VanWingerdens to Sell Mid-American Growers

Image courtesy of the Putnam County Record

Change is in the air at Mid-American Growers. That change is a change of ownership.

Color Point LLC, with headquarters in Paris, Ky., has reached an agreement to purchase Mid-American Growers from Nick VanWingerden. Color Point is owned by Art and Ken VanWingerden, Nick’s younger brothers, and is ranked No. 74 on Greenhouse Grower’s magazine’s Top 100 Growers list for 2014. Mid-American Growers is ranked No. 13.

“Color Point and Mid-American Growers have signed a letter of intent for Color Point to purchase Mid-American Growers,” owner Nick VanWingerden said. “The familial ties between the owners of Color Point and Mid-American Growers made it possible for Color Point to step in and assist Mid-American during a time of significant change in the industry, which has impacted the company. Color Point has taken over the day-to-day management of Mid-American Growers and merging of the two organizations will start with the closing of the purchase, to be completed as soon as possible.”

Details of the deal have not yet been finalized.

Mid-American Growers’ greenhouses sprawl across 3.5 million square feet of land northeast of Granville. The facility grows flowering potted plants, ornamental bedding plants, potted foliage and vegetables for 75 Lowe’s stores and supermarkets throughout the Midwest, as well as contract-grown material for other growers including Color Point. The operation was established in 1971 as VanWingerden, Inc. by the VanWingerden family.

Color Point operates a 1 million square-foot facility including a 116,000 square-foot production and shipping barn, allowing it to reach markets throughout Kentucky, as well as parts of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee and West Virginia.

Color Point uses production automation and robotics as well as computer-controlled environment, floor heating and overhead basket systems. The operation produces annual and perennial bedding plants and seasonal flowering potted plants, servicing 135 Lowe’s stores in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee. Other accounts include Sam’s Clubs and Rural King stores.

Source: Putnam County Record