TECHNOLOGY FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE July 2025 91 About Barry Finnegan The Co-founder of Lvlogics, Barry Finnegan brings a unique blend of hands-on farming insight and technical expertise to the world of agricultural innovation. Growing up in a dairy farming family, Finnegan witnessed firsthand the challenges farmers and animals face when feed supplies run low unexpectedly. This deep understanding of on-farm pressures—combined with his MSc in Electronic Engineering and years of experience in remote oil monitoring—inspired him to pioneer a groundbreaking solids monitoring solution. He recognized that laser technology, known for its reliability, accuracy, and affordability in level sensing, could revolutionize feed monitoring—if one critical hurdle could be overcome: dust interference in silos. Determined to solve this challenge, he engineered an innovative solution, paving the way for SiloSpi, a low-cost, reliable monitoring system designed to give millers and farmers real-time visibility and peace of mind. At the heart of Finnegan’s work is a passion for creating meaningful, user-driven technology. solutions track ingredient sourcing, production processes, and product distribution, creating endto-end visibility that supports both regulatory compliance and quality assurance. Smart factory implementations have shown projected improvements in manufacturing throughput between 10 and 15 percent. In feed mill applications, this translates to significant productivity gains while reducing labor requirements and operational costs. Select systems enable troubleshooting problems remotely, reducing downtime and expense for both equipment manufacturers and their customers. In feed mill applications, this capability means that what previously required hours of investigation to identify equipment problems can now be accomplished in seconds. Feed mill automation also simplifies regulatory compliance for rules like the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Smart monitoring systems provide the detailed records and traceability required for regulatory compliance while reducing the administrative burden on mill operators. The cumulative impact of these improvements creates a compelling business case for smart monitoring adoption. Feed mill automation drives ROI by making it easier to run multiple processes simultaneously while reducing error between each process. This multiplier effect means that benefits compound as systems become more integrated and sophisticated. THE FUTURE The path forward involves continued integration of complementary technologies. Feed mill owners need clear data to measure what is happening in their mills and control operations using data collection to monitor health, position, and performance. This intelligence enables predictive maintenance and process optimization that drive continuous improvement. As the industry moves toward more connected and intelligent operations, the role of smart monitoring systems like SiloSpi will continue to expand. These systems serve as the foundation for broader digital transformation initiatives that promise to make feed production safer, more efficient, and more environmentally sustainable. The evidence is clear: Smart monitoring systems represent more than just a technological upgrade – they are a fundamental enabler of the modern, connected feed mill. As the industry continues to evolve, facilities that embrace these technologies will be better positioned to meet the challenges of tomorrow while delivering superior safety, efficiency, and environmental performance today. References 1Factory Farming: A Recipe for Disaster for Animals & Our Planet 2The Animal Feed Industry’s Impact on the Planet 3https://ilt.safetynow.com/grain-bin-safety-statsand-facts
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