THE MARKETING might of Glencore Grain is being geared up to supply animal feed businesses in the UK with raw materials sourced from across the world.

Globally, Glencore Agri-Products is one of the world’s major crushers of soya bean and oilseed rape, along with the production of crush co-products, including soya bean meal and hulls. The company is actively expanding its crush capacity, particularly in South America.

Now it aims to make the co-products of the crush available for UK buyers, via its deep water ports, in Portland, Dorset on the south coast and frm a new bespoke import and storage facilities at Teesport, in the North-east.

The company will be working with the established Portland-based business, Mercury Commodities, to develop the market in the UK.

Glencore Grain UK's managing director, James Maw, said that the opening of dedicated import facilities and a direct distribution channel into the UK, now gives a fully accredited and assured supply chain for quality products, right through from the crush to UK consumers.

“We already supply whole grains to leading UK animal feed compounders and manufacturers. Working with the market knowledge and experience of Mercury Commodities, we can build on that business to now offer feed compounders and manufactures a complete offer for the bulk of their raw materials."

These import and distribution sites will give quick and cost-effective access to the prime livestock producing centres of the UK, including the major pig and poultry markets of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Humberside, along with cattle production in the South-west, North-west and Scotland, he pointed out.