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The making of a pelagic center |
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Archives -
2006 Archive
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Written by B. Tyril
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Monday, 08 May 2006 |
Nothing short of one of the world’s largest and most advanced processing facilities for human-consumption pelagic fish, located at the heart of the North Atlantic’s finest fishing grounds—and next door neighbor to top level logistics—Kollafjord Pelagic is
in business with a vengeance.
With heavy investments in robotics, complex machinery installations and questions of corporate ownership settled at long last, members of the new management team of Kollafjord Pelagic could finally look determined to kick start commercial operations in 2005. Situated in Kollafjörður, the Faroe Islands’ only processing facility for human-consumption pelagic fish is believed to be one of the most advanced of its kind because of its high degree of process automation including its quick freezing capacity.
“We’re now spreading the word far and wide that we’re open for business and we take good care of fresh pelagic catch from both foreign and Faroese vessels,” said Kollafjord Pelagic sales and marketing manager Ivan Fossabrúgv. “This is a great facility and we have a perfect location right in the middle of the North Atlantic; we’re only hours away from some of the richest fishing grounds and this can ensure the highest degree of freshness for fish landed here.”
Mr Fossabrúgv likewise mentioned the harbor conditions at Kollafjörður with regular liner service, shipping, stevedoring and reefer logistics readily available, including a large cold store only a few meters from the Kollafjord Pelagic processing plant. With an inhouse freezing capacity of 400 tons per day and next-door access to more than 12,000 tons in cold storage capacity, Kollafjord Pelagic offers a comprehensive system for pelagic fish handling.
Dánjal Jákup Andreasen, Kollafjord Pelagic chief executive, said: “This is an infrastructure that can take care of the catch from landing to export. We’re putting an effort into turning this marvellous facility into the business success it deserves. That’s why we’ll be working hard to get the message out that we’re here and we’re open for business, and that we have excellent people, advanced machinery for processing, freezing and packing, and outstanding logistics services available locally.”
The company’s blast freezer tunnel, together with other automated production units, may well represent a competitive edge. The blast freezer tunnel’s effectiveness is underpinned by an automated first-in, first-out principle, based on a multi-faceted conveyor-belt system. Keeping the freezer tunnel’s entrance and exit closed to the maximum extent possible helps speed up the freezing process, preventing and minimizing warm air infiltration into the freezer. The effect is amplified as combined with the use of minimum packaging for the fish, which means using only a thin plastic cover before freezing and packing it afterwards. Mr Andreasen added: “Everything that affects the process must be considered and instead of using thick coating around the fish prior to freezing—which would slow down the freezing process—we use only this thin sheet of plastic; we do the actual packing after the freezing process is complete.”
Landing quickly is also something that can make business sense, saving time for all parties involved; for that purpose, Kollafjord Pelagic has a highly sophisticated, insulated pump pipeline.
“From the point of landing it takes maximum 15 minutes until the fish is in the freezing process. This is considerably quicker compared with more conventional methods—and that makes sense in terms of product quality and value.”
In spite of having access to raw materials year-round, Kollafjord Pelagic’s large processing capacity is not stretched. The plant produces herring whole round frozen or filleted and value added, in addition to whole round frozen capelin, plus greater silver smelt (argentine/silver herring) and saithe headed and gutted or whole round frozen, mackerel, blue whiting and sprat whole round frozen.
Founded by a Dutch food logistics company, Kollafjord Pelagic is today owned by a group of Faroese investors. “We work independently,” Mr Andreasen said. “The investors have accepted the fact that we’re not going to favor the fishing vessels of those who have a stake in the company—we’re serving all vessels that can supply satisfactory products under satisfactory terms.”
In late 2005, Kollafjord Pelagic signed a major business contract with a leading Danish exporter of marinated, pickled and spiced herring to suppliers of value added foods for the retail markets in western Europe. Under the deal, the Danes will receive supplies of Atlanto-Scandic herring while the Faroese will be provided with herring filleting expertise as well as access to high-end herring markets.
Link to pdf presentation...
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