This article first appeared in the Buildings supplement to Poultry Business, published in September 2024
A former RAF airfield in Lincolnshire now features a state-of-the-art broiler site constructed by principal contractor Powell & Co Construction. The ten broiler houses will be operated by Hook2Sisters to produce broilers to the highest welfare standards. The business now grows six million chickens across the full spectrum of systems including standard, Oakham (Marks & Spencer’s brand), free-range and organic.
The extensive project has been led by sales & business development director Adam Langley from family business Powell & Co, one of the leading manufacturers of commercial poultry housing, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.
“Working with several partners involved in each stage of the construction, this 23,000 square metre project has offered the complete solution to our client, from the initial design and planning right through to bird delivery. In total, the site houses 436,000 birds that are on a seven-week production cycle,” says Langley.
Each broiler house is 330 by 77 feet with a 15° roof pitch designed with an allowance of 15kg/m2 for all feeders, drinkers, heaters, fans and lights to be suspended from the roof. The roof has been cladded with 0.5mm thick polyester painted box steel sheet in Goosewing Grey. Insulation of the roof has been completed with a 200mm thick fibreglass insulation quilt with additional shelter board insulation on the underside of steel rafters to prevent cold bridging. To complement the roof colour, Merling Grey paint has been used for the gable ends and sides which include ScanAir windows.
Powell & Co Construction recently partnered with Scan-Air to provide poultry housing with new and improved window technology. The windows have built-in insulated shutters providing uniform light distribution, spring closing and automation via a pulley system. The windows meet the requirements of KAT/QS/SKAL/MDV/BLK, stepless blackout from 0-100% and offer high insulation value.
Each broiler house includes a control room, 19 by 14ft, along with heat exchangers with gas LPG heating and misting installation. The site close to Immingham includes an amenity block with a several features including clean and dirty segregated areas, office space, canteen, staff facilities with shower and WC and storage area.
“Powell & Co has produced a site that not only meets our needs and expectations, it exceeds them,” says Chris Chater of Hook2Sisters. “Being a leading broiler producer, we place high expectations on design and functionality to meet commercial demands, and importantly deliver the highest welfare standard for birds. The team at Powell & Co have provided us with a first-class environment in each of the houses and overall production sites.”
The company is now leading the construction of a further 12 houses with a combined capacity of 400,000 birds to be completed by December.
