Hugh Crabtree's Story

Hugh Crabtree, director of Farmex and Dicam Technology Ltd (DTL), has continued to operate both companies during the current Coronavirus crisis. Both companies are ‘Small to Medium-sized Enterprises’ (SMEs) specialising in the manufacture, distribution and after-sales support of the Dicam control range of temperature control equipment used in livestock production and crop storage. The product has been in the market since 1993 and is the most used system in the UK by pig producers. Farmex has also been exporting to the USA since 1996. Both Farmex and DTL remain in operation during the current situation to supply spare parts, technical support and new orders where (appropriate). The health and welfare of livestock and crops is critical in the need to provide the nation's food at this time. DTL is also coming to the end of a prolonged development programme which will provide the next generation of Dicam controls.

Hugh says “We are at the field trial stage with that element of the development of the next generation of Dicam controls and, of course, the current circumstances have disrupted that process significantly. However, since a critical part of the engineering is to enable remote access for system support and update/upgrade this element of the work is being severely and a little prematurely tested! There's a desperate need for reliable, remote, monitor-only systems in poultry production which we are also working on with prime producer and service provider partners in that sector. The global market for a successful system is significant and we'd dearly like our bit of it. One unexpected benefit of the current lockdown is that the cancellation of the British Pig & Poultry Fair, the World Pork Expo and Cereals 2020 has effectively provided us with an extension of the latter stages of the development programme.”

Ed Hansom, CEO of the IAgrE says: “Agricultural engineering is still happening despite COVID-19 restrictions. If people are going to survive in these days of lockdown then agriculture and, by extension, agricultural engineering must keep going. Hugh’s story is one of thousands up and down the country. He has coped with the problems that the pandemic has brought to his companies and has used some of the unfortunate changes brought to his industry to his advantage. I hope that by highlighting Hugh’s tenacity here it will inspire our members and others working in the wider agricultural engineering industry to keep striving. The IAgrE is here to support its members and Academic and Corporate partners in whatever ways it can. We are adding more benefits to the existing suite of member benefits which will, hopefully, been seen as helpful in these difficult times.

Hugh Crabtree is a Fellow of the IAgrE and trustee member of the IAgrE Executive Committee