Cawood Innovation: leading the way with new solutions
Cawood is deeply embedded in the land-based industries, with services spanning the full range of activities. This gives us a unique insight, enabling us to anticipate customer demand and design solutions which are ahead of our competitors. We are always looking for better ways of working in every area of our business. This includes how we interact with our customers, the development of new solutions, and our investment in technology and equipment to stay at the forefront of our sector. We are above all committed to finding innovative ways to support sustainable food production and a safer, healthier planet.
A culture of continuous improvement
Each of our divisions has an innovation pipeline: exciting projects that will improve or extend services for our customers and make our processes more efficient. Monthly innovation meetings foster an environment of creativity and open communication, allowing colleagues from all over the business to discuss customer needs and how we might address them. Innovations can range from the creation of services to anticipate industry trends and fulfil customer demand, to smaller but equally impactful, such as developing a more efficient way to generate reports.
Sci-Tech: differentiating between natural and wild antibodies
Sci-Tech has validated a vaccine differentiation test for PRRS, allowing vets to distinguish between naturally occurring antibodies and vaccinal strains. We are the only laboratory offering this test, which determines the efficacy of the vaccination programme and is highly beneficial for PRRS surveillance. It enables vets to identify and treat the virus before it can spread, protecting the herd and the farmer’s profitability.
NRM: leading carbon measurement for landowners
CarbonCheck is the UK’s first carbon monitoring service. Developed in consultation with industry experts, agronomists and government advisors, it combines results from a number of different analyses to present carbon stock, organic carbon and active carbon in tonnes per hectare. This allows farmers to benchmark their carbon status, evaluate soil health and measure progress against improvement targets.
Marchwood: bespoke tests for VOCs and pest attractants
With our specialist knowledge, we create bespoke tests for customers. A FTSE 100 listed business wanted to establish the profile of VOCs in a gel product, and to selectively analyse for specific pest attractant compounds using Markes Micro-Chamber ATD-GC/MS. We developed tests that established the conditions required to release the volatiles from the products and determined the release rate and trapping efficiency of the compounds and sorbent tubes.
Sci-Tech: setting testing standards for the industry
As leaders of testing and field services for the land-based industries, many of our laboratories work with industry and regulatory bodies to set testing standards. Sci-Tech works with the British Game Alliance to set standards for ELISA testing of gamebirds for Mycoplasma gallisepticum under UKAS accreditation.
NRM: renewable energy feedback sources
Anaerobic digestion (AD) plants offer huge potential as a source of biogas, which could help cut global emissions by 10% by 2030 if we start now. NRM is one of only two laboratories in the UK approved to test the quality and composition of potential feedstock sources with their residual biogas potential testing service. This helps determine the right feedstock for AD plants for efficient renewable energy generation.