Success Story: Synermulch Erosion Control Products Inc.

 
 
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High-Risk Venture Meets Highly-Responsive Team



“Innovation is a risky business. Alberta Agriculture played a key role assisting Synermulch manage the risks of innovation. As a result, our products are now being used to tackle difficult environmental problems globally.”
-— Trevor Kloeck, Business Development Manager
Synermulch Erosion Control Products Inc.


Canadian company, Synermulch started out, like most things, as an idea; a seed needing incubation and support in order to grow. With the help of a Growing Forward initiative grant, Synermulch was able to capture it’s “first-to-market” status and has been growing ever since.

Traditionally mulch had been solely a wood fibre product. Synermulch had the idea to introduce other natural fibres into its version of mulch in order to stabilize the soil and provide a better growing environment for seed, all while maintaining its biodegradable properties. Besides the grant, Synermulch needed assistance with the building blocks of a venture of this nature and approached Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. The business development team of the Bio-Industrial Opportunities Section (BIO Section) was highly responsive in its approach to this unique set of requirements and was proven to be pivotal in the identifying and establishing of the necessary fibre supply chain. It can take upwards of 40 or 50 iterations for any given product before it is ready to go to market and Synermulch’s product was no exception. Throughout this process, the BIO Section team provided ongoing support with agricultural resources and aided in acquiring technical information pertaining to specific regulations and industry standards.

The resulting Synermulch product(s) has introduced a much needed paradigm shift to the marketplace. Where reclaimed fields riddled with weeds were once the norm, standards of reclamation have now been elevated to a new level of “green”. Synermulch provides products that boast erosion control and protection, optimized soil environments for plant germination and directed custom mixes. Predictable results mean a healthy intentional community of plants.

Today, Synermulch continues to refine its products to provide optimal results for its clients and where appropriate, it utilizes Growing Forward grants as a source of support in that product development. The BIO Section business development team maintains its role as a key advisor for resources and technical information pertaining to the agricultural sector.




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Photo courtesy of Hamilton Manufacturing Incorporated - Matt Smith


Alberta Agriculture & Forestry
Bio-Industrial Opportunities Section
Agri-Food Discovery Place
Building F-83, 6020 – 118 Street
Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E1
Phone: (780) 644-8118
Email: biobranch@gov.ab.ca




 
 
 
 
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For more information about the content of this document, contact Victor Cheng.
This information published to the web on February 3, 2015.
Last Reviewed/Revised on February 1, 2019.