Bell & Evans

Bolidt News

Bell & Evans

Bell & Evans have taken an important step towards improving animal welfare in their hatchery. The American producer of organic, antibiotic-free chicks once again lives up to its reputation as a pioneer in the poultry industry. Optimal hygiene, fresh feed, clean water and sufficient air and light: together these are the ingredients for an animal-friendly hatchery. When building the new production facility, Bell & Evans therefore had a clear idea of what the end result should be. In order to realise their animal-friendly ambitions, the American producer co-operated with several Dutch partners. Bell & Evans chose Bolidt, for instance, as a supplier of 100% hygienic and thus animal-friendly flooring. The new hatchery is located in Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania.

Bring in the Dutch. For the construction of their new hatchery, Bell & Evans decided to work with a number of Dutch partners. Among these was HatchTech, a company based in Veenendaal that supplied state-of-the-art solutions including cooling, heating and ventilation systems for the hatchery. The systems enable Bell & Evans to create the most ideal indoor climate for the chicks. Viscon from ‘s Gravendeel supplied the hatchery with safe vaccination and stress-free chick transport systems. The Dutch company also supplied a system, which makes it possible to only select eggs containing living embryos for hatching. According to Bell & Evans, the animal-friendly systems supplied by HatchTech and Viscon are a perfect fit for their own philosophy of reducing stress in their chicks and improving the welfare of the animals.

No diseases

Hygiene is a basic condition for animal welfare. Poor conditions can, after all, cause chicks to become sick. The flooring in the hatchery plays a decisive role in this. Bell & Evans’ search for the most animal-friendly flooring ended with another Dutch partner: Bolidt. As a supplier of top-quality flooring systems, Bolidt enjoys an excellent reputation in the international poultry industry. The liquid-tight and seamlessly installed Bolidtop^® flooring systems meet the strictest safely standards and ensure that chicks can grow in a hygienic environment.

The floors in the new hatchery in Fredericksburg were finished with the Bolidtop^® 700 system, a synthetic floor covering that provides an optimal basis for the chicks’ welfare.

 Its pore-free surface and seamless finish make it impossible for bacteria to settle in seams or cracks. The Bolidtop^® 700 flooring is also dirt repellent and easy to clean. Good news for the chicks, as it ensures a consistently high standard of hygiene in the hatchery.

Safe working environment

The Bolidtop^® 700 system was also installed with human welfare in mind. The synthetic floor finish helps to ensure safe working conditions for Bell & Evans’ employees. When the floor is being cleaned, for instance, because the Bolidtop^® 700 remains slip resistant even when wet. This means that the employees at the hatchery do not need to worry about unpleasant slips during the production process or when cleaning the floor.