|
Download this press release (PDF 71 KB)
- Hutcheson Sand & Mixes contracts for exclusive rights to Forterra's products for blended mixes marketed to golf courses, sports fields, and other turf-grass industries
- Hutcheson expects to purchase approximately 1,500 tons of Forterra products in the first year of the agreement
- Agreement includes Forterra Worm Castings and EndoPro, a new product that enhances worm castings with beneficial fungus to improve speed of seed germination and disease control
Puslinch, Ontario - January 9, 2008 - Forterra Environmental Corp. (TSX-V: FTE-V), an emerging leader in the production and sale of premium organic soil-enrichment products based on worm castings, today announced that it has signed a contract with Hutcheson Sand & Mixes giving Hutcheson exclusive rights to use Forterra's products in a new line of blended sand mixes for the "Professional Sports Turf" industry, including golf courses and sports fields.
The agreement is for five years with an option for an additional five-year term. Forterra will supply Hutcheson with Forterra Worm Castings, EndoPro, and Worm Castings with EndoPro for blending into sand products for the turf-grass industry. EndoPro is a new product developed by Forterra that enhances its worm castings with beneficial fungus to improve the speed of seed germination and disease control.
Hutcheson will have the rights to use the Forterra and EndoPro trademarks for sales and marketing purposes. Hutcheson and Forterra also have agreed to work together to develop additional products for turf-grass applications, including landscaping.
Hutcheson Sand & Mixes, headquartered in Huntsville, Ontario, is recognized as a global leader in employing innovative technology to produce high-quality sands for a wide variety of applications. Hutcheson is the Official Sand Consultant for the International Federation of Volleyball (FIVB) and managed the sourcing, production, logistics, and placement of the sand for the Beach Volleyball complex at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. It has been serving the golf course industry for more than 30 years, providing innovative solutions to their needs from topdressings to bunker sands, divot mixes, and other specialty sand products. Hutcheson's products can be found on an estimated 850 golf courses across Canada and the United States, including approximately 600 courses in Ontario.
In 2009, the privately held company is continuing to expand its international business beyond North America. Further information on Hutcheson is available at the company's website www.hutchesonsand.com.
"After thoroughly evaluating Forterra's products," said Bruce Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hutcheson Sand & Mixes, "we are very confident that they will be a very sought-after addition to the high-quality products that we offer to golf-course superintendents and grounds managers in the golfing industry, in particular, as well as others in the Professional Sports Turf industry.
"Hutcheson is a market leader in the turf grass industry. Our non-calcareous sand and mix products are preferred by turf grass professionals because of their superior quality and consistency which provide an ideal root zone material for turf grass. We believe that incorporating Forterra's products in a mix enhances fertility in an environmentally friendly way by allowing nutrients in the soil to be more available to plants. It may also contribute to reducing existing environmental problems by reducing nutrient runoff, leaching, and waste. Using our new mixes will help professional turf managers control costs on fertility as well as protect neighboring lands," Mr. Smith continued.
"We look forward to working with Forterra in joint marketing programs at industry trade shows and through our other channels, as well as in the further development of products for the global turf-grass industry," Mr. Smith said.
"Hutcheson estimates that it will require us to supply it with approximately 1,500 tons of Forterra Worm Castings plus EndoPro. This would amount to sales of between $0.5 million and $0.75 million in 2009," said Rick Denyes, Forterra's President and Chief Operating Officer.
"The actual volume of Forterra's products that we sell to Hutcheson and our future revenues," he continued, "of course will depend on the success of the marketing and sales efforts to the turf-grass industry. Our companies feel very optimistic that the demand will be significant as potential customers are made aware of the benefits that our products will offer them. We are immediately jointly launching our marketing to golf superintendents and landscapers at trade shows and through other marketing efforts."
About Forterra Environmental Corp.
Forterra manufactures and markets environmentally friendly soil enhancers, using worm castings, which boost fertility while restoring the soil with organic matter for sustainable, longer-term benefits, including stronger root growth, and drought and pest resistance. Forterra products contain only organic material. They are ideal for golf courses, sports fields, lawn care, parks, nurseries, orchards, and vineyards. Essentially, Forterra uses red wriggler worms to convert organic material into vermicompost or worm castings. Worm castings contain micronutrients, which are required for healthy plant development. Worm castings also contain microbes, which increase the rate at which plants take up available macronutrients and micronutrients. Further information is available on the company's website at www.forterra.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations. These forward-looking statements entail various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on current expectations, are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks, and actual results may differ materially from those contained in such statements. These uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, availability of resources, competitive pressures, changes in market activity, the ability to sign contracts with customers, the development of markets for worm castings, its ability to breed and maintain a sufficiently large worm population, and regulatory requirements. Risks and uncertainties about Forterra's business are more fully discussed in the company's disclosure materials, including its annual information form and MD&A, filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada. Forterra assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from such statements.
The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this news release.
For further information: Investor and Media Relations Richard W. Wertheim Wertheim + Company Inc. Email: wertheim(at)wertheim.ca Phone: (416) 594-1600 Cell: (416) 518-8479
|