Loðnuvinnslan (LVF) has contracted with Skaginn 3X to outfit its Fáskrúðsfjörður, Iceland-based operation with a new pelagic processing system.
The Icelandic pelagic processor is looking for Skaginn 3X to provide a system “that will support a continuous production of high-quality pelagic fish at a capacity of up 400 tons per 24 hours.” The system is expected to increase production capacity by 70 percent, Skaginn 3X said.
LVF’s Fáskrúðsfjörður freezing facility specializes in processing capelin, herring, and mackerel, and will leverage Skaginn 3X’s new pelagic processing system, which is designed to increase automation and processing capacity as well as improve yield and throughput.
LVF Managing Director Friðrik Már Guðmundsson said the firm has been working closely with Skaginn 3X to ensure the new system satisfies all specifications on a rigorous timeline.
“It’s very important to be able to work as closely with the supplier as we’ve been able to do in this project with Skaginn 3X,” Guðmundsson said. “Their expertise and our experience have resulted in the creation of a promising new solution for our entire pelagic factory. The upgrade will increase the automation of our operation and enable us to increase our production capacity.”
For LVF and the greater pelagic processing business, timing is critical, which is why the company’s collaboration with Skaginn 3X was intensive leading up to the next round of catches.
“The resource is seasonal and the operation depends on vulnerable external resources that need to be harnessed at the right time, with the right methods in order to gain maximum yield and quality of the finished product. In order to get the most out of the season LVF wanted to update their operation and have it ready for the next round as capelin and capelin roe is caught and processed between January and March, mackerel and Norwegian-Icelandic herring from July to October, and of Icelandic herring from October till the end of the year,” Skaginn 3X said in a press release.
The pelagic processing system for the Fáskrúðsfjörður plant is “built around a technology that has serves some of the largest pelagic processors in the world,” according to Skaginn 3X.
“The advanced automatic system includes a bagging system, high-tech plate freezers and automatic palletizing system, all of which will be integrated with existing equipment, including third party robots to create an efficient, high-throughput pelagic plant,” the processing equipment developer said.
Skaginn 3X Regional Sales Manager Ingvar Vilhjálmsson said working quickly and closely with LVF on this project has helped to forge a strong working relationship.
“We handled this quickly and worked very closely with the customer. Our cooperation has been great from the start and it is a pleasure to be able to continue to work with LVF and expand our services to their operations,” Vilhjálmsson said. “The LVF team were very thorough in their preparation so it was easy for us to create a processing flow that meets their requirements in a relatively short time.”
Photo courtesy of Skaginn 3X
