Biome Tech Regulatory News (BIOM)

25 May 2006 07:02

Stanelco PLC25 May 2006 25th May 2006 Stanelco plc ("Stanelco" or "the Company") WRAP 100 receives US FDA approval Stanelco is pleased to announce that FDA compliance for its new material, Wrap100, has now been confirmed by Pira International (the UK approved testing housefor the FDA) for food contact approval. This material's properties do not allow oil or moisture to pass through it,whilst permitting moisture vapour to permeate out. It can be used for hot, fastfoods like burgers as it stops condensation occurring that can adversely affectfood quality. Unlike waxed paper, it is a fully biodegradable material withobvious environmental benefits and can compete on a cost neutral basis with suchmaterials. Wrap 100 is significantly lighter than existing packing, whichpresents potential cost savings and in addition will provide customers withreduced transport costs and landfill taxes. WRAP 100 is currently being trialled by a major quick service restaurant and haspassed preliminary testing. With this approval it can now undergo live triallingin restaurants. The material can be used in any application where waxed paper is used. Inaddition due to its heat sealing qualities it is also possible to make bags outof the material at a competitive cost relative to paper bags which have to beglued. The approval allows the full range of applications to be live trialled inthe US by prospective customers, not just within the quick service restaurantsector but across the retail sector in general. Martin Wagner, CEO of Stanelco, commented: "We are very excited about the opportunities for WRAP 100. It has propertiesthat will help significantly improve packaging quality in the fast food sector,whilst at the same time providing benefits to the environment. FDA complianceallows live trialling of the product and means that it can be sold for foodpackaging applications within the USA. "Stanelco continues to research and develop other new product ranges using ourIP to maintain our reputation as a market leader in new packaging materials andsystems across the globe. "On another matter, I am pleased to update the position on Greensealcommunicated by our chairman at our recent AGM. We are continuing to makesignificant strides with our Multivac conversions with trials into both a saladand meat supplier to Asda going well. The Proseal AP60 currently being convertedfor Hitchin Foods is consistently performing in our factory in Southamptonhaving run for 8 hours continuously for several days without any issues." - Ends - For further information please contact: Martin Wagner, Chief Executive OfficerStanelco PLCTel: +44 (0)2380 867 100 Jonathon Brill/Caroline StewartFinancial DynamicsTel: +44 (0)20 7831 3113 About Stanelco plc The Stanelco Group of companies (the Group) has brought together expertise inradio frequency (RF) technology, RF applications and biodegradable materialsciences to create a revolutionary range of packaging technologies. Stanelco's philosophy is that new products and processes must offer solutionsand applications which: - give higher added value, - are greener, more environmentally sustainable than those they replace and - have protectable intellectual property rights. Stanelco will develop the products and processes to a demonstration stage andthen work with partners in order to reach the markets; and under thesecircumstances Stanelco will usually seek to license its technology. Stanelcoinvests considerable time and resources in ensuring its technologies areprotected via layers of patents wherever possible. In this way Stanelco believes it can minimise commercial risk and preserve thehighest value for shareholders. The products offering the prospect of near term revenue generation are beinggiven priority over the Group's resources. Stanelco was founded in 1953 and is a world leader in the development of radiofrequency technologies for processing polymers for edible and packagingapplications and the design and manufacture of optical fibre technology,induction heating and dielectric welding equipment. Stanelco's currentdevelopments include GREENSEAL Food tray lidding technology, STARPOL (starch /pva blended material), STARPOL 2000 (highly functional, low cost biodegradablepackaging material with food contact approvals) FrogPack high impact low costpackaging format, CradleWrap range of biodegradable air cushion packaging,Soluble tape, 100% water-soluble films and adhesives, Biodegradable Airbag (voidfill) packaging, edible hard-shell capsule technology, water-soluble detergentcapsules, edible sachets and waste packing. GREENSEAL, STARPOL, FrogPack and CradleWrap are all trademarks of the Stanelcoplc group. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange