Q&A with William I'Anson of Masham-based animal feed firm I'Anson Brothers

Animal feed firm I’Anson unveils its new plant in Thirsk

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Here he answers The Yorkshire Post's questions.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

It’s difficult to pinpoint one area. I’ve been involved with most aspects of the business over the years and I’m incredibly fortunate to enjoy just about every day!

I’m mostly involved with raw material purchasing for the group and the sales management of Micronized ingredients, branded and own label feed sales for the divisions MMF, British Horse Feeds and The Golden Paste company.

We’ve always prided ourselves on leading innovation and it is key to stay ahead to continue serving our customers needs and attracting new business. We’ve got a really strong team, from concept right the way through to delivering customers expectations, and realising mutual opportunities is incredibly enjoyable and satisfying.

I'Anson Brothers has recently announced plans to build a new £12m production facility near Boroughbridge, why?

We’re developing this new production facility because we’ve reached capacity at our current site in Masham. The new facility at Dalton New Bridge will enable us to meet the growing demand from our customers – locally, nationally and internationally – and allow us to continue to lead product innovation.

The ultramodern design will be as energy efficient as possible, with computerised operations to deliver precision usage of ingredients, variable speed control of electrical drives and vehicle routing to save road miles. It also includes stringent environmental controls, with solar panels and heat pumps installed to maximise green energy use.

Is this good news for farmers? And when will it be up and running?

Absolutely. By building at Dalton we can remain a big supporter of farming and the wider North Yorkshire economy and local communities – something that is very close to our hearts. We can also continue to support our growing network of local farmers and suppliers, from whom we buy a large proportion of our raw materials for our production.

The new facility will be operational in 2022 and will allow us to split production across Dalton and Masham, which will remain our headquarters.

Are you positive about the future of British agriculture?

We’re very positive. UK Agriculture is the backbone of our great country and incredibly important to all of us. People and animals need to eat.

Of course, the eating habits of us all are changing, and we are well placed to service all sectors of this market. Over the last 119 years I’Anson Brothers has continually adapted to changing landscapes and we believe that we have the right plans in place for our future growth with the fifth-generation team.

Since we announced our plans for this new facility we’ve received much support, from international customers and suppliers, and national and local farmers. Customers and suppliers can see that our reciprocal trading relationships will continue long into the future and their support is always appreciated and never taken for granted.