Agri-TechE

R&D for Spray Applications with De Sangosse

The interview with Phil Carpenter, managing director of Dangos Limited, centers on the recent closure of the UK’s SILSO spray‑applications unit and its implications for agricultural R&D. Carpenter explains Dangos’ product portfolio—slug pellets, seed treatments, adjuvants, and water conditioners—and how the UK arm historically fed innovation back to the French headquarters. He stresses that independent testing at SILSO, especially its unique wind‑tunnel and drift‑measurement facilities, has been critical for validating nozzle performance, droplet deposition, and operator exposure. Without this capability, Dangos and other firms must rely on overseas labs, slowing the introduction of new adjuvants, especially as the sector pivots toward biologicals and drone‑based spraying. Carpenter cites concrete examples: the LER app rating for nozzles, French farmer trials hosted at SILSO, and the personal ties many industry veterans have to the centre. He warns that the loss of local verification erodes confidence among growers, regulators, and the public, and could impede compliance with emerging drift‑mitigation standards. The broader implication is a lengthened innovation timeline, higher costs, and reduced competitiveness for UK‑based crop‑protection firms. Carpenter calls for renewed government investment or a collective industry solution to preserve an independent, world‑class testing hub that safeguards product efficacy, environmental safety, and market speed.