Building a company back up to the levels it enjoyed before an economic downturn and beyond is an issue owners must deal with as the economy improves.

As overall economic numbers in the U.S. slowly increase, landscape companies seem to be tallying better bottom lines. In a recent poll conducted by Landscape Communications, fewer than 16 percent of the respondents reported making less money in 2013 compared to 2012.

With more revenue comes the quandary of whether or not to expand a company, and if so, how, and by how much. When adding equipment, there are the options of buying, leasing or renting. When adding personnel, the options are hiring full-time, hiring part-time, or contracting for a position.

A recently launched company, Cooperative Design Resource, LLC, is looking to make the most of the contracting option as it offers landscape companies a source for contract-based landscape design and sales services.

Based in Denver, CDR says their process is designed for easy integration into a typical landscape company's bid/sell process. Their services include landscape designing and design sales presentations.

Rather than representing itself as a design-only firm, CDR's plans are to become an extension of the landscape companies they represent, and develop working relationships with the companies staff that equal those of an in-house design and sales team.

CDR currently is made up of five landscape designers and architects, with a combined 135 years of experience designing and selling landscapes. More information is available at cooperativedesignresource.com.