system is under negative pressure to ensure dust is forced back inside by atmospheric pressure. Nigel sits on an AIC Working Group which is looking to produce an industry based best practice guide to ensure compliance with dust explosion regulations can be engineered into feed production facilities; as such, he is well-placed to have designed a system ensuring compliance with current and envisaged future regulations. The plant is also fully compliant with the most up-to-date health
and safety protocols, including safe design of access to machinery and equipment and the use of designated pedestrian walkways to ensure personnel are kept safe. Looking at the company as a whole, it has many strengths. It
Above: Explosion relief panels above every bin with barriers to ensure personnel are kept at a safe distance
industry. The system is designed in exactly the same way as it would be for a compound mill; indeed, with the addition of a grinder and a pelleting system, it could readily be converted into one, although there is no intention to do this. It is a win-win: the customer gets a product which contains exactly the ingredients stated on the label, while the manufacturer avoids the cost of over-dosing expensive ingredients in order to ensure they are present in at least the quantities claimed. Another benefit is hygiene; everything in the plant is brand new,
from the bins to the conveying system to the mixer. The plant is extremely clean because the product is all contained and cannot come into contact with any source of contamination. Compliance with DSEAR (the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmosphere Regulations) is also largely related to keeping the plant clean, because the biggest danger in dusty plants comes not from an initial explosion but from a secondary explosion when dust which has gathered is disturbed and ignited. There are pressure relief panels above every bin, each piece of equipment has its own dust filtration system, while the conveying
has well-invested assets in oil and feed. It has an extremely large customer base, with over 25,000 feed customers and 20,000 oil customers. It has strong brands and a good reputation for service from a committed workforce including a management team with a long track record of delivering growth. The locations of the mills, blends plants and branches are a further strength, as is the continued focus on the professional livestock farmer as the key customer. While some businesses have chased horse and pet owners, Carrs Billington has remained relentlessly concentrated on farming as its core business. Financial returns have been very good over the last 15 years, especially the last seven, when effective asset management has led to increased market share, in particular on the retail and feed sides as buying power has improved with the scale of the business. A clear broad strategy, specialist products such as AminoMax, successful recruitment of key individuals to support a technical sales strategy which is pertinent as the demand for technical input from customers becomes greater. In addition, there has been a personnel development policy right through the business. “We want to provide customers with solutions in a broad nutritional
way, and not just be a seller of products,” says Rae. “We are well supported by our shareholders and are looking forward to further geographical expansion.”
FEED COMPOUNDER MARCH/APRIL 2018 PAGE 39 suppliers of
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