New salmon factory bringing 100 jobs to Hebrides

 Lighthouse Caledonia plans to build the state-of-the-art facility in 2010, bringing up to 100 jobs to the region. The creation of these jobs will make Lighthouse Caledonia the biggest private sector employer in the Outer Hebrides. 

The move follows news that Lighthouse Caledonia has secured the ownership of its farms at Loch Seaforth. The sites produce 2,500 tonnes in an 18-month cycle. This, combined with other proposed sites including Toa Tolsta at Broad Bay, will be enough to sustain year-round production and employment in the area and justify the opening of a new factory.

In December last year, when the company was under different ownership, Lighthouse Caledonia was forced to close its Stornoway processing plant with the loss of 130 jobs.

Lighthouse Caledonia’s Chairman Jim Mullins said: “The submission of this planning application represents a significant turning point and we can now move forward to build our business in the Hebrides.” 

The planning application outlines gutting and filleting facilities. The 7,000 sq m factory will be able to process up to 15,000 tonnes of fish per annum and the first planned phase will be approximately 3,500 sq m, producing 5,000 tonnes of high-quality fillets annually. 

The new factory will also be one of a very few globally that can fillet the salmon immediately after fish have been harvested, guaranteeing a premium quality and extending the shelf life.