Family-run farming business RJ & AE Godfrey has upgraded its harvest operations with the installation of a major new grain processing and storage facility at North Wold Farm, North Lincolnshire. Delivered in partnership with McArthur BDC, the project delivers the capacity and flexibility needed to keep pace with increasingly demanding harvest pressures.

With several farms across North Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire, RJ & AE Godfrey identified a need to increase its in-house wheat drying and storage capacity. Peter Harriman, farm manager, explored various options, including expanding facilities at the other farms, and reviewed other potential suppliers, but returned to McArthur BDC - a partner he had trusted on previous projects.

"McArthur BDC had shown professionalism and a clear understanding of our business from the beginning. The team revisited plans first drawn up in 2012 by BDC Systems Ltd, who was subsequently acquired by McArthur BDC for a smaller project at North Wold Farm but on a different site, and brought them up to date," said Harriman. "I was always confident that it would deliver a project of this size, on time.

"Working closely with us, McArthur BDC has done just that, designing and delivering a cost-effective solution tailored to meet our current and future needs."

The investment centres on a new grain store, constructed by local agricultural building contractors, Colleys, which has a total capacity of 10,000t, split between two 5,000t bays.

All grain handling within the new plant is via Skandia Elevator I-Line equipment consisting of 10 120tph chain and flight conveyors and 3 x 120tph belt and bucket elevators.

Grain enters the new plant at 250tph via two Skandia Elevator trench intakes, running side by side, and is transported to an Aagaard industrial pre-cleaner which removes dust and light impurities to improve drying efficiency and overall grain quality.

Once pre-cleaned grain is conveyed to a continuous flow Svegma 6122D drier, manufactured by Akron. The drier has a nominal throughput of 80tph with four, three stage burners providing heat and three Akron axial fan units delivering the airflow.

When dried, grain is conveyed either to store or one of the lorry-loading four x 50t BM Silo hopper bottom bins, alternatively if the grain requires further processing it is returned to the reception intake, ideal for farmers needing to dry high moisture grain maize. The hoppers are also used to store smaller batches of grains or seed.

The grain store features an automated below ground lateral aeration system. Each lateral is served by an individual fan, located outside of the store, which blows air into the perforated laterals, ensuring crop quality and condition whilst in storage.

Control of the Svegma drier and entire processing plant is provided by a bespoke control panel, featuring a 21" touchscreen located in a dedicated control room. The control panel determines the route the grain is to take through the plant and enables remote monitoring, which was, alongside McArthur BDC's long standing partnership with Svegma, a key factor in Harriman's choice of drier.

Due to the size of the project, construction and installation were not without challenges. The initial plan had been for the project to be completed before harvest 2024, but due to delays in obtaining a connection to the main electricity supply, the decision was made to begin using the store powered by generators and utilising the aeration system. This also allowed time to resolve initial issues.

During commissioning, the new plant successfully processed stored crop from harvest 2024 but has not yet handled grain directly from the field. Harriman is looking forward to using the system with a vengeance this harvest, especially as it will streamline operations and reduce labour demands.

"There's no longer a need to move grain around with telehandlers or constantly monitor the drier," Harriman added. "The massive increase in drying and storage capacity means that we now have a facility that can handle our harvest with far greater control and efficiency."

Looking ahead, Harriman may consider options to expand drying and drying capabilities at other RJ & AE Godfrey farms, and if he takes this forward, says that McArthur BDC will be the first call he makes.

"This was a large and complex project, and working with a partner who understands both the technical detail and the practical demands of post- and pre-harvest was absolutely critical," added Harriman. "It's been a big investment, but one which will provide a return on investment."