News from BL Group - eight products for the UK

One of the first big changes brought about by the strategic alliance between Bleu Line – B.L. Group of Italy and UK-based Hockley International is the introduction of eight Bleu Line – B.L. Group products into the UK market. The eight products in question comprise two permethrin and tetramethrin adulticides, two pyrethrin-based insecticides and four natural pest management products.

All eight were on show at PestEx in their new Hockley International livery although at the time of writing not yet featured on the Hockley website and will be made available to UK pest professionals via Hockley’s distributors: Edialux, 1env Solutions, PestFix and Barrettine. More products are likely to be introduced over time.

BL and Hockley Working together are, from left: Bleu Line – B.L. Group’s Stefano Scarponi, export sales director and Giovanni Bazzocchi, chairman with, from Hockley International, chairman Frank Howard, finance director Catherine Howard and managing director Tommy Gill

Exciting development
As the Bleu Line – B.L. Group’s Stefano Scarponi explained: “I am excited about this partnership between our two companies. The BL Group is particularly strong in mainland Europe, having made the necessary investment to support products through the EU Biocides regulatory system. Hockley International has the regulatory expertise to allow us to reach markets much further afield than the UK, including some countries in the Middle East and Africa, Central America, South America and Africa.”

Hockley International’s managing director Tommy Gill commented: “For many years the regulatory cost for SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) in the EU including the UK has limited new product introductions and caused the withdrawal of a number of established products. This arrangement with the BL Group allows us to sell a complementary range of chemical and ecological products offering more choice to our customers.”

He continued: “At PestEx the general feedback suggested that there is a need for products with good chemical efficacy but also that there are opportunities to complement these with softer, more ecological products.”

Hockley International’s marketing manager Peter Rosevere and Dr Cristina Porro, lead regulatory specialist, show off the products which are now being packed in the UK in Hockley livery

Four of the eight product introductions are from another Italian company, Union BIO. The Bleu Line – B.L. Group signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Union BIO back in July 2014, giving BL global rights to distribute the Union BIO ‘natural’ products in the pest control sector. You can read more about the Union BIO range in Pest Issue 41 October & November 2015.

The eight products newly available to UK pest professionals are:

Permex 22 E – a liquid insecticide concentrate containing permethrin and tetramethrin with a high knockdown and residual activity for use against crawling and flying insects. It is also authorised for use in outdoor areas on ornamental plants;
Tetrapiu Multipurpose – a ready-to-use formulation also containing permethrin and tetramethrin offering good knockdown and lasting residual activity;
Piretrox – a pyrethrin-based concentrate effective against flying and crawling insects in the public health sector. Also authorised for use in areas of ornamental greenery and the livestock sector;
Piretrox PU – a ready-to-use trigger pack version of Piretrox;
No Fly NaturalStop – a concentrated liquid deterrent effective against flies, including horseflies, and mosquitoes;
Red Mite NaturalStop – a natural slow release product containing thyme and oregano forming a physical and sensory barrier against the red mite parasite;
Bed Bugs NaturalStop – a natural formulation with long-lasting action creating an unfavourable environment/barrier effect against bed bugs. Ideal for use in homes, hotels, hospitals, schools, mattresses, suitcases etc.
Mosca NaturalStop – a ready-to-use water-gel solution containing essential oils that repels flies by building an olfactory barrier but a pleasant smell for people.

Hockley International exports to 60 countries around the world and it will now be evaluating the potential for BL Group products in all these markets. Read more about this global strategic partnership.

All the new products Giovanni Bazzocchi and Frank Howard with the full range of new products now available in the UK