Pontevedra, Spain-based Nueva Pescanova has announced plans to open a EUR 7 million (USD 8.4 million), 8,000-square-meter production center in Peru.
The plant, due to begin operating by year-end, will process 12,700 metric tons (MT) a year, mainly cephalopods such as squid, as well as fish including mahi, which can also be processed into surimi. Another 900 MT of other species such as octopus and silverside will also be processed.
“The new plant will allow us to increase production capacity of species such as squid or mahi, as well as the development of new products to improve the group’s vertical integration. In addition, the new facility’s production lines will be automated for energy savings and improved production efficiency, and we will be certified in ISO 14,000,” Manuel Quintana del Hierro, the CEO of Novaperú – a subsidiary of Grupo Nueva Pescanova, which will run the center – said.
The facility will be located in the fishing port of Pucusana, on the outskirts of Lima, and will directly employ some 170 people, increasing the subsidiary’s headcount by 10 percent.
Novaperú was launched in 1995 with a factory in Lima’s San Juan de Miraflores district. That plant processes cephalopods and fish such as mahi, silverside, and mackerel, with an annual production capacity of 8,000 MT. It will remain operational until the new one in Pucusana enters operation.
Nueva Pescanova recently announced it is partnering with Microsoft on a project to optimize its aquaculture processes using the software giant’s cloud computing, internet of things (IoT), and artificial intelligence services. In February, its shareholders approved a debt-to-equity swap of more than EUR 542 million (USD 446.8 million), which would eliminate the majority of the company’s debt.
Founded in 1960, Nueva Pescanova Group is engaged in fishing, farming, processing, and trading of seafood products in fresh, chilled, and frozen formats. It currently has operations in 20 countries on four continents, and its products are sold in more than 80 nations. The company has 10,000 employees.
Last year, Galician bank Abanca acquired an additional 39.8 percent of the company from Banco Sabadell and Caixabank, bringing its total ownership stake to 80.46 percent and giving it control over the company.
Photo courtesy of Nueva Pescanova
