Grounds Control, a division of Sanitors, acquires Terrain Systems and Landscape Care

Sanitors announced the purchase of Terrain Systems, Phoenix, Ariz., and Landscape Care, an affiliate of Terrain Systems. The purchase was made through Grounds Control, the Sanitors’ subsidiary for the landscape industry. The two companies in conjunction with an earlier purchase of Service Resource gives Sanitors a major presence in the Phoenix area.

"We are elated with these acquisitions and consider Dale Micetic [president of Terrain Systems] one of the strongest players we have seen in the landscape industry,” said Darrell Glover, chief executive officer of Sanitors. “Dale has teamed with Don Schlander [managing member of Landscape Care] to put together two fantastic companies which we believe will further enhance their position not only in the Phoenix market but other targeted areas as well."

Terrain Systems, which reported 2001 revenue of $14,500,000 (including Landscape Care), is a design and install operation with significant market share in the Phoenix area. Landscape Care is the maintenance company formed to work in conjunction with Terrain. The companies are currently reviewing expansion plans for the Tucson and Las Vegas markets. According to Grounds Control, both Micetic and Schlander will continue to retain active, daily roles in the company's plans and growth. 

Sanitors entered the landscape industry with the 1998 acquisition of Ground Control, San Antonio, Texas. To date, Grounds Control has acquired six companies located in New York; California; Phoenix, Ariz.; Austin, Texas; and San Antonio, Texas. The number of companies that Grounds Control is planning on acquiring for the remainder of this year is not set in stone, pointed out Russ Fragala, vice president, Fragala Landscape Co., the New York-based Grounds Control business.

However, Grounds Control continues to aggressively pursue acquisitions, Fragala said. “The company that we are most likely to go after is the 70-percent maintenance, 30-percent construction mix,” he explained. “And we are really keen on recurring revenue on the maintenance side.”