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Plant Health Care (AIM: PHC), a leading provider of novel patent-protected biological products to global agriculture markets, is pleased to announce that it has received its first product registration in Brazil from the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture. With this registration, the Company and its partners will be allowed to sell products based on its current generation of commercialized protein technology for foliar use on all crops.

Plant Health Care's protein technology is now approved for usage in 12 countries, including Brazil and the United States, which represent the two largest agricultural markets in the world. In addition, this registration allows the Company to move forward with the development and distribution agreement it signed with Arysta LifeScience in December, 2014 for foliar application of its technology to sugarcane in Brazil. Under that contract, Arysta LifeScience agreed to evaluate the Company's current protein technology across a range of geographical locations throughout Brazil and generate detailed information on increased biomass and sucrose production. In earlier studies, the technology showed significant and reliable increases in sugarcane yield. Pending consistent and reliable test results in the evaluation program, first sales of the product in Brazil are anticipated in the 2017 crop season.

Paul Schmidt, CEO of Plant Health Care, commented, "This registration is very significant to Plant Health Care as Brazil is the single largest agricultural market in the world. Sugarcane is one of the country's most important crops, covering more than 20 million acres, and a feedstock for the production of ethanol, which is a major component of Brazil's renewable fuel policy. Arysta LifeScience is a strong partner for the sugarcane market and we see the potential to establish a formidable position in this important sector."

João Marcos Ferrari, President & CEO of Arysta LifeSciences Do Brasil, commented, "We are excited to move forward with Plant Health Care in this collaborative effort. We have seen this technology provide significant increases in yield and sugar production in sugarcane and believe it will offer substantial benefits to growers. This is another important step toward our goal to be a leader in the applications of biological products in agricultural production."

The Company will issue interim results for the six months to June 30, 2015 on September 14, 2015.

– ENDS –

 

For further information, please contact:

Plant Health Care plc

Paul Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer                                                      Tel: +1 (919) 926 1600

 

Liberum Capital – Nomad and Broker

Clayton Bush                                                                                       Tel: +44 (0) 20 3100 2000

 

LHA

Ed McGregor / Jody Burfening                                                                Tel: +1 (212) 838 3777

Company website: www.planthealthcare.com

About Plant Health Care:  Plant Health Care is a leading provider of novel patent-protected biological products to the global agriculture markets.  In this way, Plant Health Care is capitalising on long-term trends toward natural systems and biological products for plant care and soil and water management.  The Company's ordinary shares have been quoted on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange since July 2004 (ticker symbol: PHC). 

About Arysta LifeScience:  Arysta LifeScience, now owned by Platform Specialty Products, is a leading crop protection and life science company with 2014 revenues of US$2.2 billion. An entrepreneurial provider of crop protection and life science products in more than 125 countries worldwide, Arysta LifeScience specializes in marketing and distribution of respected crop protection brands and life science products that meet the needs of its global partners. 

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·     Avanti appointed to supply major broadcast deployment for Aragon Government

·     Quantis deploys Avanti's HYLAS 1  technology to transmit HD content to 1.3m viewers

Avanti Communications Group plc ("Avanti" or "the Group"), a leading provider of satellite data communications services in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, has been appointed by Quantis to supply a major broadcast deployment for the Aragon Government in Spain.  The multi-year contract builds on Avanti's existing partnership with Quantis, through which Avanti delivers high speed broadband via satellite to Quantis' significant consumer and enterprise customer base.

The Government of Aragon will work with Quantis locally to broadcast signal for TV and radio channels including: Aragon, Aragon 2 HD, Aragón Radio, Aragón FM Radio 2 and TEA. Distribution will be deployed via Avanti's HYLAS 1 satellite to over 300 terrestrial repeaters, reaching 1.3m viewers in Aragon. 

Aquilino Antuña, CEO of Quantis, commented: "With this agreement we strengthen our position in the broadcast market. We consider it strategically important to the growth of our company. We are delighted to grow our contract with Avanti with this exciting proposition for over one million citizens in Aragon."

David Williams, Chief Executive of Avanti, commented: "This new contract will deliver a uniquely innovative broadcasting service for the Aragon government. In delivering this at scale, Avanti continues to extend the power of its distribution platform. We are now partner to some the world's largest broadcasters, providing services with unparalleled levels of quality and flexibility."

