An East Yorkshire agricultural chemical manufacturer has invested over £100,000 in new equipment as it looks to “build for the future.”
Grotech Production Ltd, based in Goole, has spent £110,000 on a new palletiser, in a move which will also reduce risk of injury among its staff force.
The company, first founded under a different name in 1977, develops and produces specialist powder, granule and liquid formulations for the agricultural and chemical industries.
Martin Usher, Grotech’s MD, said the new palletiser was the first significant step in a series of investments the company is looking to make in equipment and ways of working.
“We are building for the future,” he said.
“We want to be able to run our filling lines faster and more productively but to do that we need to automate more to enable other areas of the production process to keep up.”
Fully automated, the palletiser replaces an operation previously done by hand, picking up packed cartons and placing them precisely on a pallet ready for stretch wrapping and subsequent shipping.
The new palletiser comes on top of a £20,000 investment made by Grotech last year in other areas of new equipment also designed to boost efficiency to the business.
Most Read
The previous £20,000 commitment included a vacuum sack lifter to enable the safe movement of heavy sacks of raw material.
Mr Usher said: “The palletiser takes out of the business more of the back injury related risk associated with lifting boxes, sometimes as much as 25kg in weight, and loading them on to pallets.
“The pallets will be loaded in a neater, more consistent fashion and we will also be able to put more weight in the boxes if the customer requires it,”
How to contact Phil Winter and Business Live
Business Live's Hull & East Yorkshire journalist is Phil Winter, also the business editor at the Hull Daily Mail and Hull Live.
You can follow Phil on Twitter @PhilWinterBiz, or on Linkedin by clicking .
Alternatively, email him on philip.winter@reachplc.com, or call 01482 315360.
Keep up to date with the latest business news in the Hull & Humber region here.
Follow @HumberBizEd and @businesslive on Twitter
“Grotech is continuing to go from strength to strength and we are busier than ever.
“Our ongoing investment in new equipment and processes will help ensure we are well placed to meet the needs of our customers efficiently and cost effectively.”
Founded in 1977 as Protech Formulations Ltd, Grotech Production Ltd was established in 2002 to further develop Protech’s business as a specialist formulator and packer to the agrochemical industry.
Don’t miss
In 2005, Grotech Production built a purpose-built 12,000 sq ft factory at Britannia Road, Goole while retaining its original Larsen Road premises as a warehouse.
The business works with a range of multinational 'Blue Chip' companies, as well as smaller organisations which do not have in-house production facilities.
Its expertise lies in providing a confidential contract service in the formulation and packing of powders, granules and liquids.