The Scotts Company http://www.scotts.com/smg/
In 1868, Orlando McLean Scott started a business in Marysville, Ohio, based on a belief that farmers should have clean, weed-free fields. In 1879 his horse-drawn farm equipment business expanded into a seed business.

		Around 1907, O.M. Scott's oldest son, Dwight, began selling grass seed by mail. Prior to that, only the wealthy could afford to maintain a lawn. Grass typically was imported, and the equipment needed to maintain it (cut it) was expensive as well. It wasn't long until the lawn began to play a role in American life. Homeowners weren't content just having grass -- they wanted a nice lawn. Of course, as the importance of lawns grew, so did the Scott family business.

In 1928, an "ideal fertilizer for grass" was designed and tested by Scotts. It was eventually named, Turf Builder, and it is the strongest brand name in the lawn care industry today. This was followed in 1947 by a weed control product that both killed weeds, but without harming the grass, and fertilized the lawn at the same time. Scotts was the first company to do so. Homeowners loved it! Today, Scotts Turf Builder Plus Two is by far the largest selling "combo" brand in the industry.

In the 1960s, the family took the business public. In 1971, Scotts fell into the hands of International Telephone and Telegraph (ITT). At the time, ITT was a conglomerate with major holdings in telecommunications (South America), insurance (Hartford) and hotels (Sheraton). The company remained with ITT until 1986, when the company's then president and CEO, Tadd Seitz led several of the company's senior executives in a leveraged buyout. Scotts' managers borrowed $190 million (about 90%) of the $211 million price from Clayton Dubilier Inc., a private equity investment firm.

In 1992, Scotts again became a public company by selling 12.5 million shares at $19 each. The Scotts Company acquired the Grace-Sierra Horticultural Products Company in1994 as part of a bid to leverage it's R&D knowledge with the horticultural industry. Sierra developed the Osmocote technology 40+ years ago, and at the time of acquisition by Scotts, had become the leading brand of slow-release fertilizer for both commercial and amateur use.

In 1995, the Scotts Company merged with Stern's Miracle-Gro Products, Inc. This brought America's leading brand name in gardening (Miracle-Gro) together with America's leading brand name in lawn care (Scotts Turf Builder). It also brought the Hagedorn family into the management of the company where they deployed their marketing savvy against the Scotts business. Scotts expanded its international presence in the late 1990's by purchasing Miracle Garden Care Ltd and Levington, both in the UK, followed by Rhône-Poulenc Jardin, continental Europe's largest consumer and garden products company.

About the same time, Scotts acquired US-based Emerald Green Lawn Services which provided a base for establishing Scotts Lawn Service (for homeowners who want lawn care done for them). In 1998, Monsanto sold its pesticide brand, Ortho, to Scotts. Together the two companies also agreed that Scotts should hold exclusive worldwide marketing rights with consumers for Roundup herbicide products. Today, Scotts markets the leading brands of lawn fertilizers, garden insecticides, herbicides, grass seed, growing media and garden plant foods.

Last year, the company added another leading brand to its portfolio with the acquisition of Smith & Hawken, a major supplier of high quality, teak lawn and patio furniture. Smith & Hawkins also has retail outlets that focus on the outdoor living and gardening lifestyle.

Scotts continues to be located in Marysville, Ohio, where the business was started. There are manufacturing/packaging plants in nearly 30 locations throughout the United States. The international business is headquartered in France.