Company Information for Plant Impact plc

Company stock charts - 12 Month chart

AIM; PIM View full financial data

Company Statement

Plant Impact has developed and markets a range of crop nutrients and natural pesticides that
improve the health and productivity of crops, whilst being inherently non-toxic and ecologically
sound. The Group’s products allow crops to be grown in a way that is better for the environment,
the consumer and the grower, whilst increasing yield, quality and shelf life.
The Group’s approach to product development is different to the traditional approach adopted by
many agricultural chemical companies. Plant Impact first seeks to understand the nature of the
problem to be solved, then analyses the part of the plant’s natural ability to cope with the problem
as opposed to creating numerous compounds and screening them to find a use for them.

The Market
The Directors believe that the focus of politicians, pressure groups and supermarkets on the perceived adverse effects of pesticides and fertilizers on human health and the environment is likely to ensure continued pressure on growers to reduce the amount of crop protection products applied for the foreseeable future.
There are numerous highly effective products in the foliar crop protection market, but many of these products are over twenty years old and off patent, and some are highly toxic. In many cases
safer, more environmentally acceptable products would be welcomed by food groups and consumers. Pesticide resistance is also increasing and alternative approaches may be required in
order to provide robust control of pest species.
Plant Impact seeks to position itself to address consumer, regulatory, political and market demands for greater food safety and sustainable agriculture by the development and introduction of
acceptable, non-threatening technology.

Products and Technologies
Plant Impact has developed six key technologies which can be divided into two distinct groups:

a) crop nutrients, which improve plant health of which Alethea, PINT, CATand Speedo are examples;

b) crop protection agents or botanical pesticides, which act to control pests. BugOil and the Group’s nematicide technology fall into this category.

The Group’s technologies are mainly for use on high value fruit and vegetable crops grown under glass or polythene, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries and peppers.
The Group achieved sales in its crop nutrient range of products of approximately £345,000 for the period ended 31 March 2006, mainly in the Middle East, but has recently expanded sales to Spain
and the UK. The pesticide range, which has shown great potential in early trials, is yet to be available for sale as trials continue to be conducted and, in the case of BugOil, regulatory approvals are being sought. Plant Impact will be submitting their registration dossiers into UK – Europe via the PSD (Pesticides Safety Directorate) and into USA later in 2008 via the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)

Business Development and Strategy
The Directors intend to commercialise the Group’s products through distribution agreements and licensing arrangements with industrial partners, and/or, where appropriate, through its own direct
distribution channels. The focus is on sales to commercial growers of high value and protected crops. However, there is also the  possibility of entering the home and garden market.
Plant Impact has arrangements in place with distribution partners in specific markets in the Middle East arranged through Pi-MENA, a sales agency based in Jordan supported by the Company.

Intellectual Property and Product Registration
The protection of intellectual property through the submission of patents is an integral part of the Company’s research and development strategy. Since its formation, the Company has developed and filed eight base patent applications covering six technologies of which one, which covers BugOil, has already been granted in the UK.

Product Distribution
Plant Impact (Pi) is establishing an effective global sales network.  The head office is UK based with a specialist sales team.  The company also has a Spanish office with its own dedicated sales team. In addition to this, Plant Impact has distribution agreements covering Holland, Italy, Greece and Turkey.   Pi-Mena with an office in Amman, Jordan is Plant Impact’s distribution subsidiary covering the Middle East and North Africa. It has generated sales in over 10 countries as well as organising over 170 trials on a wide variety of crops in the Middle East.

Plant Impact has a distribution agreement in place with Miller Chemical & Fertilizer Corporation (Pennsylvania, US) to supply its 'anti-stress' products in North America.  Miller is a global manufacturer and distributor of specialty agricultural products and fertilisers and has over 400 distributors in the US alone.  In addition to sales coverage in South America, Miller Chemical and Fertilizer Corporation has an active presence in Eastern Europe and Pi products will be sold in these regions under the "Miller" brand name.

Plant Impact has a sales partnership with Doff Portland to supply the UK home and garden market.  The company is also negotiating with major International Companies to service the global home and garden market.  DVA Agro GmbH, which specialises in global crop protection, distributes the company’s benign pest control product (Bionic) in Tanzania.  Also product trials are currently being carried out with large fertiliser groups.

Company Diagram

A study in Jordan carried out in 2006 showed a decrease in fruit abortion due to high temperatures using a CaT chemistry containing product at a level of 0.5cc/litre. The pictures show the affect on the fruit setting during high temperatures. The plant on the left was untreated were as the plant on the right was treated

Current Operations

CaT Technology
CaT technology is a calcium absorption aid. In trials it has been found to deliver calcium to the plant up to 50 times more effectively than traditional calcium products and with fewer applications and less input.
CaT Chemistry has the ability to alleviate the problems encountered by growing crops in extremes of temperature, and also solve physiological disorders in fruit development, due to Calcium deficiencies. This technology enables calcium uptake and retention in tissues naturally less able to absorb and retain calcium. CaT allows the absorption of Calcium in parts of the plant that would not naturally absorb calcium under normal growth conditions.
CaT chemistry:

• Prevents physiological disorders
• Strengthens cell walls, combat stress and promote healthy cell division
• Alleviates physiological problems such as blossom end rot, bitter pit, fruit abortion
• Holds and sets more flowers and fruit
• Improves growth in extremes of temperature
• Improves quality and shelf life
• Improves shape and homogeneity of crops.
• Reduces waste through non - marketable yield

Our CaT technology products improve the marketable yield by tackling these problems. This means less waste, more product for the grower to sell and better quality food getting to the table, through lower inputs.
A comprehensive range of products is available from Plant Impact incorporating CaT technology in combination with different micronutrients to ensure the best possible treatment is applied.

