JULY 2026

It is hard to believe we are already halfway through 2026, and when I think back to where we were just a few months ago, I am incredibly proud of what this team has accomplished.

We entered the year facing some significant challenges. The salt shortage and difficult first quarter put us behind early, and we knew we would need a strong season to make up that ground. Through June, we have done exactly that. We are now ahead of budget in Sales, Gross Profit, and Net Income, and excluding the challenges at the Landfill, Net Income is performing 35% ahead of budget. That is a tremendous turnaround and a direct result of the effort being put in across this company every day.

What is especially encouraging is the strength we are seeing throughout the business. Product Sales excluding salt are up 10% over last year, our projects are performing well ahead of budget, and our Commercial Sales team has a strong book of business extending into the winter. Production continues to keep pace with demand, our Stores are having a strong season, and our teams continue to receive great feedback from customers. There is a lot to feel good about as we enter the second half of the year.

I am also excited about what is happening in Painesville. Nearly 40,000 tons of sediment was beneficially reused this month on a brownfield cleanup project while the site prepares to receive this year’s dredged material and begins planning for nearly 300,000 yards expected next year. At the same time, improvements made by the team are producing positive environmental results. This is a great example of what we do best, finding innovative ways to solve complex challenges while turning material that may otherwise be considered waste into a valuable resource.

As we move through the heart of summer, I also want to recognize just how hard everyone continues to work. The heat has been challenging, our locations are busy, and our teams have been pushing hard for months. Please continue looking out for one another, staying hydrated, and making safety a priority. Our results matter, but nothing is more important than everyone going home safely at the end of the day.

We have accomplished a lot in the first half of 2026, but there is still plenty of opportunity in front of us. We have strong projects underway, new opportunities developing, and a team that has already shown what we can accomplish when we work together.

Thank you for everything you continue to do. Let’s carry this momentum into the second half and make 2026 another year we can all be proud of.

June / Q2 Update

June was a solid month, putting us ahead of budget year-to-date and closing out a strong first half of the year.

The work at the Landfill has been more costly than planned, with the loss more than double what was budgeted. Excluding the Landfill, our Net Income is performing 35% ahead of budget through the first half of the year.

Year-to-date Product Sales are up a modest 4.5%, with all product lines outperforming last year except Salt and Organics. Excluding Salt, Product Sales are up 10% year-over-year.

While Projects are down year-over-year, project revenue is 25% ahead of budget and project net income is 32% ahead of budget.

Overall, we have made significant progress since the start of the year and are now ahead of budget heading into the second half. Let’s keep the momentum going.

The Painesville site has had quite a busy month. The site supplied almost 40k tons of sediment for a large brownfield site cleanup project while also preparing for their new dam construction project that is set to start later this year. In addition, the site has started to receive this years sediment load from the Army Corps of Engineers. This year the facility is scheduled to receive around 50k yards of material. The smaller volumes will allow the site to prepare for next year’s super dredge of nearly 300k yards. Possibly most importantly, the sites new best management practices for dropping TSS loading has shown to be quite effective. Managing TSS levels is important for discharging sediment water from the facility during and after sediment placement at the facility. Great work by the team in Painesville.   

The Fourth of July was everything we hoped it would be—a great celebration of America’s 250th birthday. It was wonderful to see communities across the country come together to celebrate and reflect on what makes our nation so special.

Now it’s back to business as construction season continues at full speed. Project opportunities remain strong, and our Commercial Sales team, along with our retail stores, continues to pursue every lead. We spend time each day searching Builders Exchange for upcoming projects that need our products and services, ensuring we’re always looking ahead to the next opportunity.

Soils continue to be the driving force behind our commercial sales, with CU Structural, Bio Retention, and All Purpose soils keeping both Production and Transportation busy. While summer projects are in full swing, we’re also focusing on securing work for the fall season. Fall plantings and hardscape projects provide excellent opportunities, and we’re actively working to position ourselves for that business.

