15 April 2025
Agrivert is proud to continue its long-standing partnership with Northumbrian Water Ltd (NWL), supporting their innovative sludge management strategy across the North East of England.
Back in 2009–2010, NWL commissioned Agrivert to deliver a series of 64m³ rectangular cake storage silos to five of their satellite sites: Birtley, Willington, Tudhoe Mill, Seaton Carew, and Morpeth. This infrastructure investment was part of a wider shift in NWL’s sludge strategy, initiated in 2008, which aimed to streamline sludge transport by reducing the number of vehicle movements to larger anaerobic digestion (AD) centres at Howdon (Newcastle) and Bran Sands (Middlesbrough).
After transforming liquid sludge into sludge cake, these silos enabled a significant transport efficiency to be achieved, reducing haulage movements by 75% – a win for both the environment and operational costs.
Manufactured by Huning Umwelttechnik GmbH & Co. KG in Germany, the silos were installed, commissioned, and fully supported by Agrivert. For over 16 years, Agrivert worked closely with NWL and Huning to ensure these systems remain reliable and efficient.
Modern Upgrades for a Critical Site
As part of our ongoing support, NWL recently required an upgrade to the weigh cell systems on these silos. The original PTM units were due for a modern refresh, and Agrivert was once again on hand to deliver.
Working in partnership with PTM, a more advanced model was selected to replace the existing weigh cells. Huning quickly developed and supplied a custom adapter plate to allow for a smooth and efficient changeover.
The installation took place over two days of glorious spring weather at NWL’s critical Morpeth site, where minimising downtime was essential. With the help of Mammoet, who provided the crane to lift the silo top and insert known counterweights, the silo was successfully re-calibrated and brought back into service.
A Long-Term Partnership Built on Innovation and Reliability
This project is just one example of Agrivert’s commitment to delivering high-quality engineering solutions and long-term operational support to our clients in the water and waste sectors.
We’re proud to play an ongoing role in Northumbrian Water’s forward-thinking sludge strategy, helping to reduce environmental impact, improve efficiency, and future-proof critical infrastructure.