Photo: Blue Ocean Technology
Pelagic fish processor and aquaculture industry supplier Pelagia has acquired full ownership of sludge specialist Blue Ocean Technology, the companies have announced.
Pelagia, in addition to its business as a producer of pelagic fish products, also offers technical solutions to the aquaculture sector in the handling fish byproducts and logistics both at sea and on land.
Pelagia became the majority owner of Blue Ocean Technology through a share issue in February this year - and it has now bought up the remaining shares and "owns Blue Ocean Technology 100%", according to a joint press announcement by the companies.
Blue Ocean Technology, founded in 2012, specializes in sustainable and energy-efficient solutions for dewatering and drying aquaculture sludge. The company has implemented its systems both in Norway and internationally, and is working on the development of sustainable downstream concepts.
"We are happy to hand over the baton to Pelagia after we have built a good starting point for solving an important challenge for the industry," said Arve Janbu Fresvik, Managing Partner in Momentum Partners and former chairman of Blue Ocean Technology, in a press release.
"A comprehensive solution for handling sludge in the farming industry needs an industrial approach that Pelagia has the best prerequisites for success with – and we look forward to the ambitions we set for the company and the industry will come to fruition in the coming years," Fresvik added.
Pelagia CEO Egil Magne Haugstad emphasized Pelagia's commitment to integrating Blue Ocean's technology with their own to become the leading provider of sustainable sludge management solutions in the aquaculture industry.
"Pelagia has tremendous faith in this segment – and by now taking over all of Blue Ocean Technology, we can seamlessly integrate Blue Ocean’s technology with our logistics solutions, knowledge and networks in the industry at home and abroad," Haugstad said.
"We have clear ambitions to become the preferred total supplier in the profitable and sustainable handling of aquaculture sludge – both on land and at sea," he added.
The acquisition of Blue Ocean Technology is the second take-over by Pelagia in recent months. In April, the Norwegian company acquired 100% share ownership of Ideal Fish, a UK-based global seafood supplier.