Samherji, a large Icelandic fishing and fish processing company, is going to move part of its operations from Dalvík in North Iceland to Grimsby in England. The process is expected to be completed within two months.
Over 10,000 tons of raw material were processed in Dalvík last year, in one of the most modern fish factories in Iceland. Some of the cod and haddock – the best bits – has been packaged in consumer packets and sold directly to Europe, mostly to supermarkets. The machinery involved in this aspect of Samherji’s operations will now be moved to Grimsby in England, where wages are 30-40% lower and transportation costs will be halved. However, the main reason for moving the operation is the strong krona.
They will continue to use as much Icelandic fish as possible in Grimsby, but when necessary they will buy fish from other places in Europe. In Dalvík they sometimes had to import fish to meet demand.
