for more information about stanelco click on the links.

driver's research page link
http://www.moneyam.com/InvestorsRoom/posts.php?tid=7681#lastread
website link
http://www.stanelco.co.uk/index.htm

Evening all - a quick thought on the subject of competition, e.g. from the likes of BASF as discussed a few posts back.

I would assume that the market is large enough to support a number of players and that even the first/the best would not corner more than a sizeable chunk thereof. There is also the issue of speed of roll-out internationally, gearing-up of manufacture, etc. all of which takes time and allows competitors to play.

IMO this pizza's big enough for everyone to have a bite.

Forgive me if I am a bit reluctant on my sources, but all he will allow me to say is that he is a senior buyer within an Asda department, who are particularly affected by the Starpol and Greenseal trials.
In discussion with him over the weekend he told me several key things.
1) Walmart looking over the trials and new packaging is absolute company policy. They would do that regardless of any interest in the product. It is as much about ensuring Asda are aware of big brother as much as anything. It is WM policy to be very overt on checking up on subsidiaries and suppliers.
2) They will only buy into the SEO products if there is a demonstrable cost saving to be made. They wish to appear as good neighbours but that is ultimately second to profit.
3) Asda, and WM have a concern over the "greeness" of Starpol. While they accept that the product itself is environmentally friendly, the production of it is not. Particularly they have calculated that the raw starch material travels an astonishing 19000 air miles on its way to becoming Starpol. They are worried that if they try to capitalise on a green image, this will become public and the environmentalists will make them look a bit stupid!!
4) Apparantly, SEO are unable to promise that the starch used in Starpol is GM free. Asda and WM feel this would also tarnish the environmental badge.
My friend would not be drawn on the success or otherwise of the trials, and would only smile knowingly when I broached the Wrap subject.
In summary, he feels that Asda, and WM will buy Starpol in huge quantities, but only if those last 3 question marks can be addressed.
I apologise for not bringing this to the boards attention sooner, but I have only known this man for 5 months and until Saturday, I had no idea what he did for a living!!
My confidence is knocked somewhat, but I am staying in and seeing it out.
As usual, DYOR etc. but this source is very reliable. Remember he heads up a world wide sourcing and buying team for ASDA, with a budget measured in 9 figures, on a product range that is very closely associated with Starpol / Greenseal.
Alan

Sorry hewitt, but the above reads like the biggest load of hogwash i have ever seen in my very long life.

Perhaps you would like to elucidate Cynic, rather than your usual inane comment?
By the way, how exactly do you choose which stocks to invest in, considering that by your own admission you know nothing about either Technical Analysis or Fundamentals?

Interested in your post Alan. Interested in comments. Given that Starpol is at an early production stage, the mileage and GM issues don't sound significant. If you want that product and set up a micro plant then materials would be sourced closer to home and you would ensure that they were GM free. The comment sounds more like knocking copy than serious evaluation.

Eric

Al
Friends in such high places.

i choose stocks by giving the dog a pencil, blindfolding him and then sticking the share page in front of him .... he is surprisingly successful at picking winners.

Why blindfold the dog? You could blindfold yourself :-))

tried that, but found the dog's a much better pundit .... clearly has some sort of 6th sense, whereas i have none

Fine.
I report, verbatim, a discussion between myself and a friend whom happens to work in a high profile role for Asda, and I get abused by an arse.
I shall very happily keep any further news to myself.
Those who have read these boards for any length of time will know that I have no axe to grind, and am a long term supporter of SEO.
Imbeciles will come up with ridiculous comments.
Eric, my friend was discussing the issues of sourcing cheap enough starch. This is coming from third world countries, to keep raw material costs low, and being transported to first world countries for production. This is where the high mileage comes in, not in transporting the finished product.
The GM issue is also covered by this as many GM trials are carried out in asian nations as their regulations are less rigorous.
Anyway. To the muppet. Take it or leave it. I really don't care.
To the rest of you, I will happily post news I may get hold of in the future.
Alan

You can borrow my cat any time Alan ;)

Alan
I wouldn't worry too much about Cynic, likes to post on lots of threads in an attempt to come across as someone who knows what he is talking about. However, it is painfully obvious that he does not, reminds me of a poster called Mufmitz on another board, perhaps they are related?
Err, and I've got three cats and you can have 'em all if you want and I'll throw in the dog as well.
pth

With regard to Alan's post number 17201, as we all should know Starpol is made by mixing PLA with TPS. PLA is made from corn starch, and is manufactured by Natureworks with whom Stanelco has got a supply agreement. Wal-Mart are using Natureworks' PLA. Stanelco have said that Starpol will be cheaper than the oil based plastic equivalent.
Therefore, according to Alan's friend, as the 3 question marks have been addressed as outlined above, Asda and Wal-Mart will be buying Starpol in huge quantities.
I look forward to the great news.

I remain cautiously optimistic ??

As to hewittalan6's post re the discussion with Asda employee. He readily states he can not substantiate the fact stated, so we can only go on belief or not.
The comments come over as sensible so to me I am taking it as genuine. Each to his own. The main point made is the travel distance of the corn starch. OK but as I see it not as big an environmental question as bringing oil thousands of miles. If this really does kick off, I can see the product being fully produced in a far nearer country to the corn producers than here. This will save on cost as although there will still be transport cost etc, the labor source cost will obviously be cheaper. Helping poorer countries with jobs goes down well in this modern society. As to Walmart wanting a thorough look at Starpol prior to spending millions of dollars, it makes sense even after the Asda trials although they obviously wont start from zero.

Thanks for your post ALAN.
Made interesting reading.
Frankly , having read it asnd mulled it over, I don't see anything that can't be overcome /addressed in the very short term by processes/expectations already implied such as local sources for starch and MMP's.
If as is suggested COST is the overriding factor and STARPOL/GREENSEAL is cheaper than plastic etc (Production wise) then its a winner and should be taken up in due course. A little GREEN is better than corporate grey.#
That jam tommorrow sure looks good. lol

At last. Sensible responses.
The conversation made perfect sense to me.
If I was chairman at WM I would hardly change an entire supply and spend millions advertising my green credentials only for some jumped up little tree hugging bog dweller to pop up on a tv show and wreck it with comments about exploitation, aero fuel and genetic modification. I would want to be certain my green case was watertight. Wouldn't you???

from carclo's results today.

Soluble capsules

Our joint project with Stanelco to develop injection moulded capsules for
controlled release drug delivery has also made good progress. We now have a
committed launch customer and, on completion of the regulatory approvals early
next year, the capsules will be commercially launched in the veterinary market.
We continue to seek a partner for the human application of this technology.
These products can be viewed on the Carclo web site
www.carclo-plc.com
. Through
this project we have learned a great deal about how to overcome the moulding
issues with soluble polymers and in particular with Stanelco's Starpol 10/50. We
are confident that more product applications will develop around these new
thermoplastic materials.

seo are only one of a number of businesses that are pitching to walmart. that shouldn't be forgotten.

My information is that the green packaging agenda has been pitched for at least 4 and a half years.
On the plus side, this means that the SEO 1 year looks more reasonable and less of a management cock up by SEO. 1 year is also, apparantly, longer than others have stayed the course, but does reinforce boz's comments that SEO are not on their own.