I checked the date a couple of times to make sure I wasn't reading a report from December '08. It does say, October 7, 2010. According to Oregonlive.com Hines Nurseries will lay off "96 workers as early as Monday because of its inability to extend its line of credit." Oregonlive.com say's, "While the company seeks financing, it expects to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Sandra Runyon, vice president of human resources for the Irvine, Calif., based parent company, said in an Oct. 6 letter sent to government officials."
This is interesting. Hines say's, "Layoffs at its Forest Grove operation, 45296 S.W. Ritchey Road, will be necessary if the company is not able to obtain financing by that date...The company says it had not informed employees of this attempt 'as doing so would have hurt Hines' chances of extending the line of credit and its ability to obtain other financing and business. It would have also damaged Hines' relationships with its customers, which would have further damaged Hines ability to obtain financing and business.'" You don't say! As of August Hines stopped growing plants and flowers at it's Irvine headquarters, eliminating half of it's 160 workers.
I have a question for you involving Hines, Weeks Roses, and Iesli Nursery, all of which have filed bankruptcy protection these last couple of weeks. While I and every nursery person hopes for the best, what signs do we have that people are going to loosen their purse strings any time soon? Are people next year going to start buying landscaping materials because the election is over, or the economy has suddenly improved? I hope I am wrong, but why do we feel that further financing is going to solve a fundamental problem. Landscaping is a luxury, and so many people are cutting back on luxuries these days. Until people have extra money to spend on plants, what is going to sustain these businesses?