For further information please contact:

Avanti: Matthew Springett, +44 (0)207 749 6703

Montfort: Nick Miles / James Olley, +44 (0)203 770 7909

Redleaf: Hannah Nicolas, +44 (0)207 382 4734

Cenkos Securities: Max Hartley (Nomad) / Julian Morse, +44 (0)207 397 8900

 

Notes to editors

About Quantis

Quantis is the new generation satellite broadband operator in Europe. It is the largest supplier of satellite broadband services in Spain. With 100% availability all over the Iberian Peninsula, Canary and Balearic Islands as well as the rest of Europe and the North of Africa, Quantis provides customers with speeds of 20Mbps regardless of location.

Visit: www.quantis.es 

About Avanti Communications 

Avanti connects people wherever they are – in their homes, businesses, in government and on mobiles. Through the HYLAS satellite fleet and more than 150 partners in 118 countries, the network provides ubiquitous internet service to 27 per cent of the world's population. Avanti delivers the level of quality and flexibility that the most demanding telecoms customers in the world seek.

Avanti is the first mover in high throughput satellite data communications in EMEA. It has rights to orbital slots and Ka-band spectrum that cover an end market of over 1.5bn people. The Group has invested $1.2bn in a network that incorporates satellites, ground stations, datacentres and a fibre ring. Avanti has a unique Cloud based flexible customer interface that is protected by patented technology.

The Group has three satellites in orbit and a further two fully funded satellites under construction. Avanti Communications is listed in London on AIM (AVN:LSE). 

Visit: www.avantiplc.com

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EU Supply (LSE AIM: EUSP), the e-procurement software provider, is pleased to announce that it has won its first order in a new EEC-member state Iceland, with an entity entering into a contract for the Company's CTM™ platform for more than two years, with implementation due to be completed during the third quarter of 2015.

In addition, in Denmark, EU Supply has entered into a four-year agreement with the last of the country's five regional governments. This means that all of Denmark's regional governments are using or will soon start to use EU Supply's CTM™ platform for their procurement. The implementation for the last regional government is also due to be completed during the third quarter of 2015.

In addition, Tender Lite is now being used by authorities and lead parties of consortia in a total of more than 40 authorities across Europe.

FURTHER ENQUIRIES

EU Supply PLC                            Tel: 020 7127 4545     Thomas Beergrehn, CEO   Mattias Ström, CFO   Westhouse Securities Tel: 020 7601 6100 Tom Griffiths, David Coaten

Notes to Editors

EU Supply is the UK holding company of the EU Supply Group, a Sweden-based e-commerce business, which has an established, market-leading, multilingual e-procurement platform for e-sourcing, e-tendering and contract management, tailored for the highly regulated European public sector market.

Since 2006, the Group has invested heavily in employing specialist programmers to add functionality, legal compliance as required and security features to its Complete Tender Management™ ("CTM™") platform to ensure that the Group is ideally placed to secure new contracts with EU Member States and their Contracting Authorities. The platform is available in 16 different languages.

The Directors believe that the Group's CTM™ platform is one of the easiest to use and most functionally advanced solutions available in the market. The CTM™ platform is used by over 7,000 European public sector bodies in 10 EU/EEC Member States and has National Procurement System status in four Member States (the UK, Ireland, Norway and Lithuania).

The Company's shares were admitted to trading on AIM in November 2013 when the Company raised £5.0 million before expenses. In July 2014, the Company raised a further £1.35 million by way of a placing of new ordinary shares, the proceeds of which were mainly used to strengthen the Company's balance sheet, provide working capital to support the growth of the business as it expands and aims to gain market share and to provide additional funds for sales and marketing.

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Neville Registrars are delighted to welcome OXACO Plc as the newest addition to its list of client companies.

Oxaco Plc is an AIM quoted company focusing on development of materials science technologies. It holds a stake in Oxford Advanced Surfaces Limited. Founded in June 2006 by Professor Mark Moloney and Dr. Jon-Paul Griffiths, Oxford Advanced Surfaces was "spun-out" by Ora Capital, IP Group and OSEM from the Chemistry department at the University of Oxford, one of the largest chemistry research laboratories in the world. The initial development of the Onto™ technology began over a decade ago at the University and it has continued and expanded through OAS.

Further information can be found on the Company's website: http://www.oxaco.co.uk/

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Hunters, one of the largest national sales and lettings estate agency businesses, is pleased to announce that dealings in its shares on AIM will commence today at 60 pence per share. Numis Securities is Nominated Adviser and Broker to the Company.

