Using Supply Chain Strategy to Deliver OTIF ft. Growscape’s Richard Shapiro
This episode of the Tech On Demand podcast, brought to you by GrowerTalks magazine breaks down how On Time In Full (OTIF) performance is really the result of months of planning and collaboration, not just the final shipment.
Host Bill Calkins talks with Richard Shapiro, vice president of supply chain operations at Growscape (North American manufacturer and supplier of horticultural containers, planters and garden products), about forecasting, lead times, seasonality and the sales and operations planning process behind reliable fulfillment in horticulture.
Richard also explains how Growscape thinks about sustainability across manufacturing, distribution and transportation—and why stronger collaboration between growers and suppliers creates better outcomes for everyone. As he repeats a few times, “Tell me something I DON’T know!” That’s how improvements are made. And in this day and age of emails and texts, it’s refreshing to hear Richard request that customers pick up the phone and give a call to talk through challenges or discuss forecasts. This is the type of collaboration our industry is built on.
Not only is this episode an extremely transparent look at how a major horticultural supplier navigates a seasonal industry and works with businesses of all shapes and sizes but it’s also packed with sales and operations planning (S&OP) advice and strategy from someone with decades of experience leading businesses and driving results. Richard is truly an expert in this aspect of manufacturing and supply and there’s a lot to learn from him. Be sure to listen all the way to the end!
Find Products & Connect with Growscape: https://growscape.com/
Growscape’s 2026 Sustainability Report: https://growscape.com/sustainability-report/
24 Sept 2026
Nick's Newsletter Tip (Week 39): Cool-Weather Crop Management
Ball Seed Technical Services Specialist Nick Flax breaks down the key environmental and cultural adjustments your production team should make as temperatures drop. The focus starts with dewpoint management. Warm days followed by cool nights can quickly create condensation inside the greenhouse, increasing the risk of fungal diseases like Botrytis and Pythium. Nick explains practical strategies to stay ahead of humidity, including dehumidification cycles, greenhouse "burping," temperature setpoint adjustments and controller checks.
The discussion also covers crop culture changes that often accompany fall weather. As plants use water more slowly, irrigation practices may need to be adjusted to avoid overly wet conditions. Nick shares tips on irrigation timing, crop spacing, air movement and using objective measurements such as water-by-weight to guide decisions.
Finally, the audio tip reviews some disease prevention strategies for high-risk crops (like poinsettias) and highlights the importance of maintaining a proactive fungicide program as environmental conditions become more favorable for disease development.
Now that you're transitioning from summer to fall production, this week’s tech tip offers practical reminders to help protect crop quality and reduce disease pressure during the season ahead. By now, you’ve realized my man Nick is pretty good at that!
This episode is sponsored by Prospiant—leaders in greenhouse design, manufacture and build. Learn more and connect with the expert team at prospiant.com. Subscribe to the weekly Tech On Demand Newsletter: https://www.growertalks.com/Newsletters/Signup/?newsletter=techondemand
23 Sept 2026
4 Questions for Sid, a Horticulture Consultant
Throughout 2026, host Bill Calkins has been catching up with different people in the professional horticulture space and find out a little bit about their careers, passions, journeys in the world of plants and much more. He sent each potential guest a list of 12 questions and they picked four to answer and discuss.
This episode, Bill is joined by one of his mentors, Sid Raisch—the Swiss Army knife of horticulture consultants! Sid is one of the most thoughtful and wise people in or industry and throughout the episode, the depth of his passion for coaching green industry businesses becomes more and more evident, as does his principled approach to continuous improvement.
One theme that weaves through this episode is the importance of letting people grow—and how this approach by owners and managers not only sets their operation up for success but also helps them avoid burnout and get the most from their team. Be sure to stick around all the way to the end because the wisdom just keep coming! And keep an eye out for a future Part 2 to this episode. Bill and Sid definitely have more to discuss.
Here are the four questions Sid selected:
Q: What was your first exposure to “horticulture” and how did you feel, react, respond?
Q: What’s something about professional horticulture that annoys you and how would you change it?
Q: What advice would you give to a young person considering pursuit of a career in horticulture?
Q: What advice would you give to an industry veteran currently dealing with “burnout”?
This episode is sponsored by NurseryGuide.com. Whether you’re sourcing for a garden center, landscape project, nursery or growing operation, NurseryGuide.com puts one of the industry’s most trusted sourcing resources right at your fingertips. NurseryGuide.com—powered by the Oregon Association of Nurseries.
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Chris Fifo
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