40 M H POSKITT LTD JUN / JUL 2018 • farmers-mart . co . uk
40 M H POSKITT LTD JUN / JUL 2018 • farmers-mart . co . uk
Ensuring a great service
“ A good operator and routine biological and technical service are key to running an efficient biogas plant with a high availability ,’ says Charlie Bowyer of Birch Solutions . ‘ Guy and the plant manager , Jamie Gutteridge , use Birch Solutions ( formerly PlanET Biogas UK Ltd ) for biological and technical service . As biological service manager , I organise fortnightly samples of digestate to be collected from the site via courier
‘ I find that motivating people isn ’ t all about what you pay it ’ s them having ownership of what they do and makes them proud . We employ highly skilled people right across the business and especially so on the farm where we have the latest technologies in tractors , combine harvesters and all equipment . It ’ s all about bringing down our cost per acre .’
Guy sees the coming 12 months and years ahead dependent on the current parliamentary negotiations as a testing time for his business , British agriculture and the country at large .
‘ We ’ re in a very difficult situation . I was an avid ‘ remain ’ for staying in Europe and I still
and taken to our lab partner , where they are analysed for all of the major process parameters , with a typical turnaround of 2-3 days . Trace element content and acid profiling are analysed for more either quarterly or if trends in gas production or other lab results start to look a little off-colour . The lab results are interpreted in context to the current feeding and performance of the plant and information is relayed back to Guy and Jamie with any pertinent advice . can ’ t understand how we will be better off being out of the EU . Brexit has already put a brake on our business and if we ’ re not careful it could be an even greater race to the bottom . Others could lose their momentum in trying to do things better purely because they don ’ t know what is going to happen .’
‘ We ’ ve always adapted to change and UK farming needs to be properly addressed . I think farm payments should be earned . Give me grants so that I can improve what we do , sweat my asset harder , drain the fields better , build good up to date stores and help with more efficient technology to assist in my education of bringing down unit cost of production . They are the things we ’ re all
This proactive approach and a strong working dialogue has helped us work together to maintain a stable process and excellent biogas availability . In combination with our fast-reaction CHP and plant service and repair , this has led to the plant achieving an outstanding 97 % availability since commissioning in early 2015 .”
Charlie Bowyer can be contacted on 07908 527540 or c . bowyer @ planet-biogas . com crying out for to enable us to produce at the cost required and yet still make a decent living . If that happens then maybe we can farm without any support in ten years ’ time .’
‘ We all just want to be fitted up so we can compete . DEFRA need to get things on the table and hopefully at the same time not make it the traditional field day for consultants and advisers .’
And what about Guy ? Having built up this large food processing and farming concern how does he see his future ?
‘ We ’ ve always adapted to change and UK
farming needs to be properly addressed ’
‘ I had an ASDA director tell me about eight years ago that the one problem here was that this business all relies on me . Since then I ’ ve made a concerted effort to delegate day-to-day responsibilities . I ’ ve also taken out what is called a key man insurance policy that would allow the business to have the resources to bring someone in to run it in my absence , but I ’ ve no intention of going anywhere .’
Guy is married to Clare and they have two sons – Mark ( 18 ) who is a skilled horseman in show jumping and eventing ; and Ben ( 17 ) who is presently studying agri business .
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richard-western . co . uk
Richard Western Ltd ., D ’ Urbans , Framlingham , Suffolk , IP13 9RP t : 01728 723224 f : 01728 724291 e : sales @ richard-western . co . uk