Ewing Purchases Seven Simpson Sprinkler Centers

The acquisitions are a key strategic move for Phoenix, Ariz.-based Ewing, who picked up the earliest distributor of landscape and irrigation supplies in Arizona. "Other national distributors had been eyeing this market," explained Douglas York, vice president of Ewing. "The easiest and most secure entry into Arizona and southern Nevada for them would be through acquiring the strongest regional player. We simply beat them to the punch. We saw Simpson as the local market leader, and we knew they could help us achieve our goals."

York said that Ewing plans on retaining the Simpson employees at the branches. "Nearly half of the Simpson people have over 10 years industry experience, including a wealth of product, customer and market knowledge," he noted.

York further explained that Simpson customers will now benefit by gaining access to the Hunter, FX Luminaire, Motorola and Best fertilizer product lines, which were not available through Simpson Sprinkler Centers.

Ewing has added more than 30 locations in 12 southwestern states in the last 36 months. This expansion brings the total of Ewing locations to more than 100, giving Ewing the largest network of fully stocked service outlets in the region, according to the company.

Ewing has also broadened its product and service offering, which includes the following markets: golf course construction and renovation, sight erosion control, drainage systems, residential and commercial irrigation systems construction, public parks and landscapes, and industrial fluid piping systems. Additionally, Ewing has expanded its turf product offering to include grass seed and fertilizers. Ewing serves all these markets by representing product lines from Hunter, Hunter Golf, RainBird, Toro, Irritrol Systems, Motorola, Best fertilizers and others.