At East Jordan Plastics, we believe in sustainable practices done right. It’s our passion to continue seeking out new ways of bringing sustainable solutions to the horticulture industry. This same determination was the driving force behind the creation of our latest STADIUM® line of products.
The STADIUM® series features innovative, space-saving pot and tray designs for use in growing facilities and retail stores. Not only that but, when compared to similar products, our STADIUM® pots really stand out from the competition in terms of versatility, functionality, and sustainability.
Versatility: A more efficient design for branding
Our STADIUM® pots are designed to include both flat and round sides, each offering its own unique benefit. For example, with these pots, growers can print their logos on the round side to represent their brand and use the flat side to apply labels or insert locking tags. Having true round sides provides the opportunity to have offset print for custom high-end graphics, while the flat sides allow for improved presentation and ample space for labels and tags. It’s a great look when everything is put together, and we hope the attractive design of these new STADIUM® pots further enhances growers’ branding efforts.
Functionality: A way to streamline your automation process
Growers will be happy to find that our STADIUM® series is automation-friendly, having all the comparable features of our round Shuttle Pot® series, including easy dispensing, co-extruded construction, dual-level drainage, and easy plant removal.
For instance, the sturdy design of both the rims and shoulders of our STADIUM® pots allows for quick and easy dispensing. This means not only do these pots look great, but their strength and stability also provide an efficient means to move more plants, more quickly.
Available in 1-pint, 1.5-pint, and 2-quart-size containers, our STADIUM® products also feature co-extruded construction, a dark inner layer that prevents light from harming any delicate roots. And with dual-level drain holes and a smooth exterior finish, these pots also facilitate better drainage and easier plant removal than similar competing products. Together, these functional features offer a great way for growers to streamline their automation processes.
Sustainability: Saving space and reducing our carbon footprint
The most notable quality of the STADIUM® family of containers is space savings—both in growing facilities and at retail locations. The pots can fit one of two ways in the trays to allow either orientation—whatever works best for the available space.
Compared to traditional round pots, it’s evident that our STADIUM® line truly maximizes whatever available space they’re placed in. This means that growers can have more pots per square foot, whether in a greenhouse, on a bench, or in a retail store location.
Additionally, the squared-off sides of our STADIUM® pots give a space-saving advantage for both growing and shipping, while offering a more condensed tray footprint than the traditional round pot system.
In fact, one of our grower partners—Linwell Gardens—was able to add four acres of growing space thanks to our STADIUM® pots. Originally, they were growing on 16 acres and needed a way to expand another four acres as soon as possible. By using our STADIUM® pots, they achieved that without having to add more greenhouses or acquire additional land.
But it’s not just growing space that reaps positive impact from STADIUM® pots. When we ship our product to our grower partners, we’re able to ship more pots—per case and pallet—to our growers each time they request STADIUM® products. Once the growers are ready to ship their plants and flowers to local garden and retail centers, they can transport larger quantities of product per shipment, thus reducing freight costs.
These space savings are wonderful because we know our efforts have a direct, positive impact on the carbon footprint left as a result of the factors listed above—freight, growing emissions, energy consumption, etc. And the more STADIUM® pots our grower partners order, the more excited we get—knowing we produce these trays with close to 100% recycled horticultural containers.
When all is said and done, we’re thrilled to offer STADIUM® pots as another sustainable solution within the horticulture industry. And we’re excited for what’s ahead. As a company, we’re determined to create environment-friendly solutions that exceed growers’ quality standards—and continue to evolve our plastic recycling practices in an effort to inspire lasting change in our industry. Because it’s one thing to feel good about sustainability; it’s another to act on it.