First off, I’d like to wish everyone a happy 2021. We just made it through a tough year, and it’s looking like 2021 is going to bring some additional challenges. To all those who’ve met the challenge of COVID-19 head-on, I commend you. 

To all who’ve lost someone close, you have our deepest sympathies.

Truth be told, 2020 was particularly challenging for business owners, small farmers, and commercial growers alike. Almost every employer has dealt in some way with unforeseen complications to the pandemic—especially when it comes to labor. Just one exposure and a business might lose a significant chunk of staff to testing, sick days, or preventative quarantine.

On top of that, the economy has been particularly affected by the pandemic. This is especially true when it comes to supply chains, both local and global.

For us at Rimol Greenhouse Systems (and for many of our partners and suppliers), access to raw materials has been significantly limited. Steel, in particular, has been in high demand, which has made supply challenging with lead times and availability.

As a result, prices have increased, lead times for orders have increased, and shipping costs have risen right alongside. Our production line has felt the pinch of the COVID economy, and we know many of our customers and partners have as well.

Fortunately, there’s good news. 

Despite all these challenges, things are definitely starting to look up as we move into 2021.

Here at Rimol, we’ve heard loud and clear from our customers that the demand for greenhouse equipment is higher than ever. 

• Orders for greenhouses, high tunnels, tools, and parts have been at record highs in recent months. More and more farmers, growers, and researchers are looking to invest in quality greenhouses now, so they can be set up for success in the future.
   
• For our customers, demand for plants and fresh vegetables has been extremely high. Last spring alone, we saw garden centers sell out of products in just a few weeks as so many people stayed at home started to get serious about their gardening efforts.
   
• For our suppliers, demand for raw materials and parts has been higher than ever, meaning there are plenty of orders already in the books for materials well into 2021.

In light of all this, we’re proud to say we’ve established a solid plan for our business, our customers, and our partners to make the transition into 2021 even easier. Here’s a look at what we’re doing to make sure you can get the equipment you need to keep growing strong:

1. We’re working as hard as possible to hold the line on pricing for our products, and we’re doing so by planning well in advance for what we’ll need to meet demand. That means getting our orders to our suppliers months in advance and planning well ahead for our obligations to customers.
    
2. We’re encouraging our customers to get their orders for greenhouse equipment in as soon as possible. Longer lead times for raw materials and shipping mean the sooner we know what you need, the sooner we can make sure it’s on its way in time for the growing season this spring. If you’re looking to get equipment for April or May, don’t wait to order—get in touch, and we’ll do everything we can to get you all set.
    
3. We’re communicating as much as we can with our customers, so we can be as transparent as possible about expectations, unexpected delays, and challenges we’re all facing as an industry.
    
4. We’re maintaining strong relationships with our suppliers and partners so we can get the materials our customers need when they need them.
    
5. Our team is growing! We’ve taken on new team members to support our customers across the country, and we’re making our internal ordering, manufacturing, and shipping process more efficient to help reduce overhead costs and get our customers the equipment they need. (Plus, we’re always looking for hard workers to join the crew—it never hurts to send along a resume to careers@rimol.com if you’re interested.)

Even with all these challenges, we’re all in this together—and here at Rimol, we really believe that the more we support each other through tough times, the better off we’ll all be when things finally get back to (something like) normal.

If last year was any indication, it’s looking like this spring might be a particularly busy one for farmers, garden centers, and commercial growers. We want to make sure you’re set up for success.

For now, we’ll be here and ready to help make sure you’re business is prepared for whatever comes next. 

-Bob Rimol, Owner & Founder

Rimol Greenhouse Systems