Ball to acquire majority of share in Danish breeding company Ex-Plant A/S

Date:12-20-2016

Ball Horticultural Company is pleased to announce the acquisition of a majority of shares in Danish breeding company Ex-Plant A/S. Ex-Plant 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.

Carsten comments, “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. We are located in Denmark, the homeland of pot plants, and our knowledge of product development within the pot 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.”

“We welcome Carsten and the Ex-Plant team to Ball. It is exciting to add these high-quality pot plants to our offering, and we are pleased to be bringing in Ex-Plant’s expertise in the pot plant market to our company,” stated Anne Leventry, President of PanAmerican Seed.

Carsten will focus on the global development and implementation of our attractive assortment of pot plant products based on proprietary breeding as well as supply from other leading breeders of pot plant products. Carsten 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.

About Ex-Plant A/S
Ex-Plant A/S has more than 21 years’ experience with R&D within the pot plant segment. Ex-Plant is known for its breeding of Exacum affine, Solanum, Ornamental peppers, as well their unique range of edible peppers. New pot plants such as Otacanthus ATLANTIS and Exacum hybrid SAPPHIRE are being introduced by selected growers worldwide and more exciting products will follow. For further information, visit ex-plant.com.

About PanAmerican Seed
PanAmerican Seed is an internationally renowned breeder and producer based in West Chicago, Illinois, that produces high-quality and best-performing flower varieties, including Super Elfin® impatiens, Matrix® pansies and our award-winning series of Wave® petunias. Research facilities in North and South America, the Pacific Rim and Europe enable us to test and evaluate new varieties under numerous climatic conditions. Our state-of-the-art seed distribution center guarantees quick, efficient processing of orders for our worldwide customers. For more information, visit panamseed.com.

About Ball Horticultural Company:
Ball Horticultural Company is an internationally renowned breeder, producer and wholesale distributor of ornamental plants. A family-owned business since it was founded in 1905, Ball companies have introduced many innovative, award-winning varieties to the world of horticulture, including the Wave® spreading petunia series. The company has worldwide production, sales and marketing through its many subsidiaries on six continents. For further information, visit ballhort.com.