The Wynnstay Group is to integrate three of its agricultural raw materials subsidiaries into a single business. The move, part of the Group’s Project Genesis three-year transformation initiative instigated by new chief executive Alk Brand, aims to establish a stronger and growing presence in the UK agricultural raw materials trading market.
The new business, to be known as GrainLink, will combine the trading operations of Wynnstay, together with Glasson Grain and the existing GrainLink into a single trading unit handling up to 1.5 million tonnes of feed raw materials per year.
It brings together the raw material and farm feed straights sales of Wynnstay, led by Carwyn Worthington; the expertise of the trading team at Glasson Grain, led by Paul Hayton; and the knowledge of GrainLink’s combinable crop trading team, led by Stuart Dolphin.
Wynnstay says all three operations already share the same principles and aim to provide a high-quality service, competitive value and professional guidance to create long-lasting relationships with customers. The integration will enhance market coverage, improve procurement capability and create a strong platform from which to take advantage of the growth opportunities that exist across the UK feed sector.
“This is a significant and exciting development for our respective trading operations,” says Stuart Dolphin, trading director at the Wynnstay Group. “Combining the strengths of Glasson, Wynnstay and GrainLink’s trading teams will create a more effective business that is better able to develop, grow and scale significantly over time.”
Paul Hayton, head of trading at Glasson Grain adds: “We’re very pleased to be joining forces with the GrainLink team. This integration brings many benefits, including access to greater resources and a broader market footprint. At the same time, we will maintain our existing strong relationships and high service levels that our customers rely on. We’re excited about the opportunities ahead as a combined force in the market.”
Mr Brand says the integration will create a stronger, more efficient operating model which is better able to support the Group’s long-term growth ambitions. He says the Project Genesis initiative is coupled with major investment programmes.
“This integration reflects our ambition to build a best-in-class agricultural raw materials trading operation, which can support the evolving needs of UK agriculture,” comments Mr Brand. “By bringing together our three trading operations under a single brand, GrainLink, we believe that the combined business is better positioned to become a stronger, dynamic force in the market.
“The integration is an example of what we are aiming to do generally under Project Genesis – which is to make Wynnstay a stronger, fitter business, better able to support our customers and to evolve for long-term success,” Mr Brand concludes.