14 February 2008

A MAJOR investment into a salmon processing plant in Scalloway will create up to twelve new jobs.

A SHETLAND based salmon processing company is to upgrade its equipment and production facilities, to the tune of £860,000.

Scottish Seafarms Ltd invests £860,000 into new equipment in a bid to be at the forefront of salmon production in the isles.

They are in the process of upgrading their harvesting and chilling production line as well as introducing an automatic fish grading, and high-tech packaging system.

The company’s processing manager Gordon Drummond said: “Scottish Sea Farms’ focus is to deliver products of the highest quality to our customers.

“The investment in the upgrade to our production facilities allows us to do exactly that and, at the same time, provides secure long-term employment for our existing team and also twelve additional employees.”

HIE Shetland has just approved a grant of £137,600 to help the company finance the investment.

HIE Shetland director Ann Black said: "Scottish Sea Farms produce around 24,000 tonnes of salmon annually, representing 17 per cent of the total Scottish production.

"The company is therefore of strategic importance to the infrastructure of the salmon farming industry in Shetland.

"Shetland in turn is a major contributor to the Scottish economy, both in terms of the jobs that it generates and the location of these jobs in rural and fragile areas."