Ball Horticultural Expands Potted Plant Offerings With Purchase Of Ex-Plant

santos flareBall Horticultural Company has acquired a majority of shares in Danish breeding company Ex-Plant A/S. Ex-Plant, which specializes in potted plants, will become a part of Ball’s PanAmerican Seed division upon the close of this transaction, which is anticipated in January 2017. Current owner Carsten Leth will retain the remaining shares and will assume the new position of Global Business Manager-Pot Plants for PanAmerican Seed.

“Being a part of Ball Horticultural Company is an excellent opportunity for our team to take breeding of Ex-Plant genetics to the next level,” says Leth. “We are located in Denmark, the homeland of potted plants, and our knowledge of product development within the potted plant segment, combined with the technical breeding expertise of Ball, is a perfect match. When added to the global distribution network of PanAmerican Seed, even more distributors, growers, and consumers will gain access to our unique assortment of products.”

Advertisement

Anne Leventry, President of PanAmerican Seed, says Ball is excited to add a new assortment of high-quality potted plants to its offerings.

“We are pleased to be bringing in Ex-Plant’s expertise in the potted plant market to our company,” Leventry says.

Leventry also answered a few additional questions from Greenhouse Grower about the acquisition:

Top Articles
Vestaron Receives EPA Approval for Second Active Ingredient, Basin Bioinsecticide

Greenhouse Grower (GG): What does this purchase mean for Ball/PanAmerican Seed’s customers?

Leventry: We plan to make the entire assortment available to all of PanAmerican Seed’s customers worldwide. We believe that the expanded reach of PanAmerican into many markets not currently served by Ex-Plant will make these great genetics more easily available to growers.

GG: How will growers be affected directly?

Leventry: Growers will be able to purchase these products through the distributor they are accustomed to working with. With more resources on the ground in many markets, there will be more opportunity for product presentations, sampling, trialing, and technical support than Ex-Plant was able to supply from Denmark.

GG: How will the deal affect development of new genetics?

Leventry: We plan to increase our efforts in breeding in the flowering potted plant segment, using the Ex-Plant location in Denmark as our anchor site. Carsten Leth will lead our efforts in breeding and sourcing products in this category. So we expect to be able to bring more new and exciting potted plants to market in the future.

Leth will focus on the global development and implementation of PanAm’s assortment of potted plant products based on proprietary breeding as well as supply from other leading breeders of potted plant products. Leth will continue to manage the Danish operation and will remain the main contact for Ex-Plant key accounts. Daily business and customer service will continue to be available out of the Denmark office. Beginning May 1, 2017, the complete Ex-Plant assortment will be available worldwide through PanAmerican Seed distributors.

The current Ex-Plant team located in Glamsbjerg, Denmark, will remain in place and will join the global PanAmerican Seed network of breeding locations in development of market-leading product for the global ornamental horticulture market.

0