Towering new feature on North Yorkshire skyline is 'almost twice as high' as Angel of the North
A striking new feature has appeared on the North Yorkshire skyline after one of the county’s oldest and most significant family-owned businesses unveiled a ground-breaking £20-plus million development.
The completion of Waterloo House by Masham-based I’Anson Bros Ltd is regarded as the most significant development in the UK feed industry this century.
The technologically-advanced new animal feed mill is a whopping 35 metres tall at its highest point, almost twice as high as the Angel of the North, at 20 metres, or the equivalent of seven double-decker buses stacked on top of each other.
The mammoth project is the largest-ever investment by the family-owned and managed firm which will celebrate its 125th anniversary in 2025.
Designed by world-renowned Dutch milling industry specialists, Ottevanger, with ground works handled by HACS, the Harrogate-based contractor and equipment installation by GAME Engineering, of Lincoln, the facility is located on the Dalton Industrial Park, near Thirsk.
I’Anson’s Managing Director Sarah Richardson, a member of the fourth generation of the family to run the business which is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of animal feeds and has annual sales of more than £70 million, said: "The new mill is a highly significant occasion in the history of our business and for the UK feed industry as a whole.
"It is a milestone achievement made possible by the commitment of all our colleagues in the firm and the skilled and dedicated project partners and contractors that has brought this initiative to life.
"We are now embarked on a phased build-up of production and operational capability.”
The construction statistics for Waterloo House illustrate the scale of the project and include:
1,000 tonnes of steel.
430 x 20-metre-deep concrete pilings.
30,000 tonnes of stone delivered in 1,500 wagon loads.
15,000 tonnes of concrete delivered in 500 wagon loads.
300 tonnes of reinforcing bar.
10,000 electrical items.
60 miles of electrical cabling in the mill, site and essential services.
Waterloo House will focus on the production of the firm’s bulk feed, providing consistency of supply to customers.
The Masham mill will still continue to produce quality compound animal feeds.