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Message: Valcent'S First Commercial Verticrop System Now Operational
| August 05, 2009 Valcent'S First Commercial Verticrop System Now Operational |
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Valcent Products Inc. (the "Company", or "Valcent"), www.valcent.net - Valcent Products (EU) Ltd, www.valcent.eu, the UK based wholly owned subsidiary of Valcent Products Inc., announce that their first full scale VertiCropTM High Density Vegetable Growing System is now operational. Constructed as a joint venture with Paignton Zoological and Environmental Park in South Devon, the final touches to the system have now been completed and the VertiCropTM planted out with its first crop of lettuce. Occupying a purpose built polytunnel in the centre of the Environmental Park and open to the Zoo's 500,000 visitors on a year round basis, the Paignton VertiCropTM is the world's first moving vertical growing system capable of producing over 11,000 heads of lettuce or other vegetable crops every 3 to 4 weeks. Eventually the system will be planted to allow sequential harvesting to provide the Zoo with fresh vegetables daily for its many animal species. In addition to lettuce, the VertiCropTM will produce red chard, mizuna, mixed leaves, and a variety of herbs as well as edible flowers and fodder crops such as wheat grass and barley. The Zoo will use the VertiCropTM system to bring greater variety to the diets of its animals as well as adding nutritional value from having these fresh crops grown on site. Three members of the Zoo staff have been trained to operate the VertiCropTM system, and they will be working closely with the Valcent Research Team to gather data on different plant performances, growth rates and nutritional update. Of the trained staff, one member will be allocated two hours a day to operate and maintain the system on a rota basis. The Paignton VertiCropTM system has been designed to be low maintenance with computerized controls to regulate irrigation and water supply and the environment within the polytunnel. Loading and unloading of the plant trays onto the conveyor system will be fully automated to facilitate harvesting and re-planting. The Zoo currently has large quantities of vegetables delivered to them for animal feed. Growing their own on site in the VertiCropTM system will give them a wider variety of produce, control over nutritional value and enrich the lives of their animals, in addition to providing substantial savings in their weekly food bill. With the VertiCropTM operating in a continuous production cycle, the Zoo now has the capability to be self sufficient for most, if not all of their total vegetable requirements. The Zoo estimates that this will reduce their overall feed bill by up to £100,000 per year. Over the course of the next three months it is expected that over fifty potential commercial customers for VertiCropTM will visit the Paignton site to see the system in operation. Representing interests from the Middle East, Asia, Australasia, North and South America as well as Europe, the viability of the system to produce vegetable crops in many different environments will be fully assessed and the Valcent team anticipates a full order book for the VertiCropTM system by year end. About Valcent Products Inc: Valcent Products Inc. (OTCBB: VCTZF) develops highly innovative consumer and industrial products and processes for global markets. Valcent is a pioneer and leader in ecotechnology with its core research and development in sustainable, renewable, and intense growth of agricultural products. For more information, visit: www.valcent.net and www.valcent.eu and visit and contribute to http://blog.valcent.net. Contacts: Media Relations Nancy Tamosaitis-Thompson Vorticom Public Relations 212.532.2208 Nancyt@vorticom.com Investor Relations Gerry Jardine or Mike Parker (800) 877-1626 or (888) 506-7979 or worldwide (604) 630-2941 info@valcent.net |
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