Independent analytical data indicates active
ingredients released from film
- Efficacy Trial underway; conducted by independent research
organization
- ADVASEAL® requires over 95% less pesticides than current
grower standard for soil disinfestation
- ADVASEAL® is an environmentally friendly,
cost- and time-saving alternative to conventional pre-plant soil
disinfestation practices for the undisturbed growth of new crop
seedlings
MONTREAL, March 31, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Imaflex Inc.
("Imaflex" or the "Corporation") (TSXV: IFX), announces positive
interim results from a field trial assessing the efficacy of its
next generation crop protection film, ADVASEAL®, compared to
commonly used fumigants. Independent analytical lab results of
ADVASEAL® samples collected at the trial site, in the
three-week period following the film being laid on the ground,
indicate that the active ingredients are being released into the
soil in the desired manner. This is in line with the
prerequisites for effective soil disinfestation, safe product use
and pesticide registration relating to fruit and vegetable
production. As originally announced on March 28, 2019, Imaflex has been working closely
with an external party to coat the active ingredients on
ADVASEAL®. That company is FUJIFILM Manufacturing U.S.A., Inc.
Fumigants are volatile pesticides that are essential in reducing
weeds and soil borne pathogen levels in the soil before planting
(soil disinfestation), giving young crops a good start in a low
pest zone environment. Currently, fumigants offer the greatest
efficacy for soil disinfestation, but they also have the highest
health and environmental risk due to their volatility, toxicity and
required application rate of a few hundred pounds per
acre. Imaflex's patent protected film, ADVASEAL®, has been
designed to replace this practice with an environmentally friendly,
cost- and time-saving alternative that allows for the safe and
precise application of pre-plant crop protection products,
including an herbicide, nematicide and three fungicides. These
five active ingredients are coated onto a mulch film and once
applied to the ground they are released into the soil under
controlled conditions. The current tested formulation for ADVASEAL®
equates to a total application rate of less than one pound per acre
for all five active ingredients. This is well over 95% less
fumigants than that required for soil disinfestation today.
The Efficacy Trial is taking place in Florida and is now in its eighth week. It is
being conducted by an independent research organization, well
recognized by both the crop protection industry and regulatory
agencies. The trial is evaluating ADVASEAL®'s ability
to release its crop protection products into the soil and achieve
soil disinfestation – prior to planting tomato seedlings – within
the same three-week window currently required with standard
fumigants for tomatoes. Concurrently, the trial is monitoring plant
growth, yield and quality, compared to a crop grown under the
current best Florida grower
standard for fresh tomato production using fumigants. The
tomato plant was chosen as a model crop, because it is the most
widely grown vegetable in the world. Furthermore, if high yields
can be achieved using ADVASEAL® with tomato plants, it can
likely be used to produce high yields for most other fruits and
vegetables that require pre-plant soil disinfestation with
fumigants. Full trial results, including plant growth, yield and
quality for both the ADVASEAL® test crop and grower reference will
be released once the growing season is complete and the independent
report is available.
"We are pleased to reach this key milestone, which moves us one
step closer to the potential commercialization of
ADVASEAL®," highlighted Mr. Joe
Abbandonato, President and Chief Executive Officer of
Imaflex. "The positive results we are seeing renews our confidence
in the tangible financial and environmental benefits we can
potentially offer growers worldwide." The agriculture industry
is facing an expanding list of challenges, including climatic
changes, less resources to feed a growing world population, slowing
yields due to disease, increased focus on sustainable farming,
rising production costs and competitive pressures to name a
few. Consequently, growers are increasingly turning to other
industries to help them do more with less.
"We worked closely with FUJIFILM Manufacturing U.S.A., Inc. on the development of the coating
process for the active ingredient mixture, which allowed us to
benefit from their expertise in high-speed coating technologies and
functional film production," continued Mr. Abbandonato."Staffed
with skilled chemists, process engineers and production
technicians, Fujifilm has vast experience in bringing innovative
products to market. Their state-of-the-art U.S. manufacturing
and research and development facility in South Carolina is also impressive, with over
2.5 million square feet of manufacturing space under
roof."
"Imaflex's expertise in advanced extrusion and innovative crop
protection films is a natural fit with our extensive experience
developing and commercializing new functional film products," said
Mr. Todd Croker, President of
FUJIFILM Manufacturing U.S.A.,
Inc. "Fujifilm has a longstanding commitment to protecting and
preserving the environment, and we continually seek opportunities
to collaborate with companies who share in this commitment."
Given the positive interim results, the Corporation intends to
continue its pre-registration meetings with the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and will meet to discuss results and next
steps for the timely registration of ADVASEAL® as a new pesticide.
This will include discussions on the design of a trial to determine
the exact timing for the complete release of each active ingredient
used with ADVASEAL®. This is required to show compliance with
the pre-harvest interval legally established by the EPA for each
pesticide used, which is essentially the wait time between
ADVASEAL®'s application on the soil and when a crop can first be
harvested for safe human consumption.
About ADVASEAL®
Today, agricultural films
are used in the growing of fresh fruits and vegetables worldwide to
cover soil treated with fumigants – volatile and toxic pesticides
essential for reducing pests, weeds and fungi in the soil, thus
supporting good growth of new crop seedlings.
The original EPA approved ADVASEAL® (ADVASEAL® HSM), contained
only a herbicide for weed control. The new enhanced ADVASEAL®
under development also includes fungicides and a nematicide to
control soil borne pathogens, thus becoming a complete non-fumigant
alternative for soil disinfestation. With ADVASEAL®, modern
non-volatile crop protection products can be applied more
effectively and safely than with fumigants. The crop
protection products are incorporated into a coating, which is then
applied to a mulch film. Once the coated film is applied to
the ground the active ingredients are released into the soil under
controlled conditions, preventing the over/under-dosing found with
current soil disinfestation practices. This new technology
dramatically reduces the amount of crop protection products
required. The catalyst to trigger the release of the active
ingredients is soil moisture. When the film is applied to the soil,
they are efficiently and safely discharged into the ground,
resulting in heightened productivity, lower costs and notable
environmental benefits.
About Imaflex Inc.
Founded in 1994, Imaflex is
focused on the development and manufacturing of innovative
solutions for the flexible packaging space. Concurrently, the
Corporation develops and manufactures films for the agriculture
industry. The Corporation's products consist primarily of
polyethylene (plastic) film and bags, including metalized plastic
film, for the industrial, agricultural and consumer markets.
Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec,
Imaflex has manufacturing facilities in Canada and the United States. The
Corporation's common stock is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange
under the ticker symbol IFX. Additional information is
available at www.imaflex.com.
Cautionary Statement on Forward Looking
Information
Certain information included in this press
release constitutes "forward-looking" statements within the meaning
of Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements are
necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that,
while considered reasonable by the management of the Corporation,
are inherently subject to significant business, economic and
competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies. The
Corporation cautions the reader that such forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors that may cause the actual financial results, performance or
achievements of Imaflex to be materially different from the
Corporation's estimated future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements and that
the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance. These statements are also based on certain
factors and assumptions. For more details on these estimates,
risks, assumptions and factors, see the Corporation's most recent
Management Discussion and Analysis filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com
and on the investor section of the Corporation's website at
www.imaflex.com. The Corporation disclaims any obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, events or otherwise, except as expressly
required by law. Readers are cautioned not to put undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
SOURCE Imaflex Inc.