Newbury tech company win global innovation award

SOYL given award for industry-leading farming app

NEWBURY-based technology company SOYL has been recognised for industry-leading agricultural innovation.

Earlier this year, iSOYL, a precision farming app developed for the iPad by SOYL, and used by UK farmers, was named as one of this year’s FinOvation Honourees by global news site Farm Industry News.

The award, in recognition of development of the app, was presented to the SOYL team at their Kennetside base on Friday by Newbury MP Richard Benyon.

SOYL develops precision tools and technology used by farmers to help them grow arable crops.

iSOYL, developed at SOYL’s Newbury site, launched in November 2014, enabling farmers to manage and control tasks, such as applying fertiliser, directly from a tractor cab using an app on the iPad.

The app also allows the transfer of data to and from the cab and the farm office.

FinOvation Honourees were selected based on reader interest in features related to new products launched between November 2014 and October 2015, with iSOYL for iPad being one of just 21 agricultural innovations worldwide to receive this recognition this year.

SOYL commercial director Simon Parrington said: “We’re proud of our record of leading the way with precision technology development in the UK and of being part of the local business community in Newbury.

“We have developed a string of ‘first to market’ innovations since we set the business up in Berkshire back in 1993 and we’re delighted to receive this recognition.

“It was great to show Mr Benyon some of the top-secret precision technology projects we have in the pipeline too.”

Mr Benyon added: “It is 10 years since I last visited SOYL and it is fantastic to witness the dramatic growth in the business since then.

“The award is a great achievement for the team at Newbury-based SOYL and it’s wonderful to see their technology being used both in the UK and around the world.”