"This is a strategic milestone for us. It confirms the international relevance of our technology," said Normex CEO, Stig Ove Johansen.
Photo: Normex.
Norwegian technology company Normex announced that it has signed what it called "a significant supply contract" with Mirae Aquafarm, an innovative land-based salmon farm located in Pohang, on the east coast of South Korea that, once completed, will have a production capacity of 10,000 tons of salmon per year.
According to the Normex release, the contract includes the supply and installation of its Razone water treatment system throughout the salmon farming facility. Moreover, in addition to the main delivery, the Norwegian aquatech firm will also supply solutions for wastewater, intake water, and pre-harvest purification (purge).
As mentioned, Normex highlighted that this agreement marks an important breakthrough for it in the Asian market and represents its first major venture in the region. "This is a strategic milestone for us. It confirms the international relevance of our technology," said Stig Ove Johansen, CEO of Normex.
A view corroborated by Mirae Aquafarm CEO Suhyung Cho, who stated that he looks forward to the collaboration. "We've spent considerable time finding the right partners, and we look forward to working with Normex on this ambitious project," he commented.
Razone, the unique solution for cleaning and clearing water in land-based fish farms that Normex will supply to Mirae Aquafarm, is a high-tech water treatment system developed specifically for aquaculture facilities based on recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS).
The system removes microparticles, reduces microbiological load, and ensures consistent water clarity, enabling stable production conditions, good fish health, and efficient biomass utilization with reduced risk.
"The market is looking for solutions that combine sustainability, biosecurity, and operational efficiency. Razone directly meets these demands. On top of that, the system can be remotely monitored, giving us a strong platform for further international growth," the Normex CEO explained.
General photo of the Mirae Aquafarm facility under construction in South Korea.
To meet the needs of this first project in South Korea, but also as part of its long-term strategy in Asia, Normex has also established a partnership with the Korean company Aquapro Ltd., which will act as local representative and technical support partner.
"With Aquapro on board, we're strengthening our presence in Southeast Asia," Stig Ove Johansen said. "We've already launched new projects together and see significant potential for further expansion in the region," he added.
In its release, Normex also highlighted that this venture in South Korea is a direct result of its participation in Innovation Norway's Global Growth program, "a targeted initiative that has provided the company with valuable market insight and access to key decision-makers in the region."
Innovation Norway is the Norwegian Government's most important instrument for innovation and development of Norwegian enterprises and industry, helping them to grow sustainably and increase exports by providing access to competence, capital, and networks. It is also the Norwegian government's official trade representative abroad, aiming to assist Norwegian businesses grow and find new markets.
South Korea is one of those new markets that Norway is targeting. In addition to the recent joint agreement signed between the two countries to cooperate more closely on seafood, the presence of Norwegian technology is common in the new land-based aquaculture projects that are emerging in the Asian country.
Mirae Aqua Farm itself signed an agreement last December with Norwegian land-based aquaculture feed technology provider Laksesystemer for its Pohang salmon farm. Another example is AKVA's involvement in the commissioning of South Korea's first land-based salmon farm, which opened in January 2025, with the Norwegian aquaculture technology group providing the RAS technology.
Moreover, beyond supplying technology to local Korean fish farms, there are also Norwegian salmon companies whose expansion in Asia passes through the country, as is the case with Salmon Evolution, for which South Korea is its first planned stop in its international expansion