Sul4r-Plus

What Sul4r-Plus does

SUL4R-PLUS, LLC is a privately held agricultural inputs company headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky and a subsidiary of family-owned CEP Holding, Inc. Founded in 2013, the company manufactures a patented calcium sulfate fertilizer from Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) gypsum — a regulated byproduct of coal-fired power plants — sold as uniform, fulvic-acid-bound granules in two SKUs: SUL4R-PLUS (21% calcium, 17% sulfur) and SUL4R-PLUS BZ (an enhanced formulation with added boron and zinc). The proprietary process yields a low-salt-index (<8 vs. >80 for ammonium sulfate), pH-neutral, controlled-release granule that delivers season-long nutrient availability with documented yield lifts across corn, soybeans, wheat, fruits, nuts and vegetables. The technology is protected by four granted patents (two U.S., one Canadian, one European) covering composition and manufacturing process.

The company sells its products to commercial row-crop and specialty-crop growers through agricultural retailers, cooperatives and distributors, marketed via an exclusive North American distribution agreement with HELM Americas Crop Nutrition (announced 2024) combined with a three-person direct field sales team covering the Ohio Valley, Midwest, and Western U.S. Operations span two manufacturing facilities: an operating Mill Creek plant in Louisville, KY (~60,000 tons/year capacity), and a new Marissa, IL facility near the Prairie State power plant that became operational around February 2025 to address growing sales demand and increase geographic resilience. SUL4R-PLUS operates with 11–50 employees and an institutional leadership team (CEO Terry Gill, EVP Charles W. Price, CFO Greg Larkin, CRO Greg Parris, R&D Manager Dr. Travis Banet) recruited in 2024 to support capacity expansion and operational scaling.

The revenue model is a unit-pricing product sale (not subscription/SaaS), with distributor-managed pricing, stable relative to commodity fertilizer volatility, and benchmarked by repeat-customer metrics — over 90% of annual volume from repeat customers with 80% of repeat orders growing year-over-year. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; transactions flow through the HELM channel and a small direct sales overlay. The strategic narrative emphasizes sustainability differentiation (68% lower carbon footprint than ammonium sulfate; net-negative CO2e claims validated by Tunley Environmental) and agronomic proof across multi-year, multi-state field trials.

Name

Sul4r-Plus

Legal name

SUL4R-PLUS, LLC

Website

https://sul4r-plus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SUL4R-PLUS, LLC manufactures patented calcium sulfate fertilizer from upcycled coal-plant FGD gypsum and sells through an exclusive distribution partnership with HELM Americas Crop Nutrition to agricultural retailers and row-crop growers across 35+ U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Fertilizers

NAICS

Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531)

SIC

Agricultural Chemicals (2870)

akta.pro primary industry

Secondary Nutrient Specialty Fertilizers (Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfur) (AFABACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Soil Amendments & Conditioners (Lime/Gypsum/Humates) (IMAEAEAH), Gypsum & Calcium Sulfate Amendments (AFABADAB)

Keywords

• Calcium sulfate fertilizer
• Controlled-release fertilizer
• Secondary nutrient fertilizer
• Sulfur and calcium fertilizer
• Specialty crop nutrition

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fertilizer Product Sales: SUL4R-PLUS generates revenue from manufacturing and selling its calcium sulfate fertilizer products (SUL4R-PLUS and SUL4R-PLUS BZ) to agricultural retailers, distributors, and directly to growers. The company operates manufacturing facilities in Louisville, KY and Marissa, IL. Revenue is generated through product volume sales with pricing that has remained relatively consistent compared to volatile commodity fertilizer markets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sul4r-Plus manufactures and sells calcium sulfate fertilizer products (SUL4R-PLUS and SUL4R-PLUS BZ) that deliver plant-available calcium and sulfur in a controlled-release granule bound with fulvic acid. The fertilizer is produced by upcycling Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) gypsum from coal-fired power plants at manufacturing facilities in Louisville, KY and Marissa, IL, and is distributed exclusively through HELM Americas Crop Nutrition to agricultural retailers, distributors, and growers across North America.

