Staff Report
Published Aug. 14, 2012

ArborGen finished its acquisition of a company that supplies pine seedlings, and expects to have initial seedlings available for sale by the 2012-2013 season, the Ridgeville-based company announced today.

CellFor, the company ArborGen acquired, is the world’s largest developer of varieties of loblolly pine and has invested more than $140 million during 12 years to develop its technology and products.

“The ability of advanced genetics to improve the profitability of our commercial forestry customers is now a matter of fact,” said Andrew Baum, president and CEO of ArborGen, in a news release. “With the acquisition of CellFor’s varietal pine assets, we are the best positioned company to provide those genetics to the forestry industry. The integration of CellFor into ArborGen strengthens our leading position in the key U.S. pine market by allowing us to introduce a broader base of pine varietal products at lower cost.”

ArborGen and CellFor had been working separately to develop millions of identical copies of seedlings and to develop a trial program for the seedlings. The acquisition will combine their efforts to produce a broader portfolio of varietal genetics and to streamline development and integration.

“An immediate impact of this acquisition is that it gives our existing and prospective customers in the United States and South America even more choices when it comes to our products,” said John Pait, vice president of marketing for ArborGen, in a news release. “We have nearly 20 years of data and more than 78,000 acres of forests in the United States and South America that underscore the benefits of these products to landowners and commercial foresters, including improved productivity, disease resistance and log quality characteristics that can maximize the value of their timber crops.”

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