Content about Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area

According to an article in the New York Times, Scott the Scot of Scotts Miracle-Gro’s new ad campaign was created to instruct and educate.

The ad campaign comes after the Marysville, Ohio-based lawn care giant expanded its advertising budget to about $135 million, up from about $85 million, according to the article. The character on the commercial, played by a Scottish actor named Phil McKee, provides expert advice in a Scottish accent.

Marysville, Ohio-based Scotts Miracle-Gro said Wednesday morning that its first quarter will see a bigger-than-expected loss, but it is maintaining its outlook for the full year.

Sales for the first quarter ending Dec. 31 are expected to decline about $30 million from the same quarter a year ago. The adjusted net loss in the quarter is expected to range from $70 million to $75 million, compared with a net loss of $65.6 million in the prior year.

The $1.20-to-$1.25 per share loss is greater than the $1.13 per share loss expected by Wall Street.

Marysville, Ohio-based Scotts Miracle-Gro will collaborate with Marrone Bio Innovations (MBI) on research and development in natural plant protection products. 

"We are excited about this new partnership with MBI because we believe it will lead to improved products that enable gardeners who choose natural options to get great results," said Bruce Caldwell, Scotts Miracle-Gro's Global R&D Leader. 

The challenges from unfriendly weather hit Scotts Miracle-Gro hard in the quarter ended July 2, as sales declined 10% to $1.06 billion.

The decline was driven primarily by poor weather across most of the United States throughout the duration of the lawn and garden season, as well as a more competitive promotional landscape and changes in certain retailer strategies within the mass merchandise channel, the Marysville, Ohio-based company said. 

While posting strong second-quarter results, Marysville, Ohio-based Scotts Miracle-Gro is hoping for more cooperative weather. 

Scotts posted net sales of $1.13 billion for the quarter ended April 2, up 8% from the same quarter last year. Net income increased 50% to $177.6 million.

For the quarter, company-wide adjusted gross margin rate increased 41.1% compared with 39.6% a year earlier. The improvement was due to the benefit of lower commodity costs, as well as supply chain efficiencies and a favorable product mix.

Simonton Windows, the vinyl window and patio door manufacturer, has finalized plans to relocate the company’s corporate office to Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio. The transition -- from Parkersburg, W.Va. -- is set to be complete in June 2011. The company is part of the Home and Security business of Fortune Brands Inc. 

As Menards prepares to open its first store in Columbus, Ohio, the number-three U.S. home center chain made a deal to acquire more land for a second Columbus store, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

The company's first Columbus store is expected to open in the spring. That's about the same time that work is expected to begin on the second store, on the city's east side. That second store will probably open in spring 2012.