This year’s Grassland & Muck Show looks set to be an especially momentous one for bpi.agri, leading manufacturer of silage films. 2011 sees the British manufacturer celebrate 25 years of balewrap production and at this year’s event it will showcase the products taking it into the next quarter of a century including a whole new wrapping technique known as the Film & Film system.
During the last 25 years Silotite, bpi.agri’s pioneering balewrap has helped farming communities across the world produce high quality forage. Combining this long experience with the latest raw materials and manufacturing technology has enabled the company to advance its product range further with the introduction of Pro technology, a netwrap replacement film and an ultrathin clamp film.
SilotitePro is a new generation balewrap that boasts an impressive 33% extra length per reel and a reduced film thickness. As such each reel can wrap 33% more bales leading to less time lost changing reels and a greater throughput of bales per hour. SilotitePro not only saves valuable time and money, it also has a reduced impact on the environment. Thanks to its thinner gauge, less volume is used to wrap each bale meaning there is less film to dispose of after use. Despite its thinner gauge, SilotitePro maintains the essential characteristics of traditional Silotite such as lower oxygen permeability and its renowned high strength and tear resistance properties – all vital to the production of high quality nutritious forage.
Also taking the BPI range to a new level is Baletite – an innovative netwrap alternative. Baletite fulfils the role that traditional netwrap plays in forming and securing the bale. In doing so it facilitates the production of denser, better structured bales and the smoother finish offered by polyethylene film makes it easier to open and use the bale as there is no possibility of forage becoming enmeshed.
Now growing in use across continental Europe as wrapping machinery advances is the wrapping technique known as the Film & Film system. This system sees the combined use of Baletite and SilotitePro in the production of silage bales. Together both films offer an enhanced ensiling process thanks to the additional oxygen barrier afforded by the extra layers of film. This dynamic film duo also reduces the risk of mould because of the improved air barrier and, as they are both made from the same base material, they can be recycled together removing the need to separate them post use.
bpi.agri’s 21st Century innovations are not just restricted to the baled silage process. At the show the company will be also be demonstrating Visqueen Clingseal, a low permeability, flexible silage sheet designed for use beneath a conventional silage sheet such as Visqueen Agri-S. Having a thinner profile Visqueen Clingseal ’clings’ more closely to the contours of the clamp’s surface and tucks in more at the sides. The net result is a closer fitting air barrier which helps to eliminate air pockets – a major cause of mould and subsequent wastage in the clamp top and shoulders.
Demonstrating the fact that bpi.agri is a business that cares as much about the future as it does about the past, the manufacturer will be also promoting its ability to help ’close the loop’ on waste farm polythene. Its sister division, bpi.recycled products is Europe’s largest recycler of waste polythene currently recycling some 68,000 tonnes of material annually. So, whilst bpi.agri supplies products like silage balewrap and clamp sheets, bpi.recycled products can recycle them after use, giving them a new lease of life as items such as Plaswood street furniture (which will feature on its stand).
Commenting on bpi.agri’s plans for the event, Louise Aplin, Marketing Manager at the business, said: "Throughout the years Grassland and Muck has always been an important event for bpi.agri, and we are delighted that this popular Stoneleigh event is taking place during our silver anniversary year. Aside from the opportunity to catch up with industry colleagues it gives us an opportunity to present the products that will continue to take the production of excellent quality silage forward."
