Latest Tech Now Installed At Mowi's Scottish Salmon Processing Plant

Two leading global seafood companies are putting the final touches on the Fort William salmon processing plant upgrade that includes the installation of state-of-the-art food processing and packaging systems.

When complete the upgrade will enable the facility to process and pack 200 fish per minute and increase plant capacity to >80,000 tonnes annually.

Scott Nolan, Mowi’s Sales and Operations Director (UK, Ireland, Faroes & Iceland), says: “With salmon being the UK’s largest agricultural export and 40 per cent of this production going through our plant in Fort William, it was time to ensure our facility maximises throughput whilst maintaining high quality that customers expect of Scottish salmon. The last major upgrade to this facility came in 2006, and with the fast pace of the aquaculture sector, there are many new and innovative food processing solutions available to us today.”

Mowi has contracted Marel, a global supplier of advanced food processing systems, to outfit the plant with much of the state-of-the-art equipment that efficiently processes and packages high-quality salmon for customers domestically and abroad.

Olafur Karl Sigurdarson, EVP Marel Fish, comments: “The main challenge with a large project like this is to ensure a stable production from the existing plant while changing the building and installing new equipment. I’m super proud of the collaboration and teamwork between Mowi and Marel being able to plan this complex installation to the smallest details in such a successful way. This close partnership has proven itself during first testing of the new Marel equipment and we are looking forward to further cooperation with Mowi.”

The Mowi and Marel collaboration showcases a commitment to deliver high-quality, sustainable seafood to fulfil the needs of a growing global population. The upgraded facility is equipped with two automatic packing graders and five efficient box lines that deliver a consistent and substantial throughput.

Acknowledging Mowi’s contribution to the British economy, the company received a £2M grant for infrastructure upgrades in 2022 from the UK Government’s Seafood Fund.

Of the funding, Nolan adds: “The upgrade to our salmon processing plant in Fort William is vital to ensure the UK remains competitive in a very global seafood market. The UK Seafood Fund Infrastructure Scheme comes at a key time, helping to safeguard and grow our domestic food supply, securing local jobs in rural communities, improving staff recruitment and retention, and reducing our carbon footprint.”