Operator working on a package line at Salten Salmon's recently renovated facility in Bodø, Nordland, Norway.
Photo: John Christian Andreassen / Salten Salmon.
Salten Salmon announced that, after almost six years of operation, it has invested over NOK 50 million (EUR 4.2 million - USD 4.5 million) in a new packaging line, increased freezing capacity, and new machinery at its facility in Bodø, Nordland, Norway. "Our vision is for our salmon production to create value in our district," said Jarle Solemdal, Chairman of Salten Salmon and CEO of Salten Aqua, owner of the plant together with Coop Nordland.
Earlier this fall, the company had already renewed the lease on the facility for another ten years. Solemdal believes the investments are important steps in the right direction for a company that has shown solid growth since its founding in 2019.
"We believe that such choices will give us long-term competitive advantages. It is important for us to stay ahead so that we can always produce food safely," he added.
The processing company already produced more than 8,000 tons of salmon products by 2023 but, following these major investments, Factory Manager Aleksander Lyngved Pedersen said it is now better equipped to meet customer demands.
"This is an important milestone for us," he stated. "With the new packaging line and other upgrades, we are better prepared to meet the demands of our customers and the market in general."
Among the investments, Salten Salmon highlighted a new quality control system that allows it to guarantee and analyze the quality of each fillet that leaves the factory. For the company, this is equivalent to approximately 170,000 portions of food every day.
"We take a picture of every single salmon fillet that goes through our system, which amounts to about 18,000 images every day. This helps ensure our quality," Pedersen explained.
This investment in machinery - supplied by Marel Norge, Weber Machinery, Lexit and MMC First Process - means that the filleting factory now has three separate packaging lines, plus a new palletizing robot and the aforementioned new quality control system.
"We see that many of today's operations can be increasingly automated. For us, this means that our employees can focus more on ensuring that our products meet both our own standards and the specifications of our customers," continued Salten Salmon Factory Manager.
Lyngved Pedersen also highlighted that the trained employees have been crucial to the development of the current production lines at the filleting factory.
"This investment is as much a recognition of the employees' work as it is a commitment to future growth. They are their efforts that have made it possible for us to take this big step forward," he said.
The processing plant opened its doors for the first time in 2019 at the facility of the former MaxMat in Bodø. Earlier, in 2017, Salten Aqua and Coop Nordland had founded the company Salten Salmon, taking over the lease. After almost six years of operation, this lease has been renewed for another ten years.
The production facility is currently owned by Max Mat Eiendom. The company is part of the Salten Aqua group through the export company Polar Quality, which, together with Coop Nordland, owns 85% of the company.
Salten Salmon's Bodø facility today employs more than 100 people, making it one of the largest employers in the Norwegian municipality in the Nordland region.
"This sends a signal to our employees and the world that we are committed to where we are. If the development so far tells us anything about the future, it's clear that we are moving forward, in a building with a lot of history," concluded Chairman of Salten Salmon and CEO of Salten Aqua, Jarle Solemdal.