OPENING OF HIGH-TECH PROCESSING PLANT AT MURMAN SEAFOOD

Opening of high-tech processing plant at Murman Seafood. A modern high capacity processing plant was formally opened by Murman Seafood in Murmansk, Russia, recently.

The factory is designed to process portions in the highest quality standard based on fresh or frozen groundfish such as cod. The highly automated factory can deliver both traditional block frozen as well as individually quick frozen portions. The factory and its professional staff are already showing their capabilities to deliver product quality on par with the best on the market in Europe.

The Governor of Murmansk Region Mr. Andrei Chibis along with Petr Savchuk, Deputy Head of the Federal Agency for Fisheries, the Federation council and speaker of the regional Duma Mr. Sergei Dubovoy attended the ceremony.  Furthermore, the Ambassador of Iceland to Russia Mr. Arni Thor Sigurdsson gave a speech in the Russian language highlighting the achievement made possible by good cooperation between Icelandic technology providers like Valka and forward-looking companies like the Russian Murman Seafood. 

The Icelandic company Valka was the designer of the processing plant. Valka as the main contractor provided trimming lines, automated water jet cutter for pin bone removal and portioning as well as various graders, packing equipment and Manufacturing Execution Software.  Further to this several other companies took part in the modern high-tech plant.  Other suppliers included more Icelandic companies like filleting line provider Velfag, mince line and IQF freezer from Skaginn 3X, cooling and fluid ice system from Kapp.  Additionally, Scandinavian companies Cabinplant, Seagain, Hillerslev as well as DSI also plaid an important role.

Starting up a new factory like this in the middle of an epidemic like Covid 19 is truly a challenge.  Several items have taken a longer time than originally expected. However, the professional management style of Murman Seafood along the good and continuing cooperation with the suppliers has already made it possible to start production of high quality fish products.

“Today the most modern fish processing plant has been built in the Murmansk region within the framework of the investment quotas program, there are only a few of them in the world. The enterprise has installed the latest high-tech equipment, which will make it possible to produce high-quality products required by Russian consumers. And of course, it is important that it will also be in demand abroad, ”said Petr Savchuk, Deputy Head of the Federal Agency for Fisheries.

“Recently, we have seen new opportunities and cooperation between Icelandic and Russian companies emerge, especially in food production, and the fishery sectors, as Russia is modernising and investing in its processing facilities as well as its fishing vessels. I want to congratulate Murman Seafood and Valka with the new fish processing plant, and express my hope that the Icelandic-Murmansk relations will continue to prosper in years to come.” said Arni Thor Sigurdsson, Ambassador of Iceland to Russia

“Valka EHF has made a breakthrough in fish processing by introducing a fully automated bone and portion cutting line that uses a combination of X-ray technology to locate fish bones and waterjet robots to precisely cut bones and portion fish fillets. The company plans to open a specialized store by the end of 2020, where fish products will be sold with a minimum margin.” said Vladimir Khizhnyakov Director of Murman Seafood

“The people at Murman Seafood are taking a very professional approach to starting up the new factory and we can already see the determination on having the best product quality, in the end this focus also leads to the most efficient factories.  I am proud to have done this project with the great people in Murman Seafood and I can already see that they will have a long term success.”  says Mr. Kristjan Kristjansson who was the leading process designer for Valka and consultant to Murman Seafood.