A Brief Company History
In 1990, Neil Miller and Tony Ferguson founded Border Concepts in Charlotte, NC as a steel landscape edging systems manufacturer. Through the years, this grass roots business grew organically, expanding its product lines based on the needs of the company’s customer base:
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Garden centers
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Growers
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Contractors
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Landscape supply yards
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Other independent retailers
In 1994, BCI introduced Iron Edge, the country’s first galvanized steel paver restraint. The following year, we developed a ball cart, which earned national recognition and led to a new line of tree carts, nursery carts, and retail carts. In 1995, BCI also launched our first decorative steel and wrought iron products, including hanging baskets, window baskets, hook, trellises, arbors, and plant stands—all in a wide range of prices. This product line expanded BCI’s manufacturing facility to over 90,000 square feet.
Ten years later, BCI introduced a line of quality pottery, which led to the company’s acquisition of the International Pottery Alliance. Before long, BCI was importing the best pottery worldwide from manufacturers in Germany, Italy, Malaysia, China, Thailand, and Vietnam. Once again, we expanded our facilities with a brand new 100,000 square foot distribution center to complement our manufacturing plant.
Today, our multifaceted company also offers the following products to its independent retail customers created by its own designers:
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Resin animals
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Tracking trailers
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Commercial and residential tools
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A full line of store display fixtures
Border Concepts continues to carry our nationally recognized reputation as a premier commercial supplier of steel landscape edging into each of our product divisions.
Manufacturer
When we design and manufacture an original product, we offer the best quality and price point for our customers. When it comes to developing and manufacturing specialized products for the lawn and garden industry, we’re innovators. The BCI team is all about providing creative solutions, with exciting new ideas, designs, sizes, and shapes.
Our focus on customer service and flexibility is made possible by the dedicated work force staffing our 90,000+ square foot manufacturing facility. This “Made in the USA” manufacturing team’s capabilities include welding, bending, cutting, stamping, assembling, and punching metal and steel products. In addition, BCI powder coats terracotta standard pots.
Is there a highly customized project or distinctive lawn and harden product you’ve been thinking about? Put our designers, facilities, and experience to work for you! We’d love to be your partner in creating an original solution, tailored to meet your specific needs.
Importer
BCI’s overseas contacts are a valuable resource for our company and customers, opening global capacity and competitiveness. Our team members travel throughout the world to scout potential partners. BCI works solely with companies that share our high standards of quality and integrity. The excellent relationships we have with our overseas partners are based on good communication, and we visit their factories regularly for in-person consultations and product quality verification.
Each country offers unique skills, styles, and price points—so it’s critical that we import from a broad range of countries. In doing so, we’re able to provide our customers with an outstanding variety of products and styles to satisfy all tastes and budgets. This is especially true for our largest import item, which is pottery. We import hundreds of containers from all over the world, virtually guaranteeing that we can provide you with the product you need, when you need it.
Distributor
BCI has the infrastructure necessary to provide our independent retailers with the superior service they deserve. Our 100,000 square foot distribution center complements the manufacturing side of our business. We manufacture and import a wide range of products; it is essential that we maintain a full warehouse so that the product you need is in stock.
Because we have the ability to ship directly to you, there’s no need for a traditional distributor. We’re able to keep the exclusivity of our multiple product lines available to you as a retailer.
The result? Our customers get more for their money. There’s no expensive middleman; plus, by combining the varied items such as ceramic pottery, hanging baskets, wrought iron trellises, nursery carts, tools, and arbors, customers save big on freight costs. BCI customers are able to buy from a single supplier, further reducing costly duplication of products and vendors.