There are two launches today – the Farm Progress Show kicked off in Decatur, Illinois this morning and Bedford Reinforced Plastics has unveiled its new solution-oriented website – a perfect tool for growers.

Many in the agribusiness arena may not be familiar with Bedford. The company manufacturers custom FRP (fiberglass-reinforced polymers) for many different industries. But the company actually has its roots in agriculture. This I learned from Eric Kidd, the Director of Marketing for Bedford.

The founder of the company was a dairy farmer and when he started the business, they started out making fencing. Last couple of years Kidd said they have been working with fertilizer companies because fertilizer is a very corrosive material and their FRP doesn’t corrode. Bedford is also a good fit for poultry barns and other livestock sheds – going from the traditional wood structure to a non-corrosive FRP structure.

“Poultry feces is very corrosive so you’re constantly replacing many parts of the barns,” said Kidd. “Whether replacing one wood structure at a time or building a brand new building from composites, you don’t have to deal with maintenance issues.”

Listen to my interview with Eric Kidd here: Bedford Launches New Solutions Focused Website

Other unique areas the company has a solution for – blackberry growers. Bedford was approached by Trellis Growing Systems when the company was looking for a unique material to become a major component of their RCA (Rotating Cross Arm) System. This trellis technology now allows farmers to grow blackberries in the Midwest and one reason is that FRP is not affected by extreme weather conditions.

FRP isn’t a cheap building material, but for those ag customers who have built structures with the material, the money has been well spent. Kidd said a grower must have a significant need and his sales team works with you to evaluate your operations and determine if FRP is a good fit. This is the same philosophy that has been carried through to their new website – custom FRP design for a grower’s custom needs.

Click here to view Bedford in Action at the 2011 Farm Progress Show Photo Album.