The Scottish Salmon Company reveals expansion plans

The Scottish Salmon Company has unveiled plans to create over 100 jobs across the West Coast and islands of Scotland within the next five years.The Scottish based and operated salmon farming company’s five-year development plan outlines over £40m of investment it wants to make in the region by developing 10 new farm sites, increasing farming capacity and developing its harvesting, processing and freshwater operations.

Stewart McLelland, Chief Executive of The Scottish Salmon Company, said:

“The Scottish Salmon Company produces premium, fresh Scottish salmon with strong and growing demand in the marketplace. To satisfy this, we require to develop our farming and processing capability.

“People are key to our vision for expansion. We are keen to bring talent into our business, developing skills, and experience to support our growth plans and that of the overall industry.

“We are committed to the communities and economies in which we work and understand the real benefit that developing business and providing employment has in these rural locations.”

Around half the jobs are planned for the Western Isles, with the others in the company’s operational areas throughout the Highlands and Argyll and Bute.

The Scottish Salmon is currently in the process of scoping, consulting on and lodging planning applications for new fish farming sites.

In the past two years, the Company has more than doubled staff numbers from 160 to 380 and invested £30m on developments such as refurbishing the Marybank processing facility, acquiring West Minch Salmon, developing new sites and upgrading existing sites.

Last year, the company reported it had produced 24,000 tonnes of salmon. Its ambition is to increase this number to 40,000 tonnes in 2016.

An infrastructure investment of between £1.5m and £2m would be required to develop each of the sites. All sites will be developed to the RSPCA’s ‘Freedom Food’ standard which governs farming principles such as the stocking density, fish welfare and harvest.

The Scottish Salmon Company currently operates from over 50 sites and in 2010 it recorded an annual turnover of £92.4m.

Notes to Editors:

1. The Scottish Salmon Company currently operates from over 50 sites and in 2010 it recorded an annual turnover of £92.4m.
2. The Scottish Salmon Company is a leading producer of Scottish salmon, providing superior salmon to both the local and international markets.
3. The Scottish based and operated company is a fully-integrated seafood company, built around continuous innovation, environmental excellence and value added customer service.
4. It is engaged in all stages of the value chain from smolt production to harvesting, processing, marketing and sales. Operating from over 50 sites on the Hebrides and West Coast of Scotland, from the Isle of Lewis in the north to Arran in the south, the company employs over 380 staff. 
5.  The Scottish Salmon Company currently produces over 20,000 tonnes of Scottish salmon annually – 20% of Scottish production. In 2010, volumes exceeded 24,000 tonnes.
6. Having capitalised on strong market conditions and improved production processes, the company reported a record £92.4m turnover for 2010.
7. The company is listed on Oslo Bors.
8. For more information, please contact

Lizzy Lambley

E: lizzylambley@indigopr.com

Tel: 0131 554 1230