The Scotts Company today announced that it has closed its White Swan operations, a producer of garden seed and statues.

With annual sales of approximately $4 million, White Swan represented a small non-core part of the Ortho pesticides business that Scotts recently acquired. In its North American pesticides business, Scotts will focus its resources on its premier brand, the Ortho® family of products and on its roll as agent for the consumer Roundup® line of products.

Scotts expects the closing of White Swan to benefit annual pre-tax earnings by approximately $2
million, with the avoidance of White Swan's operating losses more than offsetting the costs of closing the business. Approximately 20 employees in the Portland, Oregon area will be affected by the closing.

The Scotts Company is the world's leading supplier of consumer products for lawn and garden care, with a full range of products for professional turf care and horticulture as well. The company owns what are by far the industry's most recognized brands. In the U.S., consumer awareness of the company's Scotts®, Miracle-Gro® and Ortho® brands outscores the nearest competitors in their categories by several times, as does awareness of the consumer Roundup® brand which is owned by Monsanto. Scotts has entered into an agreement with Monsanto to be the exclusive marketing agent for consumer Roundup® worldwide. In the U.K., Scotts' brands include Weedol® and Pathclear®, the top-selling consumer herbicides; Evergreen®, the leading lawn fertilizer line; the Levington® line of lawn and garden products; and Miracle-Gro®, the leading plant fertilizer. The Company's leading brands in continental Europe include KB® and Fertiligene® in France and NexaLotte® and Celaflor® in Germany.

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