New Marel processing system set for installation at Pacific Andes, Qingdao – Fishupdate.com
New Marel processing system set for installation at Pacific Andes, Qingdao Published: 30 September, 2011
Marel has concluded a contract with Chinese processor Pacific Andes to design, build and install a newprocessing system, for wild and farmed whitefish, for use at the companys plant, China’s largest whitefish plant, in
Qingdao.Built to a completely new Marel design and due for delivery by the end of this year, the line includesdefrosting, cooling, grading and trimming.Specifically designed to meet local requirements, the state-of-the-art system is built to best designstandards. Providing quality control insurance and full product traceability throughout processing, it willprovide Pacific Andes with the flexibility to compete with the best in the markets of Europe and the US.The project is led by Marel, which has teamed up with equipment manufacturers 3X Technology andSkaginn.This installation marks the launch in China of a brand new Marel flowline specifically designed for thefully automated production, in high-volume processing facilities, of species such as Alaska Pollock andfarmed whitefish like Pangasius and Tilapia, explains Marel senior consultant Kristmann Kristmannsson.The potential benefits for Pacific Andes include increased output, reduced production costs, fasterthroughput, and improved temperature control, which reduces the risk of bacterial contamination, as wellas better conditions for the companys workers, he adds.Marel has been systematically building up a strong team in China in recent years, with the emphasislargely on whitefish in the north and farmed species such as tilapia in the south.This contract represents a major milestone in these efforts, and were delighted to be involved in thisexciting project with a company such as Pacific Andes, one of the worlds largest seafood processors, heconcludes.A traditionally labour-intensive activity, with plants typically employing 4,000 to 12,000 workers, theChinese fisheries sector faces increasing competition for labour in what is one of the worlds fastestgrowingeconomies.