Press Release

Mon 25th Oct 2004
Igrox Pioneer ProFume

Igrox, the leading independent pest control and fumigation company, have once again shown themselves to be market leaders by being the first company to undertake a successful commercial mill fumigation in the European Union using ProFume, the most viable alternative to Methyl Bromide in the UK.

ProFume (Sulfuryl Fluoride) was developed, and is manufactured, by Dow AgroSciences LLC.It was first introduced in the 1950’s for the eradication of wood destroying insects and to date over one million structures have been fumigated using ProFume. The scope of registration has now been extended for use in the control of stored product pests in emptied cereal grain (flour & rice) mills and storage facilities.

Igrox’s recent fumigation of the Rank Hovis flour mill in Ramsgate (target pest – Rust red flour beetle) essentially takes fumigation to a new level and paves the way for precision fumigation techniques to be adopted in the UK as part of an integrated approach to pest management.

The concept of precision fumigation has been developed by Dow AgroSciences and is essentially a system of working which promotes safe and effective pest control while optimising fumigant use and minimising risk.Dow Agrosciences have also developed ProFume Fumiguide software which is part of the approved product label and a key element when determining target dosage and monitoring the current status of a ProFume fumigation.

“In practice it means that the customer and the fumigator can adjust the dose to suit the requirements of the building, the insect pests present and the business” explains Dow AgroSciences, UK Product Manager, Chris Pye.

ProFume was approved by the Pesticides Safety Directorate in early July and comes well in time before the planned phase-out of Methyl Bromide from 1 January 2005.ProFume is already registered in Switzerland, USA and Italy and it is expected that approval will be granted in France, Germany and Canada in the near future.

“What Dow have done with its emphasis on stewardship and in particular with the development of the Fumiguide software has taken fumigation to a new level in terms of quality and efficacy.We look set to achieve fumigations that are even more effective than we have been used to.The recent project that we completed in Ramsgate has proved this and is a very positive development and one that must come as a great relief to the milling industry,” commented Mark Braithwaite, Igrox Managing Director.

For further information about ProFume please contact Igrox Fumigation Division on 0800 214501 or visit www.profume.com