AN innovative new roofing system introduced by Mallusk-headquartered Brett Martin which means dairy sheds can be significantly cooler that those using traditional materials has led to a huge increase in demand from the agriculture sector in the north.
The company, which manufacturers polycarbonate roofing for a wide range of commercial uses, has supplied its new Marlon CST Heatguard material to a range of farm businesses, including some of the largest dairy farms in the north. Orders are also now coming in from across the UK, Republic and from the equestrian sector.
Employing more than 1,000 people and with sales of £220 million, Brett Martin (www.brettmartin.com) is one of Europe's largest plastic sheet producers.
Better known for providing roofing for sports stadia such as Manchester City's The Etihad and Manchester United's Old Trafford, Brett Martin's latest development in the agriculture sector is proving hugely successful for the company.
Its technical sales manager Chris Chambers says: "Animals such as cows and horses fare much better with natural daylight and in a cool environment.
"Traditionally, farm building design has limited the amount of natural daylight entering through the roof because of issues with excessive heat gain which raises the temperature inside the building.
"Lab research undertaken with Dr Tom Chamberlain, a leading UK vet specialising in heat stress in cattle, has shown that dairy sheds roofed in Marlon CST could be significantly cooler that those using traditional materials.
"Our new material contains special pigments which allow much higher levels of daylight to enter the building whilst blocking the heat build-up.
"This means that an entire roof can be made from these sheets, providing daylight on a scale that has never been possible before whilst keeping the building and the livestock cool. Users of the new roofs claim to be experiencing improvements in animal health, milk yields and fertility."
He added: "In addition to the benefits in terms of animal welfare, there are also pluses from an environmental and economic perspective.
"Many equestrian and agricultural buildings rely on artificial lighting, even during daytime. Using rooflights means the need for lights is removed completely during daytime and therefore represents a significant financial saving along with an opportunity to reduce carbon emissions."
One of the farms that has invested in the Marlon CST Heatguard product is Bingham's dairy farm in Templepatrick. It milks almost 900 cows and its main shed now has a polycarbonate roof from Brett Martin which the owners say has been a "game-changer" for their business.
Farmer George Bingham says: "Our experience has been exceptional. Since we installed Marlon CST Heatguard, conception rates are better, yields are up, and the cows are lasting longer.
"It is a game-changer within livestock building. The cows are far happier, and their hide is in a great condition, which is a sign of good natural light and ventilation.
"We also save money because we are using a lot less electricity."
