Solutions for the future

FAO published the following results in their 2018 report of the state of world fisheries and aquaculture.

http://www.fao.org/3/i9540en/i9540en.pdf

It is clear to see that most of the world relies on fish as an important protein source. The majority of European and American countries consume over 20kg of fish per year, and the majority of countries with the most fish consumption per capita is in northern Europe and SE Asia.
It also bears to mention that fish is the primary protein source for 1 in 5 persons worldwide.

These numbers will only increase, as it is predicted by 2050, the worlds population will have grown to 2 billion people. The worlds food supply will therefore need to double to feed that masses. Along with population growth, economic growth is also predicted within developing countries, subsequently increasing worldwide protein consumption.

Today´s supply chain from catch to plate is wasting crucial resources. These wasteful practices cannot be continued if the predicted growth rate becomes a reality.
The challenges we need to tackle within the seafood sector in the not-so-distant future are therefore the following:

1. Labor Shortage: Fish is caught and primary processed in rural areas with few people (Western world challenge).
2. Wasteful Process: Parts not deemed valuable are still thrown away or devalued into cheap products.
3. Harsh Environments: Trawlers and factories operate in a difficult environment far away from maintenance and repair.

The solutions to these challenges could surprisingly be a simple one; Technology.
As an innovative company, Vélfags processing solutions can be part of that solution, by utilizing the latest technology to maximize the value of every fish caught:

1. Automation: Latest technology must reduce employment to counteract global labor shortages.
2. Quality: Equipment must run with minimum service needed as trawlers and factories are in remote areas.
3. Utilization: Processes and equipment must create valuable products out of the complete raw material.

Vélfag was founded in 1995 in Ólafsfjörður when the company's founder, who was working at the time as a Baader technician, thought of better solutions for fish possessing machines than were on the market. For example; stainless steel parts for rust-free solutions at sea, recycled plastics, longer machine life span, user friendly cleaning solutions, and further technologies that aimed to get as much out of every fish processed as possible. The first 15 years the company focused on processing solutions (parts and machines) at sea, but in recent years branched into land-based processing. The company is now one of the top fish processing manufactures in Iceland and has gained a wide market presence worldwide, from Greenland to Russia and South Africa. 63% of all Icelandic cod, haddock and saithe caught by Icelandic freezing trawlers are currently processed with Vélfag machines. 

Vélfag is growing fast, and has ambitious plans for the future

Vélfag offers a wide product range of heading, filleting and skinning machines for whitefish, both for on sea and land-based facilities. Vélfags TakeControl operating system offers an unprecedented level of control throughout nearly every element of the processing line, while ensuring even more user friendliness for the customers.

Vélfags business model fits into the solutions for the future trends that were listed earlier by insuring:

1. Quality: Customers trust that products run 365 days a year.
2. Simplicity: Vélfags products simplify the whole process.
3. Innoviative designs: Small size of products made to save space.
4. Constant development: Constantly seeking new and better solutions.

But what is in store for the future, if we make the choice and lean into modern technology to improve utilization?

1. Nutrition: Fish has extremely valuable nutritional components to be used in pharma, cosmetics and food supplements that are being destroyed with current methods, such as fish meal production.
2. Profit: Being located far away from the final customer, urbanization and modern technology. Raw material producers often miss out on capturing the true value of their products.
3. Waste: Despite being a scarce natural resource, parts of the fish not deemed valuable are still thrown away: Modern technology can make valuable products out of this great resource.

The right choices today, ensure a sustainable tomorrow