Fengrain set to expand storage

Fengrain members have backed a proposal to erect a further 5,000 tonnes of storage capacity at the farmer-owned business’s headquarters at Wimblington in Cambridgeshire.

In the past few months a working group has reviewed the needs of the site and its operations. This identified a steady increase in the volume of oilseed rape being delivered for storage; increasing interest in spring barley storage and the need to improve intake speeds and segregation capability on site.

“The solution is to build a new 4,600t silo for oilseed rape storage plus a new 600t holding silo together with associated improvements to enhance our grain handling facilities,” says Fengrain Chief Executive Mark Isaacson.

“This will give us the ability to increase our oilseed rape capacity and allow us to make better use of smaller storage silos to segregate other grains. This will optimise our ability to add value for members.”

In total, the capital investment will be in the region of £400,000.

The proposals gained the backing of a members’ meeting at the start of the year. With planning permission already in place, work will begin soon and the new facilities will be on stream for harvest 2006.