Company Biographies
Dale Hinkens, Founder, Pacific Plant Nutrients
Pacific Plant Nutrients
- CAREER PROFILE
- President & Founder, Pacific Plant Nutrients
- Advanced Algae, Inc., CEO
- Terrafix, Inc., CEO
- American International Remediation Corporation, CEO
- Creative Glassworks International, President
- Education: B.S., MERU University, Switzerland
Mr. Hinkens has founded, built, and operated several businesses. His roles included developing intellectual property and providing creative solutions for market opportunities and revenue generation. Mr. Hinkens’ businesses have all incorporated innovative technologies including laser and water jet cutting systems, robotic motion control cranes, CNC controls, automated air emission and water pollution scrubbing systems, soil remediation, micronization services, and the development of “next-generation” organic plant nutrients products.
1976: At the age of 22, Mr. Hinkens pioneered the technology of using industrial lasers to cut glass. This led to the birth of CREATIVE GLASS INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED. CGI Systems’ products were sold worldwide and the company acquired 18 international patents. Cutting systems were purchased extensively throughout the U.S.A., the U.K., and Germany. Ford used CGI Systems to cut the windshields of the Taurus and other models of automobiles.
1997: After the sale of CGI, Mr. Hinkens traveled the world for 8 years. He then founded American International Remediation Corporation (AIRCORP). He designed and built systems for remediating PCBs and chlorinated solvents, primarily in Southern California and Los Angeles.
Working with PCB-contaminated oils led the company to areas where transformer explosions occurred with polychlorinated biphenyl oil saturating the soil under the poles. The contaminated oil had to be excavated and treated as did the remaining oil. Therefore, TerraFix, Inc. was born as a solution to the entire problem.
2001: Mr. Hinkens’ team custom-built systems for cleaning contaminated soils with soil shredders and an automated Pug Mill, capable of processing 100 tons per hour. Soil stabilization was AIRCORP’s forte. AIRCORP completed projects for several companies including Mollycorp/UNOCAL, the Port of Los Angeles, and the United States Air Force. The company also used hammer mills that injected proprietary reagents and dry chemicals for a cost-effective solution for major cleanups. Rather than excavating and trucking contaminated soils to expensive landfills, stabilized soil was replaced in its original location and capped with asphalt. This prevented prior contaminants from leaching back into the soil and eventually contaminating the groundwater beneath.
2007: Mr. Hinkens designed, engineered, and built the APAR (automated photosynthetic algae reactor) in New Mexico. Scientists from Los Alamos and Sandia Federal Laboratories provided input and inspiration to embark on this venture.
APARs also generated a high value, 9,500 BTU oil, which can be used to create JP8 jet fuel as well as bio-diesel for road use. APAR systems are one of the only non-parasitic carbon sequestration systems in existence that have a positive ROI.
2010: While competing against 65 leading Southern California environmental green companies in the first annual PortTech Expo hosted by the city of Los Angeles and the Port of Los Angeles, ADVANCED ALGAE’s APAR Technology won the coveted “MOST INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY” award.
Present Primary Focus
Having founded Pacific Plant Nutrients in 2020, Mr. Hinkens incorporated Homogenizers, Powder Mills, Pasteurization Equipment, Mixing Tanks, Steam Generators, Blenders, and Laboratory equipment that “Micronize” a wide array of products. Applications include pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and medicinal, and can be used for CBD products, food, gummies/candy, cosmetics, lotions, creams, etc. Mr. Hinkens has also worked as an algae fertilizer consultant on U.S. Fish and Game projects to develop algae-saturated soils on a massive scale.
Presently, Mr. Hinkens and his associates have been developing a “SUPER” micronized mineral nutrient blend for plants. Micronization facilitates the absorption of nutrients. The company uses OMRI-rated ingredients to boost the efficacy of the Klamath blue green algae base. Mr. Hinkens feels that this latest venture brings his life’s work together to enhance food production to help feed the planet.
Note: Mr. Hinkens unfortunately passed away in 2024.
Paul Gaylon, COO
Pacific Plant Nutrients
Paul is the founder and President of Herbal Products & Development and has been developing nutritional formulas for over 30 years. His website, herbprod.com, is an online store with a wealth of information on every product and its ingredients, including benefits and uses. The website features product profile sheets, health articles, recipes, and more.
Herbal Products & Development’s foundational nutritional products include capsules, powder blends, fluid extracts, skincare, bulk nutrients, food oils, probiotics, and enzymes. Paul habitually researches each raw material from its source to find the best applications and formulates his products based on this learned knowledge. Paul revises his formulas as needed when new information becomes available. He integrates sourcing, production methods, and marketing with his product concepts.
Paul’s strong interests in restorative agriculture and organics make him a natural fit for Pacific Plant Nutrients. His contributions include product formulation, concept development, research (nutritional & agricultural), logistics, and outreach. He is engaging with the regional academic community on projects to test, analyze, and share information on algae & related subjects. Related subjects include nutrient synergy, and soil and plant interactions. Paul also managed the content and some of the layout of the pacificplantnutrients.com website.
Other Projects & Interests
Paul has assumed many leadership and project coordination roles in local and regional organizations through various levels of participation in events and conferences. He has been a featured speaker at health food stores and at other places of business and a guest on public television, radio shows, and podcasts. Paul is a dedicated advocate for the environmental community and the natural foods and hemp industries.
One of Paul’s major events was directing the Santa Cruz Industrial Hemp Expo in 1998. It was the largest event of its kind in the country at that time with 6,500 people attending. This successful event brought together businesses and individuals on the cutting edge of the ever-expanding hemp market. Out of this event emerged a one-hour video, “Hemp Hemp Hooray — The Growing Industrial Hemp Market.”
Paul has lent a helping hand to the Ecological Farming Association at their EcoFarm conferences. In 2000, Paul organized discussion/speaker panels for their event. He helped coordinate the Gaia Song event on sustainable living and ecological building in 2002. Paul also co-founded Synergy parties in 2002. These were a series of organized and enjoyable evenings featuring non-profit and community organizations where projects and visions were discussed.
In 2012, Paul worked with the Community Alliance of Family Farmers on their fundraiser Spring into Summer. He works with the Santa Cruz Grange which promotes family farms and sustainable agriculture. Paul works locally with Blume Distillation/Whiskey Hill Farms in many roles. These include sourcing plant seeds and seedlings and utilizing fruit pulp and molasses “waste” for organic alcohol production. He has also been focused on the farm’s turmeric crop project.
Paul’s informational website, Unified Community (unifiedcommunity.info) is a directory of knowledge and concepts with 2,500 links in 125 categories. Exploring Botanicals (exploringbotanicals.com), Paul’s other informational website is a worldwide plant catalog showcasing Paul’s plant photos taken locally and worldwide. Paul’s one-page website, paulscommunity.us, provides access to all four of his websites including this one.