A totally new range of environmentally-sensitive feed, weed and control products from one of the world’s leading plant technology companies was launched at Glee yesterday, making the best professional technology available to British amateur gardeners.
The Ecofective range from Milan-based family business Sipcam is made exclusively in Britain with clear objective to be kinder to the environment than conventional products, include ingredients with favourably eco-toxicological and health and safety profiles (using naturally derived ingredients where possible) and to demonstrate excellent efficacy.
Garden centre supplies, with accompanying in-store POS and marketing support, will be handled exclusively by Decco.
A UK team of 11 has been set up, with a home and garden division under the leadership of Matt Jones, formerly managing director of Doff Portland and a technical team headed by Dr Anne Noble and Bob Hand, both specialists in plant nutrition and regulated products.
“We are taking a very long view, having recognized the opportunities and potential for our products in the British domestic garden market,” said Matt. “Sipcam is a €500m family-owned business that has been trading for 70 years. Our technology has been developed following many years of strategic R&D in co-operation with leading international universities. This provides us with a unique skills set in what is an already overcroweded market.”
Research shows that UK gardeners seek environmentally responsible ways to help them. Ecofective makes the bio-technologies we have developed available to them in attractive and easily usable forms – particularly relevant now as an increasing number of pesticides, active ingredients and conventional checmicals are being withdrawn, often due to environmental concerns.”
The range includes Rose Defender (to control aphids and mildew, plus foliar feed), Weed Blast (weedkiller based on acetic acid, offering visible results after one hour), Patio & Path Weed and Moss Killer, a clay granule slug barrier, a non-pesticide Plant Defender and an organic Wonder Feed for tomatoes favoured by commercial organic growers.