This is also the time of year when we’re scheduling Lunch & Learn events with engineering firms, contractors, and other customers. These meetings allow us to strengthen existing relationships while introducing new customers to everything we have to offer. At the same time, we’re continuing to look for opportunities to expand our footprint throughout Ohio.

Metroparks, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, ODOT, and a variety of private projects continue to generate strong activity. Thanks to our current book of business, we’re well positioned with work that will carry us into the winter months.

As always, salt season is on the horizon, bringing its annual challenges. Questions about pricing and availability will begin soon, and while it’s one of the most difficult parts of our business to forecast, we’re preparing the best we can for another unpredictable season.

A big thank you goes out to our Production and Transportation teams. Their outstanding performance this year has made a tremendous difference. Delivering quality products on time makes it much easier for our sales team to earn customers’ trust and close new business.

As we move through the rest of the season, continue focusing on your customers. Listen carefully to what they’re telling you, ask how we’re performing as a company, and use those conversations to highlight our commitment to quality and service. Every interaction is an opportunity to strengthen a relationship and earn future business.

Remember: the best salespeople are the best listeners.

Bridgeview is currently making nine loads of structural soil per day to support one of Peter’s projects. In addition, the team is actively shearing logs, grinding material, drying and stockpiling soil, and producing topsoil on a daily basis.

Avon:
Operations at Avon are focused on grinding yard waste and producing topsoil. Patrick is also preparing to screen approximately 5,000 yards of material for Quasar at the Avon Water Treatment Facility.

Hudson:
Hudson is currently stockpiling yard waste until a grinder can be mobilized to the site. In the meantime, the team continues to produce topsoil.

North Canton:
North Canton is actively screening topsoil and mulch. Ryan is also grinding yard waste and processing sheared logs to maintain material flow and support ongoing production.

CDF has been temporarily shut down for approximately a week and a half due to road construction. During this downtime, the team has remained productive by baling material in the field, drying material in the chutes, and screening topsoil in preparation for operations to resume once the site reopens.

No Submission.

Hello All!! We had so much fun at our July manager meeting.
It was the most engaging one yet!!
Keeping it FUN is the key!
We all shared a win, a challenge and something we are looking forward to!

And then it was time to get down to business! We had a GREAT June, and we need to find ways to keep the momentum going, SO.. Lets go this direction!!

BAGGED SALT!
Early orders are arriving! We are hopeful the Bulk salt will be plentiful this year!

Lay Offs:
It is that time of year where we must start saying TTFN (ta ta for now) to our seasonal employees. We are extending offers for them to return next season and hope we see all their smiling faces back! I want to Thank YOU for all the hard work this season, it was a challenging one for sure, but you all rose above and took it in stride. I couldn’t be more proud!

July was a hot one, but our teams kept things cool.

As temperatures climbed across Northeast Ohio, our retail teams continued to provide the welcoming, helpful service our customers have come to expect. Stores celebrated our Red, White & BBQ event leading into the Fourth of July weekend, creating a fun atmosphere for customers while helping them tackle their summer landscape projects.

Despite the heat, retail sales remained strong throughout July, a testament to the hard work of our store teams, drivers, yard crews, and everyone who helps keep our operations running smoothly.

We’re also excited to see more customers sharing their experiences online. Over the past several weeks, we’ve received a number of 5-star Google reviews highlighting the friendly service, knowledgeable staff, quality products, and outstanding delivery experience at several Kurtz Bros. and Earth ‘n Wood Landscape Supply Centers. Positive feedback like this is one of the best indicators that we’re delivering on our promise to customers every day. Thank you to everyone who helps create those experiences.

Looking ahead, we’re putting the finishing touches on our favorite August traditions: Customer and Employee Appreciation Week, featuring our annual Sweet Treat Week. The full schedule will be shared soon, so keep an eye out for dates, locations, and plenty of frozen treats to help everyone beat the summer heat.

Thank you to everyone for making July another successful month. Let’s keep the momentum going as we head into the second half of the season!