Winter view of Torghatten Aqua's aquaculture facilities in Toft, Brønnøy, on the Helgeland coast. Contributing to the sustainable growth and development of the aquaculture sector in the area is one of the objectives of Nova Sea's entry into Torghatten Aqua's shareholding.
Photo: Nova Sea.
Nova Sea has announced that it has become a new majority shareholder - the second largest in the group - after acquiring 33.4% in Torghatten Aqua, a company dedicated to blue projects, from aquaculture or research and development to tourism and blue education. Although the boards of directors of both companies have already approved the deal, the final decision will be ratified at the extraordinary general meeting called by Torghatten Aqua this Friday, February 23.
Nova Sea's entry into Torghatten Aqua has taken place through a capital increase in the company and the purchase of shares. As mentioned, this is making it the second-largest shareholder in the group after Trøndelag Helgeland Invest, which remains the largest with just over 39% of the shares.
This long-term collaboration adds to the strong investments Nova Sea has been making in recent times in important projects such as its new hatchery in Kilvika, the new slaughterhouse in Lovund - partnering with companies such as Baader or Nordkontakt in the construction-, or the acquisition of fish farming volume, all in Helgeland area, home of both companies.
The commitment to the Helgeland coast is a constant in the investments of Nova Sea, which always emphasizes it wants to be an important social actor in Nordland. In this case, the company has also pointed out that this collaboration will contribute to the sustainable growth and development of the aquaculture sector in the area, an objective shared by Torghatten Aqua, as can be deduced from the statements of its CEO Øyvind Løvdahl.
"This is a great and happy day for us! The main shareholders of Nova Sea and Torghatten Aqua have collaborated for several decades. They share a joint ambition for growth and development, both in the companies, the industry, and the region. Therefore, we are excited to actively participate in this going forward," he said, assessing the agreement. "After the transaction with Nova Sea is completed, we are also ready to fulfill the promise to our more than 800 shareholders to list the share on the NOTC list," Løvdahl added.
The announcement of the agreement between the two companies highlighted the key role that Frode Blakstad, Chairman of the Board of Torghatten Aqua, has played in the negotiations. Convinced that the joint values of the two companies are important to their ambitious plans for the future, he was very pleased to have Nova Sea onboard as a shareholder. "We gain increased access to capital and expertise, which means a lot for the further development of our companies," he said.
This is also the opinion of Aino Olaisen, Chairman of the Board of Nova Sea. "The investment and collaboration with Torghatten Aqua fits very well into Nova Sea's strategy," she claimed. "In addition, Torghatten Aqua's subsidiary Campus BLÅ actively contributes to recruiting competent workforce, which is crucial for the success of the initiative." Campus BLÅ is a training center offering certified course activities for the marine industries at various levels, including aquaculture training.
Another consequence of this collaboration highlighted in the announcement was that, from now on, the fish farming operations of Torghatten Aqua's companies will be carried out in collaboration with Nova Sea. "We have spent a good deal of time since last summer getting to know each other's businesses and identifying synergies and opportunities that the collaboration opens up," explained Tom Eirik Aasjord, CEO of Nova Sea. "Therefore, we are convinced that what we have arrived at will be very positive for both companies, for the employees, and for the shareholders."
With 33.33 wholly-owned and 4 jointly-owned salmon licenses, Nova Sea AS is one of the largest producers of farmed salmon in Northern Norway. The company also has 25 facilities along the entire Helgeland coast. Its founder, Steinar Olaisen, was one of the great salmon pioneers in Norway. The company continues to operate "according to his principles of being honest and modest in operation, with an emphasis on quality and sustainability."
For its part, Torghatten Aqua AS is involved in aquaculture, research and development, tourism, and blue education. Each year, the group produces between 30-40 million salmon meals, welcomes 40,000 visitors to its exhibition facilities and cabins/restaurants, and has around 500 pupils, students, and course participants at the BLÅ Campus.