£7.5m investment aims to improve fertiliser supply in northern England and southern Scotland
22nd August 2024
Origin Fertilisers and the Port of Tyne have announced a £7.5 million combined investment in a new fertiliser facility.
The collaboration said that the new fertiliser facility will offer improved fertiliser access and supply to customers across the Borders, Northern England and Southern Scotland for the 2024/25 crop year and beyond.
They added that the project on the Port of Tyne site for a dedicated 6,000m2 fertiliser warehouse will allow Origin to produce and store in excess of 100,000 tonnes of product to support farmers and growers across the region, offering better access to the right crop nutrition.
‘Significant’ investment for the region
Origin’s managing director, Michael Pater, said that the investment is “significant” for the region.
He added: “This major investment provides us with a new site in north-east England complementing existing facilities in Silloth, Immingham, Ayr and Montrose.
“The facility is located port-side and gives direct access to deep sea vessels, which will be a major improvement to the region in accessing raw materials from further afield, providing a wider range of product sourcing and competitive pricing.
“It will allow us to meet the growing need for prescription fertilisers in the area, while simplifying supply and logistics of fertiliser for many customers.”
Port of Tyne’s head of estates, Victoria Beattie, added: “This significant investment not only enhances the agricultural supply chain for farmers and growers in our region and beyond, but also brings economic and environmental benefits.
“Approximately 15 new jobs will be created, as well as the regional position of the site set to reduce road miles of around 5,000 lorry loads of fertiliser. This partnership aligns with our commitment to positively impact the local economy, and we look forward to Origin’s new site being fully operational.”
The project is now at the final stage of installing a new modern, state-of-the art, fertiliser blending plant.
This will enable a full range of secondary and micro-nutrients, along with fertiliser additives, to be added to the fertiliser to match specific crop and animal requirements on an individual farm and field basis.
Completion of the site is planned for early October, the collaboration confirmed.
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