The Group has traded under the Hunters brand since inception in 1992 and as at 31 May 2015, had 151 branches of which 140 were franchised branches, with the remaining 11 branches being owned by the Group.   

 

Admission details:

Share price on admission	60p
Number of ordinary shares	28,149,919
Market capitalisation on admission	£16.9m

 

Commenting on the Company's admission, Kevin Hollinrake, Chairman said:

"Today marks an exciting moment for Hunters as it seeks to capitalise on its recent success to become the UK's leading estate agency brand. By joining AIM we open up a new route to capital to support our ambitions and enhance our offering to existing and new franchisees. I would like to thank everybody who has been part of Hunters' success story to date."

 

Ends

For further information, please contact:

Hunters Group                                                  Harry Hill, Chief Executive Glynis Frew, Managing Director Ed Jones, Chief Financial Officer	01904 756 197
Numis Securities                                             Stuart Skinner, Paul Gillam (Nomad) David Poutney (Corporate Broker)	020 7260 1000
Smithfield Consultants                                 Alex Simmons Charles Goodwin	0207 360 4900

Notes to Editors:

 

Overview of Hunters Group

• Having started in 1992 with just one wholly-owned branch, the Group first grew organically, by opening owned branches, and consisted of 10 branches by the end of 2005.  From 2006, when the Group first began expanding via franchising, the Group has grown to 151 branches as at 31 May 2015. 

• The Directors believe that the Group's expertise in both sales and lettings makes its business model more robust than that of pure sales or lettings focused competitors. 

• Whilst the lettings business provides the Group with a recurring revenue stream, the sales business provides exposure to higher gross margin sales commissions.  The combination of the two income streams reduces cyclicality in the revenues of both the Franchisees and the Group, providing a more stable business. 

The growth strategy

• The Group's growth strategy is to continue to increase its market share in the UK estate agency market by growing its network of franchised branches, and to continue to develop and refine its proposition to Franchisees. 

• Its objective is to become the largest estate agency brand in the UK market in 3 years. 

• To achieve these objectives, the Group expects to grow both organically and by acquisition, which includes:

o  Acquisitions of small estate agency franchise chains, of 5-20 branches focused in reasonably small geographic areas, in which they have built a local reputation, which will be integrated into the Hunters network.  The Group's strategy is to target those chains focused on areas of the UK in which its presence is less established.

o  Significant strategic acquisitions of competitors – the Directors intend to look to acquire one medium to large estate agency franchise, of ideally 20 to 200 franchisees in each of the first two years following Admission and every 2 or 3 years thereafter. 

• The Group's in-house franchise sales team targets the conversion of existing independent estate agencies and small wholly-owned estate agency networks into new Hunters Franchisees.  The Group's target is to add at least 20 new branches (either independent estate agencies or small independent estate agency networks) to the franchise network each year. 

Proven franchise business model

• Since 2006, the Group's strategy has been to grow a predominantly franchise network.  From Hunters' perspective, expansion via growth of its franchise network requires minimal start-up capital; in most cases, the start-up costs of a new branch are borne by the Franchisee.  This reduces the capital risk of expansion to Hunters, allows the business to grow quickly without committing significant capital, and minimises the size of the management team needed to oversee a large national network of estate agency branches. 

• The vast majority of revenue that the Group receives from Franchisees is generated via the Management Services Fee. Most are calculated at a standard 8 per cent.  of the Franchisee's revenue, charged on a monthly basis.  Franchisees also contribute 2 per cent.  of their monthly revenue to the central marketing fund. 

• The Directors believe that the franchise model provides a competitive advantage compared to own branch competitors as it is more scalable and requires lower capital investment. 

• The franchise model allows individual Franchisees to benefit from brand recognition, centralised support services and economies of scale as if they were an owned branch of a much larger agency.  These include purchasing economies of scale which the Group achieves, in particular centrally negotiated rates for portals such as Rightmove and Zoopla.

• Franchisees benefit from the marketing and national advertising resource provided by the Group and the central marketing fund.

The property market

• The UK is predominantly a country of home-ownership.  Since the second half of 2012, there has been an increased volume of residential property transactions indicating returning consumer confidence and the impact of Government initiatives such as Help-to-Buy. 

• The growth of the private rented sector has been a defining feature of the housing market since the early 2000s.  From housing 10 per cent. of households in 2000, it has grown to house 19 per cent. of households according to the latest English Housing Survey (published by the Department for Communities and Local Government).  The rental market has also played an important role in absorbing much of the pressure on the supply-constrained housing market. 

