Safety paramount as Gilberts louvres help double feed mill production capacity

The safety of feed processing at the largest UK farmer-owned dairy co-operative is being protected via a patented ventilation design from Gilberts Blackpool.

United Feeds, part of the Dale Farm co-operative, has extended its mill at Dungannon, in Northern Ireland, to double its capacity.

Central to the development, built by McKelvey Construction, is a new intake building to include eight rax material bins, plus an additional loading point and weighbridge, with 10 additional finished product bins for the company’s bespoke nutritional solutions for ruminant animals.

Daniel McCrory, of McKelvey Construction, commented: “It was crucial the ventilation was optimised, to meet the stringent health & safety, and fire, requirements necessary in such facilities, particularly above the weighbridge area.

“Health & safety is paramount to United Feeds, and the new building faced essential fire safety requirements.

“We had to provide good ventilation because of the potential for dust, yet avoid any potential risk of water ingress as this could damage the stored feed.”

Optimum ventilation to the weighbridge and finished product bins to maintain safety inside is achieved via three-sided, 33 metre long louvre screens on each of the two silo towers, created from Gilberts’ patented WH75 series high performance ventilation louvres.

Each louvre façade was constructed on site, with each blade having to be cut to fit precisely to suit the raking head profile that graduated from 1.5m to 2.5m, and corners mitred for a flush fit. 

Daniel McRory added: “The patented design of Gilberts’ WH75 louvres gave us the ventilation and weather protection performance we needed, in a system that could be tailored to the project’s precise tolerances.”

Gilberts’ WH75 Series of ventilation louvres deliver a Class A weather rating, with low pressure loss and at least 50% free airflow area.

The innovative design of the louvre blades features an integrated channel, providing optimum efficiency in removal of water from the blade face, and subsequent discharge away from any façade opening.

The WH75 louvre is just one product that comprises Gilberts’ extensive range of louvres, grilles and diffusers, which have established the company as Britain’s leading independent air movement specialist, with solutions for mechanical and natural ventilation in commercial applications.

Contact:

Gilberts of Blackpool,
Gilair Works,
Clifton Road,
Blackpool,
FY4 40T

Phone: 01253 766911
Fax: 01253 767941

Visit Gilberts of Blackpool's website

Visit Supplier's page