Schill Grounds Management has acquired Gelderman Landscape Services to grow Schill's footprint in Ontario, Canada.
Gelderman provides comprehensive landscaping and snow and ice management services to commercial clients across the area southwest of Toronto known as the “Golden Horseshoe.” Gelderman’s territory spans from Burlington and Hamilton in the south, to Mississauga in the northeast near Toronto, Kitchener and Waterloo in the west, and Guelph in the north.
This is Schill’s second purchase in the province of Ontario, and comes a couple years after Schill entered the Canadian market through its acquisition of TLC in the Toronto and London area in southern Ontario. Gelderman team members and clients gain Schill's support by leveraging Schill’s resources, and the integration is underway to combine systems such as operational and invoicing tools, financial platforms and insurance. Gelderman also gains a network of almost 30 service base locations across the upper Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions to meet the needs of customers that have numerous locations, as well as legacy TLC operations in southern Ontario.
Gelderman will maintain its brand and market presence in the Golden Horseshoe region.
Tracing its roots back to 1955 when a Dutch immigrant started a landscaping business with just $7 worth of tools and a Jeep, Gelderman remains a family business that has been run for many years by third-generation owner Nathan Helder. Gelderman has since grown to offer comprehensive commercial landscape design and build services, property maintenance, irrigation, snow and ice removal as well as residential services including in-ground pools, fencing, decks and water features.
“The Gelderman family started the business with very humble means, and Nathan leads a highly talented management team that has achieved impressive growth across the Toronto area,” says Jerry Schill, founder and CEO of Schill Grounds Management. “We are delighted to be a trusted partner of the Gelderman team as we come together as a full-service grounds management provider that delivers even more value for our clients and employees.”
Gelderman's 110 employees are joining Schill, which brings Schill’s total headcount to about 1,400 people. Schill ranks No. 30 on Lawn & Landscape's Top 100 list.
“This strategic move will combine the strengths of both companies to better serve our clients, partners, and stakeholders, and to drive growth and innovation within our industry,” Helder says. “This partnership represents a significant milestone and will bring about a range of benefits, including enhanced technology, increased operational efficiencies and expanded market reach.”