• The Directors believe that the strengthening UK economic recovery and the lack of affordable housing will continue to underpin demand for rental property.

Competitor landscape

• The UK estate agency market is highly fragmented.  The Directors estimate that there are approximately 25,000 estate agent branches in the UK, of which around 11,500 undertake lettings activities.  The Directors estimate there are over 8,000 brands operating within the UK.

• Online estate agents have challenged the traditional estate agency model but the movement in market share to online has been minimal to date and the Directors believe that online is unlikely to gain significant traction as currently offered in the foreseeable future.

 

Advisers to the Admission process

Numis Securities Limited	Nominated Adviser and Broker
Spearing Waite LLP	Solicitors to the Company
Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP	Solicitors to Numis Securities Limited
Mazars LLP	Reporting Accountants and Auditors
Neville Registrars Limited	Registrar
Garbutt & Elliott LLP	Auditing and Tax services to the Company
Smithfield Consultants	Public Relations advisers

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Croma Group is pleased to announce the delivery of an integrated security solution to a major industrial client in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The solution involves CCTV, intruder alarms, locks, as well as access control based around the Group's Fastvein product. The contract value was in excess of £100,000.

Commenting on this contract win, Sebastian Morley, Chairman of CSSG, said:  

"This exciting and large new contract marks a significant step in the Group's expansion into overseas markets. Fastvein provides the simplest, most accurate and fastest biometric access control, time and attendance and identification management system across the security spectrum. This new contract win, along with the wins announced earlier this month, continue to validate the Group's ability to deliver integrated security solutions at home and overseas as well as the considerable benefits of Fastvein."

Ends

Enquiries:

Croma Security Solutions Group Plc                                                                    07768 006 909

Sebastian Morley (Chairman)

 

WH Ireland                                                                                                            0207 220 1666

(Nominated Adviser and broker)

Paul Shackleton

Mark Leonard

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Imaginatik plc (AIM: IMTK.L), the world's first full service innovation provider offering a range of technology products and consultancy services, is pleased to announce that it has signed a consultancy contract  with a US based energy generation and distribution company, building on the three year technology contract that was closed in March 2015.

Under the terms of the contract, which is worth an additional c.$250,000 over the next three months, Imaginatik will provide its innovation consulting expertise in order to support the client in co-developing the  framework for its future  innovation programme.

Matt Cooper, Non-Executive Chairman, commented: "I am delighted to announce that we are able to further increase our footprint within this important client, further demonstrating the value in our combined consulting and technology offerings and the added value that we can deliver to our clients."

For further information please contact:

Imaginatik plc	01329 243243
Matt Cooper – Executive Chairman
Ralph Welborn – CEO
Shawn Taylor – CFO
finnCap Ltd	0207 220 0500
Stuart Andrews
Daniel Stewart & Company	0207 776 6550
Martin Lampshire
David Coffman
Newgate	020 7653 9850
Adam Lloyd
Ed Treadwell
Andre Hamlyn

 

About Imaginatik

Imaginatik® is the world's first full-service innovation provider. We have 16 years of experience building innovation into a sustainable competence at some of the world's largest and most respected companies. Through a mix of consulting and advisory, hands-on innovation projects and program management, and our award-winning enterprise software platform, we help clients develop innovation capability into a permanent competitive advantage. Imaginatik is the trusted partner of leading organisations including Blue Cross Blue Shield, CSC, Cargill, The World Bank, Mayo Clinic, The Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, HCA, Dow Chemical and Goodyear.

Imaginatik is a public company whose shares are traded on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange (LSE:IMTK.L) and is a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer with offices in Boston, MA, and Fareham, UK. For more information visit www.imaginatik.com.

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The Mission Marketing Group plc ('the mission™', "the Company", AIM: TMMG), the marketing communications and advertising group, has today announced the launch of Mongoose, a specialist sports and entertainment agency.

Focused on brand-led marketing and sponsorship campaigns, Mongoose will source, negotiate and manage customised sponsorship and events programmes for B2B and B2C Clients. Every Mongoose campaign will seek to deliver sponsorship focused data and insight to drive measurable business growth for Clients.

The new Agency will be led by Chris O'Donoghue, previously managing director of WSM Communications. John Beddington, former Tournament Director and Chairman of the Canadian Open Tennis Championships as well as founder of the Masters Tennis at the Royal Albert Hall, will become Chairman.

