Among their offerings are consumer fertilizers, plant foods, soils and mulches, pest controls, grass seed and bird food. The company's principal consumer brands in North America are Scotts, Miracle-Gro, and Ortho. In addition, Scotts is Monsanto's agent for the marketing and distribution of consumer Roundup."

11) Delete in Overview:

"Scotts LawnService serves the "do-it-for-me" consumer in the U.S. with on-site lawn, tree and shrub fertilization, insect control and other related services through its network of 160 locations. Scotts LawnService is considered a leader of this USD$5 billion category."

Why?

Scotts sold this business (renamed TruGreen as a JV). [1]

12) Delete in Overview:

"In 2013, the company reported net sales of $2.82 billion, a 9% increase in the second half of the year, and an adjusted income of $174.4 million."

Why?

Sentence is out of date and unsourced. Not needed with updated info in Infobox.

• In Infobox, update "Revenue" of $2.82 billion (2013) with $2.66 billion (2018)

• In Infobox, update "Net income": $174.4 million (2013) with $64 million (2018)

13) Insert in Overview:

In 2013, CEO Jim Hagedorn decided to start significant investments in the hydroponic growing supply market, buying General Hydroponics for $120 million in 2015 and Sunlight Supplies for $450 million in 2018, as part of its Hawthorne Gardening subsidiary. During the same time period, it exited the European and Australian markets in 2017 and the lawn services business in 2019.

Why?

Provides more detail for major shifts in strategic direction.

14) Insert in Mergers & Acquisitions

• 2016 - Scotts and Bonnie Plants, the largest maker of edible plants in the U.S., enter into a joint venture.

• 2017 - Scotts sells its European and Australian operations and brands to Exponent Private Equity LLP.

• 2019: Scotts sells its minority stake in TruGreen for $234 million.

References