PiNT Technology
PiNT technology is a yield maximiser. It is a unique controlled Nitrogen release technology that promotes improved growth habit and vigour. It slows the natural breakdown of desirable amine and ammonium nitrogen to undesirable nitrate and minimizes leaching. In addition PiNT technology unlocks trace elements around the roots, even in calcareous or high pH soils making them ready for efficient uptake by the plant. This results in a ‘no-cost’ nutrient supply, improved quality and yield, reduced pesticide/fertilizer input, lower cost and increased profit.
PiNT Technology:

• Improves Yield
• Improves productive life of the crop
• Delivers Nitrogen in amine form
• Encourages strong root growth, bud and fruit development
• Reduces leaching

A comprehensive range of products is available from Plant Impact incorporating PiNT technology in combination with different micronutrients to meet every requirement.

Speedo technology
Speedo technology accelerates plant maturation.
Speedo technology has the ability to increase the efficacy of nutrient products. It accelerates reproductive growth leading to faster and better colour, flowering, sugar production and maturity. Earlier yielding crops give the option for additional harvest and or prolonged harvests of extra crops. Speedo technology can be incorporated into other Plant Impact products such as the PiNT technology range as well as into other manufacturers fertilisers under license.
Speedo technology:

• Increases efficacy of existing nutrient products
• It could be incorporated into other products to increase their efficacy
• It has been shown to increase the efficacy of Plant Impacts own multi element NP foliar spray compared to our previous formula
• Increases maturation of fruit, uniformity of fruit, increased sugar content of fruit

Speedo could be a valuable addition to any nutrient based product. If you have a product that could benefit from this chemistry contact us.
A comprehensive range of products is available from Plant Impact incorporating Speedo technology.


Alethea technology
Alethea technology is a powerful plant stress reliever.

Alethea is a unique abiotic stress tolerance chemistry that together with plant nutrients improves growth during stressful climatic conditions. Disease resistance has also been observed in crops grown with this technology Alethea has been used in combination with our PiNT technology for a 3 year trial on the cocoa crop in Costa Rica. This has given rise to the product CST. Year on year results have shown significant yield increases with a final year average yield in excess of 67%. The Alethea component of the trial enabled the cocoa plant to cope more effectively with the stress of Black pod and Frosty pod diseases while the PiNT component promoted better nutrient uptake.
Alethea technology:

•    Promotes strong healthy cell walls

•    Neutralises plant toxins that build up during stress

Alethea can be incorporated into other Pi products such as the PiNT technology range of products or other proprietary brands of fungicides/fertilisers. The Alethea products currently available are first generation. The next generation of Alethea containing products are currently under research and development.

BugOil Technology
BugOil is a benign insect and mite control agent.
BugOil is plant essential oil technology that offers highly effective control in a non-toxic environmentally friendly method. This technology has been trialed extensively across a broad spectrum of crops on a wide variety of target pests against the current leading synthetic standards with exceptional results. A registration dossier is currently being compiled for EU Annex I and US EPA registration.

BugOil technology:

• High level of efficacy against most current synthetic standards.
• Based totally on food grade materials already in the human food-chain (at levels higher than in the product).
• Safe for many non-target organisms including mammals, fish, birds, and most beneficial insects (bees, earthworms, lacewings, ladybirds)
• No residues and no harvest dwell.
• Non-toxic environmentally friendly.

Board of Directors and Key Management

Martin Robinson	Non-Executive Chairman
Peter Blezard	Chief Executive Officer
David Marks	Chief Technical Officer
Michael Panteli	Finance Director
William Thompson	Non-Executive Director
Gordon Harman	Non-Executive Director
Mark Wyatt	Non-Executive Director

Company Address 12 South Preston Office Village Cuerdan Way Bamber Bridge Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom PR5 6BL Telephone: + 44 (0)1772 628328 Email: info[at]plantimpact.com Website: http://www.plantimpact.com

Additional Address/Key Contact Plant Impact plc 2 Lockside Office Park Lockside Road Riversway Preston Lancashire PR2 2YS

Capital There are 23,119,323 shares in issue and there are no Treasury shares

Nominated Brokers Joint Brokers Fiske Plc Salisbury House London Wall London EC2M 5QS Hichens Harrison & Co Bell Court House 11 Blomfield Street London EC2M 1LB

Nominated Advisors Grant Thornton UK LLP Grant Thornton House Melton Street Euston Square London NW1 2EP

Major Shareholders

Name	No of Shares	%
RisingStars Growth Fund	4,438,684	16.87%
Blackrock Investment Management plc	3,062,872	11.64%
Gartmore investment Management plc	2,167,319	8.24%
Majedie Investments plc	1,794,680	6.82%
Lancashire County Developments (Investments) Limited	913,157	3.47%
YFM Private Equity Limited	869.473	3.30%
Alliance Cornhill	851,063	3.23%
AXA Framlington Investment Management	843,783	3.21%

Related News

21/05/08 - Plant Impact In Talks With Major Manufacturers To Improve Pesticide And Fertiliser Products
28/10/06 - AIM Embraces Fertiliser Companies and Crop Boosters

Most Recent Statement

26/08/08 - Plant Impact opens up 3 new markets for product sales
11/08/08 - AGM Notice
30/07/08 - HortiFair 14th–17th October 2008 Stand No 10.0402
24/07/08 - Fruit Focus exhibition success
23/06/08 - Final Results for the year ended 31 March 2008
10/06/08 - Pi Atlantic Division open for business