We are future-proofing our poultry feed operations: 2Agriculture

“We are shutting down our mill in Edinburgh, which is under 40 years old, and, frankly, energy inefficient, and constructing modern milling operations in the Rosyth area,”​ said Gavin Berry, managing director of 2Agriculture.

He said the feed manufacturer is still reviewing potential new sites but will be in a better position in four weeks’ time to confirm where the new operations will be located. “The current site is not really suited to industrial feed mill use. We want to move closer to our farming customers, so a move north of the River Forth makes sense and that area has good road links,”​ Berry told us. 

The most likely new use for the old mill’s site will be office space, hotel and leisure facilities. “We are planning to redevelop the existing site near Edinburgh airport ourselves​,” said Berry.

The current employees will be retained, he added.

Energy efficiency ​

2Agriculture aims to optimize energy efficiency at the new mill in several ways. "The design of the plant will enable the use of gravity conveyors and we plan to invest in the latest type of grinders, coolers and pressers. We are currently in discussions with several equipment suppliers in Europe in relation to securing those.”​

The future plant will have 300,000 tons capacity per annum but the idea is that mill’s output can expand further if the market dictates: “While not a huge increase on the old mill's capacity, which was able to reach 280,000 tons annually when working flat out, we will be producing feed much more efficiently and, in that way, we can ensure the new facility will secure cost effective feed for Scotland’s poultry producers, who have had a really hard time of late, in the years to come,”​ said Berry.

The new mill will also get a leg up the sustainability ladder through the fact that the firm’s Extrupro product, which is a blend of full fat rapeseed and field beans that serves as an alternative to imported soy protein, will be manufactured there as well as at the company’s plant in Chettisham, cutting out the need to transport the product from Cambridgeshire: “This move will take a number of vehicles off the road and incur significant Co2 savings,”​ said Berry.

New ingredient innovation is also planned for within the new facility, said the 2Agriculture boss.

The feed manufacturer currently produces just under one million tons of feed per year and, besides its Scottish operations, has two other poultry feed mills – one in East Anglia in England and another in North Wales. They produce a range of broiler, broiler breeder, layer and duck feed.

While the feed firm supplies independent poultry farmers and many poultry processors, some 60% of the feed company’s business comes from UK poultry giant, 2 Sisters. Both companies share the same, ultimate, parent company, Boparan Holdings. 2Agriculture is owned by subsidiary Amber Real Estate Investments.