Lincolnshire-based, Scotts Precision Manufacturing, who are best known for designing and making vegetable harvesting equipment, has won a top business award for developing a unit for harvesting grass clippings for use in AD plants.
The company’s successful invention, named the Vergenair, recently won Best New Product / Innovation at the East Lindsey Business Awards. Commissioned by Lincolnshire County Council as part of a pilot project to assess the feasibility of harvesting grass clippings for use in AD plants, the Vergenair was conceived and built in just six months.
Scotts designed the Vergenair so it can be easily connected to a conventional tractor. A large front-mounted boom mower cuts the grass, with the clippings sucked into a trailer by a powerful centrifugal fan.
The design also allows the Vergenair to be worked with a demountable, two trailer system, enabling the operator to fill a second trailer, while the full one is delivering the grass clippings to the AD plant.
Scotts recently celebrated its 25th year in business by selling out of its range of toppers, alongside selling 70 of its Evolution Separators to growers across the UK, Europe and North and South America. As a result, the company is seeking support from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Lindsey Action Zone LEADER Fund, to undertake a £275,000 expansion of its Lincolnshire factory. Building work will be completed next month.
Pictured above: Derek Scott (left) and Matt Shaw (right) of Scotts receiving their award from Alan Metcalf, Finance Director of category sponsor L J Fairburn & Son.
