Innovative pest control business Lazo TPC Global, which trades as AgroThermal Systems, has received significant new funding from private investors and restructured its ownership and management team.
Florencio Lazo Barra has sold his interest in the business and is no long involved with the company that owns patents in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa on the Thermal Pest Control (TPC) process he invented.
Meanwhile, Lazo TPC Global’s directors have chosen Marty Fischer as CEO. Fischer, who has 40 years fresh produce experience, previously served as CEO from the outset of the business in 2007 until 2009. He said: “When we first saw Lazo’s thermal heat machine in 2006, it seemed a fascinating new approach to pest control that might eliminate the need for pesticides in agricultural production of many crops. What we didn’t realize at the time was the broader values of the technology to solve individual crop production problems.”
He believes the technology will play a central role in integrated pest management not just because of its pest-control capabilities, but also the plant health and crop quality enhancements it has delivered in test data and grower observations since 2003. Fischer said: “We believe it holds some significant advantages in addition to lowering pesticide needs. These include yield improvement, earlier harvest dates and generally better plant health and productivity.”
Dr Art Dawson becomes the company’s chief technical officer to help the business develop its science basis and technical protocols. The company is in discussions with various universities for an expanded testing program. Dawson has worked with the technology since 2008.
Fischer is looking to develop AgroThermal Systems’ European business at Fruit Logistica next week and believes the system is suitable not just for production of table grapes, cherries, kiwifruit and blueberries, but also for the wine industry.