Product overview

Sul4r-Plus offers two premium calcium sulfate fertilizer products: SUL4R-PLUS (the core product) providing calcium (21%) and sulfur (17%), and SUL4R-PLUS BZ (enhanced variant) adding boron (0.5%) and zinc (1.5%). Both products feature patented controlled-release granules with fulvic acid binder, water solubility for immediate plant availability, and season-long nutrient delivery. The portfolio targets row crops (corn, wheat, soybeans), fruits, vegetables, and specialty crops requiring secondary nutrient supplementation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SUL4R-PLUS BZ: Calcium sulfate fertilizer with added boron and zinc micronutrients for enhanced nutrient uptake, root growth and yield potential.

Products and services

• SUL4R-PLUS Patented calcium sulfate fertilizer delivering calcium (21%) and sulfur (17%) in a uniform, controlled-release granule. Water-soluble and plant-available for immediate uptake, with fulvic-acid-bound formulation providing continuous nutrient release throughout the growing season. Low salt index (<8) and neutral pH. Sold to agricultural retailers, distributors, and row crop/specialty crop growers.
• SUL4R-PLUS BZ

Quantifiable outcome

• Corn yield increase of 9-23 bu/acre depending on application rate and site conditions (2016-2025 trials across Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois)
• +10 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• HELM Americas Crop NutritioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 March 2024HELM Americas Crop Nutrition is the exclusive distributor of SUL4R-PLUS products across North America. This partnership amplifies SUL4R-PLUS's market reach through HELM's extensive distribution center network. Both companies are family owned and operated with a shared commitment to customer relationships. The partnership was announced in early 2024 and represents the primary distribution channel for SUL4R-PLUS products reaching agricultural retailers and growers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Gypsoil: Markets gypsum-based soil amendments derived from FGD coal-plant byproduct, addressing sulfur and calcium deficiencies in row crops. Comparable feedstock, agronomic positioning, and customer segment to Sul4r-Plus.
• Calcium Products: Manufacturer of SuperCal SO4, a pelletized calcium sulfate fertilizer produced from synthetic gypsum. Directly comparable to Sul4r-Plus in product (Ca+S), customer base (row-crop and specialty-crop growers), and distribution through ag retailers.

Broad incumbents

• Mosaic Company: Major phosphate and potash producer with MicroEssentials sulfur-enhanced phosphate line, addressing the same secondary-nutrient deficiency market Sul4r-Plus targets through ag retail channels.
• Yara International: Global nitrogen and specialty crop nutrition leader with calcium nitrate and sulfur-containing fertilizer lines. Competes in specialty/sustainable crop nutrition through established global distribution.
• Nutrien Ag Solutions: World's largest crop input retailer with proprietary specialty fertilizer offerings and Loveland-branded crop nutrition products. Competes with Sul4r-Plus at the ag-retail buyer level across North America.
• ICL Group: Specialty fertilizer manufacturer offering water-soluble and controlled-release products (e.g., Nova, Agrolution) serving row and specialty crop growers via global ag retail channels.
• K+S Aktiengesellschaft: Global potash and specialty fertilizer producer with sulfur-containing product lines (e.g., ESTA Kieserite, soluSOP), competing for share of specialty and row-crop sulfur applications.
• Koch Agronomic Services: Major specialty fertilizer and nitrogen-use-efficiency player offering enhanced-efficiency sulfur and nitrogen products (e.g., SUPERU, ANVOL). Competes for the same retail shelf space and grower budget as Sul4r-Plus but with a much broader portfolio and parent backing.

Regional players

• American Plant Food Corp: U.S. specialty fertilizer blender and distributor serving row-crop and specialty growers through ag retail. Operates in the same secondary-nutrient and calcium-sulfur category as Sul4r-Plus with comparable regional channels.

Emerging players

• Brandt: Specialty agriculture retailer/formulator offering branded foliar and specialty crop nutrition products; partial overlap with Sul4r-Plus in micronutrient and secondary-nutrient positioning for high-value crops.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sul4rplus
• Facebookfacebook.com/sul4rplus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sul4r-plus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sul4r-Plus