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Norwegian world leader in farmed salmon Marine Harvest, will boost its presence in France by constructing a new plant there at the entrance of Inner Harbour of Boulogne-sur-Mer in Capécure II.
The firm obtained its building permit and application several months ago after being filed by Director Jean Deterre pending the decision.
Even though the project has been ready to go for several months, shareholders had decided to suspend it. The company finally gave the green light to build the plant.
The old company fish dealers at Boulogne already run an automatic line dedicated to Norwegian salmon at 6 tonnes per year of finished products, as well as two manual lines processing white fish. This system supplies the fish to French, Spanish, Belgian and Dutch supermarkets and catering services.
Marine Harvest already employs 120 people at Boulogne-sur-Mer. The company’s investment will be a total of EUR 11 million. The factory will span an area greater than 7000 sqm and will begin operating in 2012.
Established in Marengo Street in Capécure since 1990, Marine Harvest mainly works with species other than salmon – such as cod, grenadier, haddock and panga, among others. These sales generated EUR 65 million in turnover in 2009.
The same operations will take place in Capécure II but in a more modern plant and under different working conditions. "Capécure and our factory suffer from an image a bit antiquated. This investment will allow us to evolve and expand in the years to come,” Marine Harvest stated.
Whether the investment will create jobs, however, is uncertain. "It is too early to tell,” the company said.
Regardless, the project has received support from local authorities. In deciding to develop Capécure, the world's leading salmon sends a strong signal in Boulogne, which has generated much optimism for 2011.
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