TRIDENT SEAFOODS FINDS BUYER FOR ALASKA PROCESSING PLANT
Trident Seafoods finds buyer for Alaska processing plant. Trident Seafoods has reached an agreement to sell its processing plant, bunkhouse, galley, and two housing units in Petersburg, Alaska, to E.C. Phillips & Son Inc. The transaction is expected to close in April.
Trident announced in December 2023 that it is seeking buyers for four of its Alaska-based plants as part of a comprehensive, strategic restructuring initiative. Trident CEO Joe Bundrant stated that the company is intentionally seeking buyers who share Trident’s values, will take great care of the fleet and employees, and will integrate themselves into the community.
“E.C. Phillips & Son is a well-established family company with an almost 100-year history in the Alaska fishing industry,” said Bundrant. “The company has an excellent reputation for quality and support, making it a great fit for Petersburg.”
According to the company website, E.C. Phillips & Son buys seafood from properly equipped boats to ensure top-quality products. Seafood products are rigorously graded and tracked throughout the process, from buying and freezing to packing and shipping, to guarantee the finest product to their customers.
E.C. Phillips & Son has year-round seafood processing operations:
“We are very happy to see this plant in good hands. Like the Petersburg community, E.C. Phillips is a multi-species operation with a diverse customer base,” said Jeff Welbourn, Senior Vice President of Alaska Operations. “This means that the Petersburg plant could enjoy a longer season than it did under Trident’s banner, with an operator more focused on variety and direct distribution. This approach should set the Petersburg fleet up as a great hub in the Southeast region.”
Trident Seafoods is the largest vertically integrated seafood harvesting and processing company in North America. Trident is a privately held, 100 percent USA-owned company with global operations in 6 countries and serves customers in almost 60 countries. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington (USA), Trident employs approximately 9,000 people worldwide each year and partners with over 5,400 independent fishermen and crewmembers. Species harvested and processed by Trident include virtually every commercial species of salmon, whitefish, and crab harvested in the North Pacific and Alaska. The global supply chain also includes cultured and wild species from a network of trusted sources worldwide.
Established in 1926 by Edward Phillips, E. C. Phillips & Son Inc. is a community-oriented business that provides services to fishing families throughout Southeast Alaska. Personal service and attention have established loyalty among both customers and harvesters. E.C. Phillips & Son operates year-round out of Ketchikan and Craig, Alaska.