The Icelandic company developing land-based salmon farming in Vestmannaeyjar, Laxey, announced that is moving forward with ScaleAQ‘s feeding system at its land-based facility. A new agreement has now been signed for phase 2 of the development. The contract was signed by Trond Karlsen, Senior Sales Manager of ScaleAQ, and Hallgrímur Steinsson, CTO of Laxey.
“We are very pleased to have signed this agreement. The most important thing is that what we deliver works well. The fact that they have chosen us for their further investment shows that we deliver on our promises, said Trond Karlsen, Senior Sales Manager at ScaleAQ.
Laxey is investing heavily in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago, on the south of Iceland. Now they are moving forward with Norwegian solutions for the next stage of development.
Norwegian Technology and Equipment
Phase 2 of the expansion at Vestmannaeyjar involves eight tanks and a feeding line for the expansion of the post-smolt section. Laxey aims to deliver 32,000 tons per year when the project is completed. The archipelago has a population of approximately 5,000.
To operate the feeding system from ScaleAQ, silos from the Norwegian manufacturer Helland Silosystem in Ålgård in Rogaland will continue to be used.
According to Inge Stian Helland, CEO of Helland Silosystem: «We are very pleased to be supplying feeding equipment for the next construction phase at Laxey. This is an exciting project in Iceland, and the collaboration with ScaleAQ has worked very well. We are proud that Norwegian technology and equipment are being used at this outstanding facility.»
Icelandic and Norwegian Investors Are Involved
Laxey is Old Norse and means salmon river (it should not be confused with the village of Laxey on the Isle of Man). The Icelandic company was established in 2019 by the Oskarsson family, with more than 75 years of experience in the fishing industry in Iceland. The company has so far raised USD 73.37 million, including from Iceland’s three largest pension funds. Norwegian investors are also involved, including the export company Seaborn.
The goal of Laxey is to establish a land-based fish farm in the Westman Islands, producing 36,000 tons of Atlantic salmon annually. They know that, as the fastest-growing food industry, aquaculture is driven by global population growth and rising demand for salmon, which continues to outpace supply.
For its part, ScaleAQ serves the global aquaculture industry and is a leading global technology partner, specializing in the development, supply, and manufacturing of turn-key fish farms, roe-sorting machines, vaccination machines, vessels, and digital solutions for the aquaculture industry across more than 40 countries. They provide comprehensive support from the roe stage to the point of fish slaughter. With a workforce of more than 900 skilled employees, they have established offices in Norway, Scotland, Poland, Iceland, Chile, Canada, Tasmania, and Vietnam
Through our five divisions — Seabased, Software, Chile, Moen Marin, and Maskon — ScaleAQ Group is in a position to tailor their offering to different customer needs and covers a complete value chain of services and technology. “Solid people make solid sustainable business, for our customers and for ScaleAQ. Local presence means strong relations, being there, rubbing shoulders and solving challenges hands-on,” they say.
They work towards the continuous optimization of existing products, targeted development of new products based on adjacent solutions, and a long-term focus on entirely new concepts. “At ScaleAQ, we aim to take our share of the responsibility in developing technology with animal welfare at its core. We contribute by creating effective and relevant solutions in close collaboration with customers and by documenting good animal welfare practices in our work.”
