An innovative new maple spout developed by the University of Vermont’s Proctor Maple Research Center with funding secured by Senator Patrick Leahy will have a dramatic impact on maple syrup production and boost job creation and economic development in the state, the senator announced at a press conference today. The new spout, which already has a million advance orders, will increase sap yields by 50 to 90 percent per tree, Senator Leahy said.
The announcement was made at Progressive Plastics in Williamstown, which began commercial production of the device, called a check valve spout, the day of the press conference. Progressive Plastics is manufacturing the spout for Leader Evaporating Company of Swanton, which licensed the technology from UVM and will market and sell it.
The senator also announced two new UVM appropriations that are part of his ongoing support of maple research at UVM’s Proctor Center and of his environmentally safe products project: $188,000 to fund research by the Proctor to further increase sap yields and $188,000 to develop a non-toxic wood adhesive.
“I am pleased to see the benefits of these federal funds ripple so broadly through Vermont,” said Senator Leahy. “Support for research at the University of Vermont has created new opportunities for two Vermont companies, creating jobs, and this will also help Vermont maple producers become more productive. I appreciate the work of everyone who has helped to see these federal funds be so well spent."
“I want to thank Senator Leahy for his longstanding support of UVM research and for his faith in the talent and ingenuity of our faculty,” said Daniel Mark Fogel, UVM president. “The funding he secured for the maple spout development will deliver a significant return on investment in our state, at a time when Vermont needs good economic news. I know I speak for many when I say we couldn’t be more appreciative of the senator’s long running and deep commitment to serving the needs of all Vermonters.”
1 million advance ordersAlthough Leader has not yet listed the spout in its catalog or on its web site, the company has already received 1 million advance orders. Leader is projecting sales of three million units this maple season, making the spout its number one selling product. In the future, sales could be significantly higher.
According to Gary Gaudette, president of Leader Evaporator, the check valve spout could have a revolutionary impact on the maple industry.
“We’re very excited about the new fitting,” he said. “It’s going to add as much to syrup and sap production as vacuum tubing did. I’m confident that this is going to be the thing to use in the future.” There are between 50 and 55 million taps in use in North America, Gaudette said.
Both Leader and Progressive Plastics are in hiring mode despite the recession, leadership at both companies said, and both anticipate the new spout will add further to their need to bring on new staff. Blocking backflow
The check valve technology was developed by Timothy Perkins, director of the Proctor Maple Research Center. It employs a valve – a small ball that rolls back and forth in a chamber within the spout – to block the flow back into the tree of sap containing bacteria. All tapped maple trees pull sap back into their tap holes, as they try to balance the negative pressure established both by natural process and by vacuum systems, which are pervasive in the industry. Bacterial backflow in turn causes the tree’s natural defense system to wall off the contaminated area of the tap hole, essentially plugging it and ending a sugar-maker’s season. Such walling off typically occurs late in the season.
By allowing the tree’s sap to continue to flow, the new spout will extend the sugar-making season by one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half weeks, according to testing conducted by the Proctor and confirmed by Leader’s field testing. The sugaring season is typically four weeks long.
The tap could also mitigate the effect of global warming on the Vermont maple industry. Warming has shortened the Vermont maple season by 10% over the last 40 years, according to research conducted by Perkins. It’s very gratifying to see federal dollars pay such clear dividends,” Senator Leahy said. “We all look forward to the impact this ingenious new product is going to have on the state’s sugar makers and on two important Vermont companies, as well as to the economic spillover effect it will create in our state as a whole.”
Source: UVM. AUG. 17, 2009 – WILLIAMSTOWN …
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