Ornamental Growers Continue Conversion to Piccolo® 10 XC from Fine Americas
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ornamental Growers Continue Conversion
To Piccolo® 10 XC from Fine Americas
Walnut Creek, Calif.— Fine Americas, Inc., a leading manufacturer and marketer of
plant growth regulators (PGRs) for the greenhouse ornamental industry, today reported
a continuing conversion from older paclobutrazol PGRs to its advanced Piccolo® 10 XC
formulation. Introduced in 2011, Piccolo® 10 XC is 10 times more concentrated than
previous paclobutrazol products.
“As time goes by, more and more ornamental growers are discovering the unique
benefits of Piccolo® 10 XC, the only 4.0% paclobutrazol formulation on the market
today,” stated Fine Americas president Greg Johnson. “In fact, Piccolo® 10 XC is
quickly becoming the industry standard for paclobutrazol PGRs, a clear indication that
growers appreciate its performance, convenience and overall value.”
Kevin Forney, technical services manager for Fine Americas, noted that Piccolo® 10
XC is still the only paclobutrazol PGR formulated in a true solution instead of a
suspension. “By overcoming the potential settling problems associated with older
suspension products, Piccolo® 10 XC mixes quickly and evenly in the spray tank. In
addition, many growers report seeing more consistent results with Piccolo 10 XC,
undoubtedly due to the more uniform distribution of the active ingredient within the
spray mixture.”
“It’s always great when they can take a proven product like Piccolo® and improve upon
it,” said Jeff Lewis of Riverview Flower Farm, Riverview, FL. “We have a lot of women
who work in our operation and apply PGRs, and it’s not easy for them to shake heavy
two-and-a-half gallon jugs full of product in order to ensure even distribution of the active
ingredient. Given the fact that Piccolo® 10 XC is a true suspension, there’s no shaking
required. And the super-concentrated formulation means our employees only have to
deal with quart bottles instead of big, bulky 2.5-gallon plastic jugs.”
Greenhouse ornamental trials by leading university researchers throughout the U.S.
have shown similar efficacies with Piccolo® 10 XC, Piccolo® and Bonzi®. As with older
paclobutrazol formulations, Piccolo® 10 XC can be used as either a drench or foliar spray
to produce more compact and marketable plants.
Forney added that Piccolo® 10 XC is labeled for use on most bedding plants/plugs,
flowering and foliage crops, bulb crops, perennials and woody ornamentals. He urged
growers to always read and follow label directions before using Piccolo® 10 XC or any
plant growth regulator.
Piccolo® is a registered trademark of Fine Agrochemicals, Ltd. Bonzi® is a registered
trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.
About Fine Americas, Inc.
Fine Americas, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fine Holdings Ltd., Worcester, UK.
Founded in 1983, Fine focuses on the development and marketing of plant growth regulators for
fruit and ornamental crops. The company received its ISO 9001 accreditation in 1992 and
continually strives to improve plant growth regulator technology to meet the exacting demands
of today’s quality-conscious growers. For more information about Fine Americas, please visit
www.fine-americas.com.
About Engle Creative Solutions, LLC
Headquartered in Columbia, MO, Engle Creative Solutions is a full-service marketing
communications company specializing in agribusiness, financial services and health care
accounts. Engle Creative Solutions is committed to helping its clients “stand out in a crowded
world” through sound strategy coupled with flawless creative execution. To learn more about
Engle Creative Solutions, go to www.englecreativesolutions.com.
For more information, contact:
Gregory Johnson
President
Fine Americas, Inc.
1850 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite 405
Walnut Creek, CA 94506
(925) 932-8817
Steve Engle
President/Chief Creative Officer
Engle Creative Solutions, LLC
4807 Walnut Ridge Court
Columbia, MO 65203
(573) 823-4723
