CLEVELAND (Aug. 8, 2008) — St. Louis-based International Mulch Co. is expanding its business base by moving its Ohio distribution to a larger warehouse in Twinsburg, Ohio.
International Mulch, which markets its tire-derived shredded mulch under the name “Rubberific,” will set up shop in September in a 100,000-sq.-ft. industrial building under construction in Twinsburg, more than doubling the space it has now in a 40,000-sq.-ft. operation in Brooklyn Heights.
International Mulch needed another location in the area because a major retail customer required the company to have operations closer to them by 2009 to continue selling the product, according to President Mike Miller, who declined to identify the customer. He said his company lost sales to producers based closer to the Northeastern U.S. and other parts of the Midwest because of higher shipping costs from Missouri.
International Mulch has operated the Brooklyn Heights facility since May when it took over assets from Groundscape Technologies Inc., which ceased operations then.
Initially, International Mulch will process rubber mulch at Twinsburg, though it might later add other recycled products it makes, such as rubber landscape timber and mats, Miller said. The company does not shred tires itself at its plants. It buys the material from other suppliers.
The company employs 55 at its St. Louis location. It expects sales to reach $14 million this year, partially because of the addition of the Ohio operation, up from $9 million in 2007.