Fertiliser facility upgrade supporting farmers across Wales and the South-West of England

Origin Fertilisers has made a significant investment to upgrade its Newport processing plant which will increase production capacity and product quality, while providing long-term product security for local customers across Wales and the South-West of England.

The facility, which is one of 12 Origin production sites in the UK, is the latest in a strategic investment programme by the company in cutting-edge technology to deliver tailored and prescription fertilisers to farmers and growers across the country.

The multi-million-pound investment increases production capacity at the Newport facility by over a third. It features a state-of-the-art in-line blender, where raw materials are automatically fed from six separate hoppers that each feature digital weighing technology to provide an accurate flow of materials along a central conveyor.

This modern technology is integral to blend Origin’s innovative Nutri-Match products, which tailor prescription fertiliser based on soil and crop requirements. The upgrade allows flexibility to coat products with technologies designed to protect nutrients, reduce environmental losses, and add desiccants to minimise dust and improve product flow during field application.

Origin has over 15,000 fertiliser grades aimed at increasing soil fertility, nutrient use efficiency and crop productivity, whilst also protecting the environment. This number grows daily as farmers look to maximise efficiency from fertiliser applications. Essential nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphate and potash, along with secondary and micronutrients such as sulphur and sodium, can also be blended in the upgraded plant to create bespoke products.

To maximise output, a double packing line with product offloaded from both sides of the conveyor has been part of the recent installation, as well as the option to discharge bulk loads directly for the first time. New walls have also been constructed in the bulk raw material bays for greater holding capacity. Located within the Newport port area, Origin’s production facility handles thousands of tonnes of raw materials each year.

Mike Pater, Origin UK managing director, commented:

“Our Newport facility upgrade is excellent news for agriculture and food production, both here in Newport and in the wider South-West region. With cutting-edge technology, this major investment allows us to increase production at a time when farmers and growers are concerned about fertiliser security and supply availability, and should help provide reassurance to them for years ahead.

“The upgrade also supports sustainable agriculture by producing tailored and prescriptive fertilisers designed to enhance soil fertility, nitrogen use efficiency and crop productivity, all of which are provided with an independently verified carbon footprint from our NUTRI-CO2OL tool.”