Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/687429
J UNE 2016 | 31 Landscape Products A As the Canadian economy continues to recover, the demand for landscaping products such as pavers, retaining walls and accessories is increasing, with MarketResearch.com estimating an annual growth in North America of 5.3 per cent through 2019. According to the online analyst, the trends shap- ing the $6.3-billion landscaping industry include out- door living (with patios, paths and fire pits providing an opportunity to unite buildings with landscapes); landscaping that reduces the need for maintenance (in residential applications, this means less lawn and more pavers/decorative walls); and environmentally- driven purchases (which translate into the demand for products with a high recycled content and/or other green attributes). But landscaping is hardly confined to the decora- tive realm of a backyard or commercial courtyard. The very same elements that make leisure areas attractive also serve as utilitarian spaces, as demonstrated by the Ecoraster permeable and porous paving systems from Purus North America Inc. Originally designed in Germany as a free-draining base for equestrian activ- ity, these blocks are used in everything from mud con- trol in agricultural settings to road construction. Ellise Gasner, director of business development for Purus, notes that of late in Canada, her company's pav- ing systems are being used in parking lots, "And they're so easy to install that for the parking area of the Gateway United Church in Abbotsford, B.C., church members did the installation," she says. "We're also currently pav- ing a 120,000-square-foot parking lot in Toronto that couldn't be covered in asphalt due to environmental concerns." Gasner hopes Ecoraster will be used increas- ingly in cold weather climates, since the system does not become brittle and its interlocking attributes mean it can even be installed over frozen ground. Bradley Lavigne, president of Eco Paving – whose distinction is its durable rubber resurfacing for apart- ment buildings, driveways, patios, playgrounds and pool decks – says while business is outstanding in 2016, "People are still understandably trying to save money without skimping on quality, and that's where we come in. Our rubber paving solutions are more affordable than traditional alternatives, and they pro- vide a long life with no cracking. Plus, rubber is suit- able for cold weather because there is no ice buildup, and it's slip-resistant when wet. It can even be applied to angular surfaces such as staircases." Eco Paving uses 100 per cent recycled rubber in its manufacturing process, and because the product is applied directly over existing driveways or walkways, the cost and time associated with removal of existing material is eliminated. Lavigne offers a five-year lim- ited warranty against defective materials, "which is typically five times greater than the industry stan- dard," he points out. Vito Lore, Canada business development for Mutual Materials, says the resurgence in landscape spend- ing and an expanded Apollo distribution facility in Abbotsford, B.C. will allow the company to carry more products. That includes new larger format pavers and slabs, which has been an escalating trend in the commercial realm for several years now. "Our Plank Pavers, Dominion Slate and Columbia Slate are all larger format pavers that are in demand," he says. The Plank Pavers also embody the trend towards elonga- tion: inspired by hardwood flooring, these pavers mea- sure three-inches wide by 12-inches long. New from Mutual Materials is its CypressStone and Roman Cypress retaining walls with their natu- ral appearance of quarried stone. A very flexible prod- uct, they can be used to make straight or curved walls Business is Blooming Canada's landscape product market is witnessing a resurgence by PETER STENNING Cochran side chair with arms and low table from Landscape Forms. Durable rubber resurfacing solutions from Eco Paving. Ecoraster permeable paving systems from Purus North America Inc.