Our Story
Our Story
SoilWorx exists for one reason: to put goodness back into the ground. We manufacture high-quality organic and natural fertilisers that improve soil health, boost crop nutrition and performance and support a more sustainable way of farming. Every product we make is part of a circular system that turns organic byproducts into nutrient-rich fertiliser: reducing waste and returning value to the soil.
Rooted in experience
SoilWorx is owned by College Group, a family business with over 40 years of expertise in rendering and organic processing. What began as a rendering operation in Ireland grew into one of the most advanced organic recycling businesses in the UK and Ireland, with deep knowledge of animal byproduct processing, nutrient recovery and environmental compliance.
That expertise became the foundation for SoilWorx. More than 15 years ago, we saw an opportunity to channel decades of processing knowledge into something the agricultural industry desperately needed: reliable, high-quality, organically certified fertiliser and crop nutrition products made right here in the UK.
The largest organic fertiliser plant in the UK and Ireland
Our manufacturing facility at Mayobridge, near Newry in Northern Ireland, is the UK and Ireland’s largest organic and natural fertiliser production plant. With a capacity exceeding 50,000 tonnes per year and more than £15 million invested since 2012, the plant is fully automated and purpose-built for precision manufacturing.
Every fertiliser batch is heat-treated and sterilised to eliminate pathogens, then independently tested in state-approved laboratories. The result is a consistently high-quality product with guaranteed nutrient analysis: something that sets SoilWorx apart from many organic alternatives on the market.
Our facility is not just a fertiliser plant. It forms part of a wider circular system that includes biogas generation, CO2 extraction, biodiesel production and solar energy. Nothing is wasted. Raw organic materials are processed into valuable fertiliser products, whilst the energy generated powers the operation itself.
A circular economy in action
The concept of circular economy is central to everything we do. Traditional rendering produces organic by-products that would otherwise go to waste. SoilWorx transforms these materials into pelletised fertilisers rich in organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium: the essential building blocks of healthy soil.
This is not greenwashing. It is a genuinely closed-loop system:
- Organic by-products from rendering food production are collected and processed
- Heat treatment and sterilisation ensure the material is safe, pathogen-free and stable
- Nutrient recycling creates uniform pellets with consistent nutrient profiles
- Biogas, biodiesel and solar generated during the process power the facility
- CO2 extracted during processing is captured and repurposed
The fertiliser returns organic matter and nutrients to the soil, completing the cycle.
Research and innovation
We do not simply rely on tradition. SoilWorx has an active research partnership with Rothamsted Research, one of the world’s oldest and most respected agricultural research institutions. We conduct field trials with key farms and distributors across the UK and Ireland, and every product is backed by independent testing from state-approved laboratories.
This commitment to evidence-based development means our products deliver measurable results. Farmers and growers can trust the nutrient analysis on every bag because it has been verified independently, not estimated.
Equally important, we listen to farmer feedback and, as an independent, agile business, we can adjust our crop nutrition products to meet the challenges they face.
Family values, professional standards
SoilWorx remains a family business at heart. The intergenerational values of College Group (hard work, integrity, collaboration) run through everything we do. We work directly with farmers, agronomists, distributors and groundskeepers because we believe the best fertiliser solutions come from understanding what the land actually needs.
Our mission is straightforward: improve soil health, reduce pollution and create a sustainable circular economy that benefits growers, communities and the environment.
Our journey: key milestones
College Group established, building expertise in rendering and organic processing.
SoilWorx founded, applying rendering knowledge to organic fertiliser production.
£15M+ invested in state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Mayobridge.
OMRI listing and Organic Trust certification achieved
Expansion into the UK and Global markets, Scientific research trials such as Rothamsted Research conducted.
UK and Ireland’s largest organic fertiliser manufacturer, producing 50,000+ tonnes annually
What makes SoilWorx different?
Healthy soil is the foundation of food security, sustainable farming and a healthy planet – and a grower’s greatest asset. Established in 2020 and based in County Down, Northern Ireland, SoilWorx provides consistent, high-quality organic slow-release fertilisers that build long-lasting soil health and increase yield quality. Our fertiliser plant is the largest of its kind in the UK and Ireland, with a capacity of over 50,000 tonnes a year. It’s owned by College Group, a family business with over 40 years’ experience in organic material processing.
Every SoilWorx product is manufactured using a circular economy model, transforming agricultural by-products into high-value organic fertilisers. When you use our organic fertiliser, you’re not just feeding your garden; you’re supporting a more sustainable approach to agriculture and waste reduction and leaving the land healthier for the next generation.
Our organic fertiliser pellets contain a full spectrum of trace elements alongside the primary NPK nutrients, providing the kind of complete, balanced nutrition that synthetic fertilisers simply cannot match.
Key benefits
- Organic slow-release fertilisers that increase soil health and yield quality.
- Made at the UK & Ireland’s largest facility (50,000+ tonnes/year).
- 40+ years of organic processing expertise (College Group).
- Circular economy approach, turns by-products into high-value fertiliser.
- Promotes sustainable farming, waste reduction, and healthier soils.
- Full-spectrum nutrients + balanced NPK, unmatched by synthetic fertilisers.