Huntsman Innovation to Boost Greenhouse Crops
Everberg, BELGIUM – Huntsman today announces that it has developed a hydrophilic material with a special affinity for water that can be used for food cultivation and in commercial greenhouses to support the production of crops such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplants and salad leaves.
The material, which is being produced in conjunction with Dutch greenhouse horticulture specialist BVB Substrates, has a high pore volume that creates excellent water retention.
Marketed as BVB SUBLIME®, the innovative material locks in exactly the right balance of air and water to optimize successful plant development – releasing moisture slowly, over time.
Clean, inert and easy to use, BVB SUBLIME® substrate delivers a comparable performance to existing plant growing materials but with a number of advantages. With the need for soil eliminated, BVB SUBLIME® substrate can help keep greenhouse drains clear. In addition, the roots of salad plants such as lettuce are kept clean and require less preparation before distribution to retail outlets.
The BVB SUBLIME® substrate is ideal for use in greenhouses that employ traditional hydroponics growing systems and the nutrient film technique (NFT) – a method of growing plants in a watertight gully.
The Netherlands has a mature, high-tech, hydroponics industry where food crops are grown continuously, all year-round to meet national and international demand.
Dave Burge, Strategic Marketing at Huntsman, said: “Demand from the food industry for fresh crops, all year round, is increasing. Consumers now expect ready access to fruit and vegetables, regardless of season. With the global population booming – and estimated to surpass nine billion by 2050 – pressure on food supplies is only going to intensify. Spotting a gap in the commercial greenhouse sector we developed a new type of material with the potential to benefit everyone on the planet – and worked closely with the team at BVB Substrates to bring it to market. The BVB SUBLIME® substrate has been rigorously tested to ensure that it is safe for use in the production of greenhouse crops. Following extensive trials by numerous growers and research stations, the material is now being used in commercial greenhouses worldwide and interest in this next generation substrate is growing.”
As well as commercial hydroponic growing mats, the BVB SUBLIME® substrate can be shaped into grow plugs and propagation blocks to support different stages of the plant growth cycle."
Samples of BVB SUBLIME® substrate will be on display at UTECH Europe at Huntsman’s exhibition stand: 1210. UTECH Europe opens on Tuesday 14 April 2015 at MECC Maastricht, The Netherlands. For more information about the event go to: http://www.utecheurope.eu/
For further information about BVB Sublime substrate, please contact: psonneveld@bvb-substrates.nl
BVB SUBLIME® is a registered trademark of Bas van Buuren B.V.
About Huntsman:
Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated chemicals with 2014 revenues of approximately $13 billion including the acquisition of Rockwood’s performance additives and TiO2 businesses. Our chemical products number in the thousands and are sold worldwide to manufacturers serving a broad and diverse range of consumer and industrial end markets. We operate more than 100 manufacturing and R&D facilities in more than 30 countries and employ approximately 16,000 associates within our 5 distinct business divisions. For more information about Huntsman, please visit the company's website at www.huntsman.com.
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Statements in this release that are not historical are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s current beliefs and expectations. The forward-looking statements in this release are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances and involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the company’s operations, markets, products, services, prices and other factors as discussed in the Huntsman companies’ filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Significant risks and uncertainties may relate to, but are not limited to, financial, economic, competitive, environmental, political, legal, regulatory and technological factors. In addition, the completion of any transactions described in this release is subject to a number of uncertainties and closing will be subject to approvals and other customary conditions. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that such transactions will be completed or that the company’s expectations will be realized. The company assumes no obligation to provide revisions to any forward-looking statements should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by applicable laws.
CONTACT:
Ilse Vanden Brande
Tel: +32 (0)2 758 9420
Email: ilse_vanden_brande@huntsman.com