Fulcrum, a leading infrastructure and services provider, has secured a new £1.6 million contract with grain storage cooperative, Camgrain, as part of the construction for a new more energy efficient cereal processing plant in Northhamptonshire.
The company will design and lay a new 7km gas pipeline to help power the site near Kettering, which will provide energy-efficient cereal drying and processing, and reduce the reliance on oil-fuelled processes.
Located alongside Camgrain’s existing Advanced Processing Centre (APC), the new plant will reportedly reduce food miles and introduce cutting edge technology and innovation to the processing of arable crops.
Camgrain was founded in 1983 and provides cooperative grain storage for its farmer members. The organisation collects, stores and markets around 500,000 tonnes of its members’ crops, including wheat, barley, oats, oilseed rape and linseed at four APCs in East Anglia and the East Midlands.
The new pipeline is due for completion in spring 2022 and will travel from the gas network to the site along a route that travels under two Network Rail bridges and crosses the A43, the primary road through the East Midlands.
Fulcrum will therefore utilise specialist directional drilling techniques as part of an energy-efficient excavation and installation process to minimise disruption and reduce the environmental impact.
Terry Dugdale, CEO of Fulcrum, said: “We have established a close relationship with Camgrain in the planning of this project, which will support efficient and effective delivery of the pipeline. We are really pleased to be supporting this important cereal processing operation with a responsibly sourced gas supply, which will also reduce the use of oil on site and the need for HGV oil deliveries.”
Simon Willis, Group CEO of Camgrain, said: “Fulcrum has been very supportive during the planning process as we brought this project forward, with its team providing valuable consultation and utility infrastructure advice. Its cost-effective and energy-efficient approach will be key to the timely delivery of this innovative new plant that will benefit our member farmers and the UK food supply chain.”
