By Dan McCue

A cutting-edge—and green—fertilizer technology company is locating its North American headquarters and manufacturing facility in Dorchester County in the hope of enhancing its position in the lucrative U.S. commercial nursery market, while also keeping its supply chain short and accessible.

X-Calibur Plant Health Co. the sole North American manufacturer of Plantacote controlled release fertilizer, has invested $5 million in a new facility in Dorchester County’s McQueen Commerce Park, and plans to employ 25 by the end of the first quarter of next year.

“Why Charleston?” X-caliber President and CEO Ron Soldo said as he was surrounded by well-wishers at the company announcement hosted by the Charleston Regional Development Alliance.

“Quite frankly, the response from the alliance and ease of working with state and county officials blew us away,” he said.
“We looked at four or five sites before making our decision, and that response, coupled with the proximity of the Port of Charleston, made this the right decision for us,” Soldo continued.

X-Calibur Plant Health Co. produces and sells a time-released fertilizer that was developed in Germany and has been marketed here since 1999. The company also looked at sites in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia.

What makes it different, Soldo said, is its coating: A polymer, instead of the vegetable-based coating of traditional fertilizers.

“It’s a more efficient and environmentally-friendly way to deliver nutrients to garden and other outdoor plants, with the polymer acting as a shield against over-fertilization and the toxicity, which can occur when an overabundance of nutrients are released around a plant all at once,” he said.

The German developer, Aglukon, granted its U.S. Plantacote manufacturing license to X-Calibur in a long-term agreement.

 “The horticulture industry has been steadily growing since 1990 and the American market continues to be the largest user of controlled release fertilizers,” Soldo said. “The challenge for Aglukon was always how do we get our product to the market in quantities sufficient to satisfy demand.

 “With our new facility just outside of the Charleston region, we feel confident we can make a significant impact in the nursery and greenhouse market,” he said.

The company expects its new factory will make its first bag of domestically produced fertilizer during the first week of November, with raw materials shipped through the Port of Charleston from Germany.

Dorchester County Council Chairman Larry Hargett said, “X-Calibur has developed new technologies to improve the environment. We’re pleased and proud that the company saw our county as a place to invest for the future,” CRDA Chairman Robert L. Pratt said he was also excited to see such an innovative and forward-thinking company come to the Charleston region.

“They bring a lot to the table in terms of potential expansion, rapid growth, and quality worldwide connections,” he said.