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Shemin Merges United Green Mark With Shemin Nurseries

United Green Mark, the product of a merger between Ric Green's Pacific Irrigation and Mark Agnew's Sprinkler Irrigation Specialists, has now been united with Shemin Nurseries, in a deal with Shemin Holdings. United Green Mark is a one of the largest chains of irrigation distributors with 34 locations and annualized sales in excess of $150 million.

UCM's Agnew says the arrangement will enable it to continue an aggressive growth pattern through acquisitions and new business. Ric Green has taken the opportunity to retire. Agnew will serve as CEO. "This move will allow us to expand our product offerings to existing customers and also provide UCM service to irrigation contractors in other geographic areas," Agnevv added. Shemin Holdings will own both UGM and Shemin Nurseries, a wholesale nursery supply company with 20 branches throughout the eastern and southeastern United States. Both companies are wholesale operations and retain their current management teams.

Contractors, Plumbers Compromise on Illinois Plumbing License Law

A six-year-old controversy among the Illinois Health Department, irrigation contractors and licensed plumbers has been partly resolved with the passage of new amendments to the Illinois Plumbing License Law in November. The new amendments contained in House Bill 539 requires all irrigation contractors to register each year and to include a list of employees who install or supervise the installation of lawn sprinklers systems. Licensed plumbers or apprentice plumbers may install a lawn sprinkler system without being registered. The law requires registered irrigation contractors to employ or contract with licensed plumbers to be responsible for installation by registered irrigation contractors. A licensed plumber must inspect all risers and sprinkler heads before backfilling. The bill requires one plumber per seven installers.

The bill provides for waivers under certain specific circumstances. It also allows golf courses to extend, relocate or modify up to 200 linear yards of an existing system without being subject to the new requirements.

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