Estates & Investments

The expanding firm has already laid firm foundations with the farming community after developing a series of solar powered K9 security solutions which act as CCTV systems in fields and other remote rural spots.

Yellow Hat was founded five years ago but has undergone a period of considerable expansion in the last two years and needed extra space to cope with the increased demand for its products.

As an Ni.PARK tenant, the business will benefit from knowledge exchange with Harper Adams University and other project partners and is forging new connections with agri-tech firms already based at the site.

Phase One of Ni.PARK was delivered by Telford & Wrekin Council and offers 24 sustainable employment units at the site based on the outskirts of Newport.

Yellow Hat has developed a series of innovative security products which are proving to be extremely popular in the agri-tech and agriculture sector.

The K9 tower is a solar powered, all terrain, fully mobile CCTV tower which is incredibly robust and capable of withstanding strong gusts of wind in excess of 75mph.

Meanwhile, the K9 Scout is a smaller version of the original K9 Tower and can be clipped onto poles in different locations. 

Due to its flexibility, the scout is the perfect piece of kit deployed to protect farming and construction equipment or building supplies.

Yellow Hat’s newest product is the K9 Air which can be fitted onto any cherry picker or crane to give operators the widest viewing angle possible. 

The high visibility is managed through Yellow Hat’s control room which enables cameras to be positioned at the perfect angle for each site. 

Ben Winston, Sales & Technical Development Director at Yellow Hat Security Solutions, said: “Our business has grown substantially over the last few years and we needed more space.

“We’ve been working really hard on developing our sustainable solutions and finding somewhere like Ni.PARK that really encourages that side of things, was a big attraction for us. 

“Ultimately, the park supports our company ethos of the importance of research and development. 

“We’ve been working closely with the rural community on supporting their security needs, primarily our K9 systems. 

“Farming and agriculture can be a real challenge as there are no plug sockets in the middle of a field for a traditional security system. We’ve developed K9 as a solution for that which is powered by solar.”

Yellow Hat believe their range of projects can really help farms and agri-tech firms who need to up their security game by protecting property, assets and livestock and deterring theft, trespass and fly-tipping. 

The business has also launched Blood-Hound - an advanced fleet management system which can help with vehicle tracking, driver monitoring, routing, fuel monitoring, tyre management, as well as Equine security and saddle tracking.

Ben added: “What began as just security has evolved into so much more. We now offer reliable security solutions for every situation with the agricultural sector being a major part.

“We concentrate primarily on the ever-changing demands society places on the need for protection and safety in the rural environment 

“Criminals are becoming more sophisticated and technological - but so are we. We consider ourselves highly skilled in the recognition of personal and business needs and there is certainly a high demand for enhanced security systems in the agri-tech world.

“We’re really grateful for the support we’ve received from Telford & Wrekin Council and Harper Adams University since we moved to Ni.PARK and we already feel involved in the business community here.”

Ni.PARK businesses are being encouraged to connect with each other through Hello Telford - a new business platform and a one-stop shop which gives businesses the chance to collaborate and buy or sell from each other.

The web-based app makes it easy for local firms to do business locally and make the most of products and services which are on their doorstep.

Councillor Lee Carter (Lab), Telford & Wrekin Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services, Regeneration and the High Street, said: “Ni.PARK is a community for agri-tech businesses, as well as those that can support the agriculture sector with their products and services.

“Yellow Hat Security Solutions is committed to supporting businesses which all have one common goal – to make Ni.PARK a centre of excellence for the agri-tech industry.

“It’s fantastic to see the uptake in units at Ni.PARK and the number of businesses which have moved to the site because of its prime location and agri-tech focus.”