Green Industry Outlook survey shows contractors looking for future growth
About 90% of contractors expect growth in demand for 2021, despite a challenging past year.
FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA (Jan. 8, 2021) — Despite a pandemic and a presidential election, 57% of landscape and irrigation contractors surveyed expected to see some growth in their businesses when closing out 2020, according to Irrigation & Green Industry magazine’s 2021 Green Industry Outlook sponsored by Heritage Landscape Supply Group.
The survey, published in the magazine’s December 2020/January 2021 print edition, collected responses from 1,063 contractors across the U.S.
“Our survey provides a snapshot, including analysis comparing this year to the past two years of survey results,” says Kyle Brown, Irrigation & Green Industry editor-in-chief. “It shows how contractors dealt with last year’s obstacles and uncovers the trends shaping the industry overall.”
The largest change from previous surveys came from contractors who expected business growth to remain flat or decrease in 2020. In this year’s survey, this percentage rose to 43%, compared to 20% the previous year.
The following are other findings included in the report:
- A total of 64% of respondents say there aren’t enough qualified workers in their regions to meet their needs, almost exactly the same result in the past two years.
- Projected gross revenues for 2020 remained about the same as previous years. The majority of respondents, 27%, reported sales between $100,001 and $500,000.
- The top three barriers for growth in the past year are labor shortage (33%), economic conditions (16%) and insurance/labor costs (12%).
- A total of 88% of respondents expect to see moderate to significant growth in demand for their services in 2021.
Even more information is available in the digital version of the report, including statistics on average crew pay rates and the overall impacts of COVID-19 on the industry. The full version can be found at www.igin.com/2021-green-industry-outlook.
Survey respondents were entered into two drawings for a $250 gift card to Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s or a DJI Mavic mini quadcopter drone, both provided by Heritage Landscape Supply Group. Winners included Derek Glidewell of Glidewell Lawn Care, Andalusia, Alabama, and Cassy Lower of Lower Estates, Wheatland, Wyoming.