Icelandic seafood company HB Grandi has sold its groundfish processing plant in Akranes to Isfiskur hf for USD 3,250,000 (EUR 2.7 million).
Isfiskur has been conducting fish processing in Kópavogur since the establishment of the company in 1980. It has about 40 employees and processes around 4,000 metric tons (MT) of haddock and cod bought in the Icelandic fish market every year.
In May, HB Grandi announced that it would cease its groundfish processing operations in the port town of Akranes and merge those processing operations with its Nordurgardur plant in Reykjavik. It also aims to strengthen its remaining operations in Akranes, which include a pelagic processing plant, a fishmeal plant and subsidiaries Nordanfiskur and Vignir G. Jonsson.
Approximately 270 people were currently employed by HB Grandi in Akranes, including 86 in groundfish processing. Some of those employees will now transfer to the Reykjavik plant.
According to Vilhjálmur Vilhjálmsson, CEO of HB Grandi, combining the two processing plants into one will result in more efficient operation.
Isfiskur will commence processing in Akranes at the start of next year.