ABOUT THIS EPISODE
This episode of the Tech On Demand podcast, brought to you by GrowerTalks magazine breaks down how On Time In Full (OTIF) performance is really the result of months of planning and collaboration, not just the final shipment.
Host Bill Calkins talks with Richard Shapiro, vice president of supply chain operations at Growscape (North American manufacturer and supplier of horticultural containers, planters and garden products), about forecasting, lead times, seasonality and the sales and operations planning process behind reliable fulfillment in horticulture.
Richard also explains how Growscape thinks about sustainability across manufacturing, distribution and transportation—and why stronger collaboration between growers and suppliers creates better outcomes for everyone. As he repeats a few times, “Tell me something I DON’T know!” That’s how improvements are made. And in this day and age of emails and texts, it’s refreshing to hear Richard request that customers pick up the phone and give a call to talk through challenges or discuss forecasts. This is the type of collaboration our industry is built on.
Not only is this episode an extremely transparent look at how a major horticultural supplier navigates a seasonal industry and works with businesses of all shapes and sizes but it’s also packed with sales and operations planning (S&OP) advice and strategy from someone with decades of experience leading businesses and driving results. Richard is truly an expert in this aspect of manufacturing and supply and there’s a lot to learn from him. Be sure to listen all the way to the end!
Find Products & Connect with Growscape: https://growscape.com/
Growscape’s 2026 Sustainability Report: https://growscape.com/sustainability-report/
