The Darwin Perennials Operations Team is diligently preparing to serve our customers in 2021. Here is a quick behind the scenes update on key areas...
by Catherine Blaney, Operations Manager at Darwin Perennials
Labor
One positive outcome of COVID-19 is that Darwin Colombia has enhanced its good name as a sustainable and safe employer in Colombia. We retained our staff while other local businesses and industries did not. We have strict rules and protocols for our workers to follow to keep everyone safe and working. Our staff want to work! We have seen a decrease in staff turnover and absenteeism. The selection of highly experienced candidates looking for work in the area is extensive. Darwin Colombia has an experienced, trained labor force ready to harvest, maintain and ship cuttings going into 2021!
Lift
Darwin Colombia has secured additional space with UPS for 2021. Our routes from Bogota, Colombia, to Miami, Florida, and onward to all our USA and Canadian customers are secured and scheduled for the 2021 season. We have secured space leading up to Valentine’s Day ship season for 2021, which is peak in the cut flower industry locally. We have worked with our local contacts at UPS in Bogota to cover our shipments with thermal blankets, which has allowed better, more stable temperature maintenance in transit and a notable decrease in temperature-related quality challenges.
Space
There is now an additional hectare of greenhouse space built! Blocks 14 & 15 give us a greater capacity for growth, which is important because Darwin Perennials has forecasted for growth in 2021 – and we have stock plants in the ground to support it!
For more information:
Darwin Perennials
622 Town Road
West Chicago, Illinois 60185-2698
630 231-3600
darwinperennials.com