Francesco Avogadri chose Vogelsang
He uses a Vogelsang PreMix system to efficiently prepare and homogenize the substrate for anaerobic digestion.
"We chose Vogelsang as our partner because of its expertise and in-depth understanding of the challenges associated with slurry and biomass handling," says Francesco Avogadri, owner of the company.
Santa Marta Farm, located in Soncino in the province of Cremona, is a long-established agricultural business with roots dating back to 1913 and part of the Avogadri Group. With a pig farming operation, an in-house feed mill, extensive agricultural land, and facilities dedicated to manure storage, the company has embarked on a major energy innovation project through the construction of a new biomethane plant, which became operational in 2024[MM1.1].
The plant was designed to produce 250 m³/h of biomethane using exclusively feedstocks originating from the farm itself. This approach maximizes the value of available resources while supporting an increasingly sustainable production model.
The plant consists of three digesters and a technical building housing the control and management systems for the entire process. To ensure optimal digester feeding, Santa Marta Farm relied on Vogelsang’s expertise – as trusted partner throughout the project.
At the heart of the process is the PreMix system, where agricultural by-products and manure are mixed and homogenized before being transferred to the digesters. This creates a uniform substrate that enhances the efficiency of the biological process. The PreMix system installed at the plant comprises a RotaCut RCX wet cutter with automatic foreign matter discharge and a HiCone 66 progressive cavity pump. This arrangement cuts and shortens fibers, improving accessibility for the bacteria responsible for anaerobic digestion. At the same time, the system effectively separating foreign objects and coarse materials to protect the plant from sediment build-up, thereby optimizing operating costs while ensuring continuous, reliable operation. In addition, the plant is equipped with two further Vogelsang HiCone 55 pumps dedicated to transferring slurry between the digesters and to the final storage tanks. The conical geometry technology, a distinctive feature of HiCone pumps, helps maintain consistent performance over time, enables predictive maintenance, and extends pump service life.
The integration of Vogelsang technologies has enabled the company to develop a modern, efficient biomethane plant that is perfectly integrated into its agricultural operation.
"For the development of our biomethane plant, we were looking for reliable partners with strong expertise in slurry and biomass handling. Vogelsang’s solutions enable us to prepare and pump materials efficiently throughout the entire process. Working with Vogelsang has been a trusted and collaborative experience, and their technologies have helped us build a state-of-the-art plant capable of making the most of the resources produced directly on our farm," says Francesco Avogadri.
Customer portrait: Avogadri Group
| The company | Azienda Agricola Santa Marta – Avogadri Group |
|---|---|
| Person in the testimonial | Francesco Avogadri, owner |
| Year of founding / Start up / Established | 1913 |
| Employees | |
| Normal size | 250m³/h biometane |
| Input | Liquid manure +biomass |
| Setup | |
| Technology from Vogelsang in use | PreMix (RCX-58G & HiCone 66-V3) and HiCone 55-V3 |
