Domestic buyers take almost a third of the salmon processed at Marine Harvest Canada's plants at Port Hardy (pictured) and Klemtu.

Port Hardy tops processing league

Marine Harvest Canada’s processing plant in Port Hardy has been deemed the company's most economically efficient plant worldwide.

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The facility, which is located on the north of Vancouver Island, was the best economic performer of all Marine Harvest’s processing plants worldwide in the first quarter of 2016.

Staff gathered for lunch along with Marine Harvest Canada’s senior management team at the end of May to celebrate the achievement.

The facility, called Alpha Processing, was built in 1994 with the purpose to process salmon year-round, and quickly became the largest private employer in Port Hardy.

Vincent Erenst, Managing Director of MHC, addressed the crowd, showing his appreciation of the hard work and innovation that has built the plant into one of the leading fish processing plants in North America.

“Our employees have worked tirelessly for years to make this facility competitive on a global level,” Stephen Hall, Processing Director Marine Harvest Canada, told Fish Farming Expert.

In addition to being the lowest cost producer, the plant also leads on another benchmark – kilograms processed per person hour – despite having access to neither additional equipment nor novel technologies.

“We’ve done it safely and efficiently by improving every facet of our production process. It is a testimony to the teamwork and dedication of Port Hardy Processing Plant employees, and a matter of significant pride in the community,”said Hall.