Dawnfresh unveils £1m+ trout factory
06 August 2009
At a cost well in excess of £1m Dawnfresh Seafoods has re-vamped its £12m processing centre at Bothwell Park, Lanarkshire, to add four new trout processing lines to the one which already existed
This has provided 220 jobs and taken the factory staff count to in excess of 350.
The additional processing lines were transferred from the former Scot Trout site in nearby Motherwell, following the acquisition by Dawnfresh of that company, together with RR Spink in Arbroath and Daniel’s (marinated products) in Grantown on Spey.
“Uddingston will process 9,000 tonnes of chilled and frozen trout this year, which is 85% of the UK market and is at the same time coating 2,400 tonnes of scampi which is 40% of the UK market,” reported group operations director, Peter Thompson.
The trout is supplied by 23 farms which were included in the takeover, along with a hatchery, giving Dawnfresh total control of the operation from egg to sales outlet.
Thomson joined Dawnfresh in April 2008 just days before negotiations started which led to the triple acquisition. He led the team which planned and carried out the installation of four trout production lines and related equipment. “I was able to use past experience with a low cost seafood company to develop more efficient, just in time processing systems,” said Thompson.
While the trout processing unit was being developed the scampi peeling and breading operation was moved and re-vamped to enable Dawnfresh to further develop its coating operations beyond scampi (Nephrops Norvegicus) and its successful growing range of fish cakes.
Under its current ownership (the family of Alastair Salvesen) Dawnfresh is 26 years old. “We have an unrivalled understanding of our product areas and are committed to growing each of these categories, delivering least cost and category growth as well as continuing our focus on sustainable fishing. This growth is being delivered through the continuous focus of our employees delivering empowerment and decision making within our core strategic plan,” said managing director, Steve Flack.
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