Samherji plans to build a new and more advanced fish processing factory in Dalvík
- investments for 11 billion ISK in the fishing industry in Eyjafjörður area in just 3 years
Samherji has signed a land lease agreement with Dalvík town for around 23,000 square mtrs of land for a new house in Dalvík. The agreement is a major step towards a new and more advanced operation of Samherji in Dalvík. The transfer of Samherji's operations to the port area also creates opportunities for Dalvik town to organize the area in a way that benefits the community as a whole. Samherji's investment in housing and equipment is estimated around 3,500 million ISK.
Þorsteinn Már Baldvinsson, CEO of Samherji, revealed these plans at a festive meeting with the staff of Samherji in Dalvík and representatives of Dalvík last Friday.
In his speech, he also mentioned that that same day, Samherji received the new trawler Björgulfur EA in Turkey. The new ship will replace its 40-year-old namesake and will arrive to the hometown Dalvík in the beginning of June.
"With the new processing factory and the building of Björgúlfur EA, Samherji is investing in fishing and processing at Dalvík for at least 6,000 million ISK. Samherji's total investment in fishing and processing in Eyjafjörður will be approximately ISK 11,000 million in just three years, "said Þorsteinn Már.
Close cooperation with Dalvíkurbyggð
The work during the preparation of the decision has been in close collaboration with Dalvík town. The decision is made in unity and both parties regard it as beneficial to the society and all. The new location is designed to increase traffic safety and shift heavy-duty transportation away from the main route through town.
Remarkable performance
"Our success in the fish processing factory here is remarkable and the reason is primarily our staff that has performed wonderfully and, in fact, the whole community. Everyone wants to make the business prosper and has been supportive of the company throughout the years, "said Thorsteinn Már.
Thorsteinn Már said that with new factory, the jobs would change, they would be more varied and more demanding, but also physically easier. "We are going to build the most advanced fish processing factory in the world and we will do it with your help, dear employees. In the new building, we will continue working with Icelandic companies to develop solutions in the food industry, which will then be sold domestically and abroad. The house will be the criterion that Icelandic companies will use to showcase their technology and production around the world. Thus, the Icelandic industry has developed with the Icelandic fisheries industry, and we all benefit from it. "
Processed from 14,500 tonnes of raw materials in each place
Þorsteinn Már recalled that when Samherji purchased ÚA in 2011, rumors where that all the fish processing would be transferred to Akureyri. "The story, on the other hand, is different and year after year we have increased the processing here in Dalvík. Last year, 14,500 tonnes of raw material was processed here. From the time from the purchase of ÚA, the two factories have processed almost equally much raw material, while working hours have been more in Dalvík due to the more time consuming processing of Haddock. We have landed at Dalvík, on a yearly basis around 15,000 tons of fish and paid around 60 million ISK to the harbour last year. "
The beginning of a new, excellent chapter
At the end of his speech, Thorsteinn Már thanked the town authorities at Dalvík for the good cooperation. He also thanked the Samherji staff at Dalvík for their collaboration over the years, "and the trust that exists between us. I think the agreement with Dalvík today is only the beginning of the next chapter. Let's write it and make it excellent” said Thorsteinn Már.
A contract was also signed with AVH architects in Akureyri for the design of the new building.
The agreememt confirmed. From left: Kristján Vilhelmsson, MD of Samherji Ships Operations; Þorsteinn Már Baldvinsson, CEO of Samherji; Bjarni Th. Bjarnason, Director of the Council of Dalvík; Heiða Hilmarsdóttir and Gunnþór Eyfjörð Gunnþórsson, Dalvík Council representatives. Photo: Margrét Víkingsdóttir.