"A Mongoose is nimble, agile, and tenacious, the perfect characteristics to describe our new Agency and vision", commented Chris O'Donoghue, Chief Executive, Mongoose. "In short, the Mongoose philosophy is to out think, out wit and out play the competition and we look forward to performing in this way for our valued Clients in the years to come."

Based in London and Singapore, Mongoose will be working with an impressive line-up of major national and international brands including title sponsor of The London Triathlon, AJ Bell; Chestertons Polo in the Park; The O2 sponsor CEWE Photobook; and Thomson Reuters which is a partner of the LTA.

David Morgan, Group Chairman of the the mission™, commented: "Chris and his team bring a great deal of expertise and high-end consultancy to the task of matchmaking brands with sponsorship properties. This is a new string to the mission™'s bow, and we are optimistic about the prospects for Mongoose as a part of our Group."  

To hear more from Chris O'Donoghue and watch the Mongoose launch video, please click on this link: http://brrmedia.co.uk/event/139212?popup=true 

Enquiries   David Morgan, Chairman   Peter Fitzwilliam, Finance Director   The Mission Marketing Group plc	020 7462 1415
Geoff Nash/James Thompson (Corporate Finance) Stephen Norcross (Corporate Broking)
finnCap Limited	020 7220 0500

the mission™ is a network of entrepreneurial marketing communications Agencies employing over 850 people in the UK, Asia and San Francisco. The Group comprises a complementary mix of integrated generalists, specialists in specific marketing/communications activities and specialists in particular market sectors, all providing award-winning solutions to national and international Clients.  www.themission.co.uk

 

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fastjet, Africa's low-cost airline, is pleased to announce it has been granted a Foreign Operators Permit from the Malawian authorities to commence flights between Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Lilongwe, capital of Malawi. The new route will be put on sale from today and operations commence  in July.

Initially operating twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays, fastjet is confident that, in line with its other routes, it will grow in frequency quickly.

fastjet's lowest fare will be $50 plus government taxes.

The new route is fastjet's sixth international destination in Africa.

Commenting on the launch, fastjet CEO Ed Winter said: "Whilst we are directing much of our efforts to prepare for the planned launch of the fastjet Zimbabwe and fastjet Zambia airlines, we continue to work hard on growing our Tanzanian network. This significant step links two thriving commercial centres and provides the population of both countries with an affordable and reliable air services. Our lowest international fare of $50, available to early bookers, is expected to l ensure strong demand.

The recent growth of Tanzanian domestic operations and this new route will increase our aircraft utilisation and further support the business case for an additional aircraft in the Tanzanian fleet."

For more information, contact:

UK media – Citigate Dewe Rogerson	Tel: +44 (0) 20 7638 9571
Angharad Couch
Toby Moore
Nick Hayns
South African media – Tribeca Public Relations	Tel: +27 (0) 11 208 5500
Cian Mac Eochaidh
Kelly Webster
For investor enquiries please contact:
W.H. Ireland Ltd.- Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker	Tel: +44 (0) 20 7220 1666
James Joyce
Mark Leonard
Liberum Capital Limited – Joint Broker	Tel: +44 (0) 20 3100 2222
Clayton Bush
Christopher Britton

NOTES TO EDITORS

About fastjet Plc

fastjet Plc is the holding company of the low cost airline fastjet which commenced flights under the fastjet brand in Tanzania in November 2012. The airline introduced Airbus A319s into its fleet. By adhering to international standards of safety, quality, security and reliability; fastjet has brought a new flying experience to the African market at unprecedented low prices. fastjet is implementing the low-cost model across Africa and its long-term strategy is to become the continent's first low-cost, pan-African airline. fastjet Plc is also the holding company of Fly540 Angola where operations are currently suspended.

The results of a customer satisfaction survey showed that 100% of customers were likely to recommend fastjet to a friend. In developing its strong brand and identity, fastjet has won and been nominated for a number of awards, including winning three Transform awards for the rebrand and launch of fastjet and the award for "Brand Strategy of the Year" at 2014's Drum Marketing Awards in London.

fastjet Plc is quoted on the London Stock Exchange's AIM Market.

For more information see www.fastjet.com

 

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Neville Registrars are delighted to welcome Vela Technologies Plc as the newest addition to its list of client companies.

Vela Technologies are a UK incorporated investment company, based in London, acquiring and consolidating holdings in Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SME’s), which are active in the development of emergent technologies or hi-tech engineering solutions.

Further information can be found on the Company's website: http://www.velatechplc.com/

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