July 29, 2013

BOCM Pauls' biggest feed mill in Europe to be operational in autumn

BOCM Pauls' Bury St Edmunds animal feed mill, which will have a capacity of more than 200,000 tonnes of feed after a £1.5-million (US$2.31-million) investment programme, will be the largest of its kind in Europe when it is operational this autumn.

BOCM Pauls is a leading supplier of creep, early grower and link feeds for pigs. BOCM Pauls was acquired by Dutch-based ForFarmers Group on July 11, 2013 and the enlarged operation will bring ForFarmers' total European capacity to more than 8 million tonnes of livestock feeds.

The investment will also add about 600 tonnes of storage capacity. Loading times will be reduced by the installation of an additional computer-controlled weighbridge. BOCM Pauls accounts for about two million tonnes of domestic production, of which some is also exported to Europe.

Operations manager, Ketill Lord, said the upgrades and improvements to the creep and compound plants would increase output, while additional process weighers and more carousels would reduce the amount of handling. A new pelleting press and associated feeding and conditioning plant would give higher output and greater efficiency.