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Update from the processing sector
Young’s fi ned £787,500 for safety breach
Britain’s largest seafood company has been fined more than three quarters of a million pounds after a worker was trapped by a mixing machine at one of its Grimsby sites.
YOUNG’S, a major supplier of salmon and whitefish to retail and foodservice, pleaded guilty at Grimsby Crown Court to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £787,500 and ordered to pay £33,443.68 in costs.
The court heard the 59-year-old worker was creating the mix for fish cakes at the company’s Humberstone Road factory in Grimsby.
At the end of a mix run he went to clear the mix from the machine, lifting an interlocked guard that should have stopped the machine from running. He put his hand into the machine without realising it was still running and the augur caught his hand and drew his arm in up to the elbow.
The worker managed to free himself from the augur but in removing his arm, his thumb and two of his fingers were severed and he suffered serious tendon damage. Following the incident doctors were unable to reattach his fingers and he has not yet been able to return to work.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said it had found that the machine continued to run when the safety guard was lifted and failed to respond when the emergency stop was pressed.
The interlocking system was inadequate, and the company had failed to ensure that the machine was effectively maintained. These matters were exacerbated by poor communication between the shop floor and maintenance and an inadequate fault reporting system.
HSE inspector Carol Downes said later: “The life changing injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented and the risk should have been identified.
“Being pro-active with preventative maintenance and good communication of faults can reduce
the chance of harm.” A Young’s spokesperson said: “Young’s Seafood accepts the fine imposed by the court following the Health and Safety Executive’s investigation, which we cooperated with fully. Mr Spence has been a valued member of the Young’s family for 25 years and continues to work with us today. “We thank the court for its favourable comments about our positive health and safety record, our lack of previous convictions and our proactivity as a responsible employer to put effective health and safety measures in place to avoid incidents like this happening again in the future.”
Young’s employs around 3,000 people in both Grimsby and Scotland.
Green endorsement for JCS
GRIMSBY-based salmon and based salmon and trout supplier JCS Fish has been awarded a “Green” cer� fi cate under the Investors in the Environment (iiE) environmental accredita� on scheme.
This is the fi rst � me the business has achieved Green status, having been audited to the lower Silver level for each of the past fi ve years.
Jack Coulbeck, who co-ordinates sustainability for JCS Fish said: “Over the past year we have been working really hard to drive down our environmental impact, assessing our overall carbon footprint for the fi rst � me and se� ng some really tough goals for future improvement.
“It is really great that this was recognised by the iiE assessor and helped us win this higher standard.”
Some of the key environmental improvements that have helped JCS win Green status included:
That the company has a clear set of goals and targets to make progressive reduc� ons in its carbon footprint, aiming for neutrality by
2030 and zero emissions by 2030 and zero emissions by 2050. 2050. It has commi� ed to only using fi sh from suppliers assessed and accredited for their environmental impact and sustainability approach, and to cu� ng waste across the business
Reducing the impact of employee transport by suppor� ng cycling to work and providing an electric charge point on site for EVs
The iiE scheme is unique because organisa� ons must achieve a minimum 2% improvement in resource effi ciency over an agreed baseline fi gure, to secure Green accredita� on
JCS co-founder and director Louise Coulbeck added: “We have always sought to manage the business as sustainably as possible, but this agenda has become even more urgent over recent years and is something our customers now expect of us. I think our achievements set an example for any small to medium sized enterprise who wants to make a real eff ort to improve their environmental footprint.”
Russian Aquaculture buys processor
Left: A Russian Aquaculture vessel, at Murmansk
Russian aquaculture has taken its stake in Murmansk-based seafood processor Tri Ruchja and Murmanrybprom to 100%.
The group had previously owned 40% of the processor and has invested RuB 358.5m (£3.46m) to become sole owner. The Murmansk processing facility is capable of producing 30,000 metric tons of products annually and is fitted with modern equipment for processing salmonids.
The acquiring company said that the plant has cold storage, a well-developed infrastructure and is located within convenient transport access from Russian aquaculture’s farms.
The facility is certified by the Marine stewardship Council (MsC) and the aquaculture stewardship Council (asC).
Seafood Expo Global moves to spring 2022
SEAFOOD Expo Global and Seafood Processing Global, the worlds’ largest industry trade fair has been moved to next spring.
It had been scheduled for the end of April this year, but because of the Covid pandemic it was decided to stage it five months later, in early September.
Now the organisers, Diversified Communications, have said, following further reflection, they will hold it next year when, hopefully, the Covid situation should be much improved. The new dates are April 26-28 2022 and the venue is Fira Barcelona Gran Via.
Liz Plizga, Group Vice President at Diversified Communications, said: “Keeping our customers’ best interest in mind is our top priority.
“After an evaluation of suppliers and buyers’ concerns around the continued uncertainties caused by the on-going COVID-19 situation worldwide, it became evident that 2021 would still be too soon to host an international event that would provide the global experience the seafood community would find valuable.”
She added: “We are committed to Barcelona. We will continue working with Fira de Barcelona and the city to ensure we can host a valuable in-person event that will bring back, at the Gran Via venue in 2022, the international representation that makes Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global the global seafood marketplace and the largest seafood trade event in the world.”
Events director Wynter Courmont said the organisers were already receiving strong interest from all sectors of the global industry.
Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global is the world’s largest and most diverse seafood trade event, bringing together more than 29,000 international industry professionals.
ISI takes controlling stake in Spanish salmon processor
GloBal fish trading company Iceland Seafood International (ISI) has signed a letter of intent to acquire an 80% stake in the Spanish salmon processor ahumados Dominguez.
The move is the latest in a series of major acquisitions by this fast-expanding seafood business, which has extensive interests across the globe, including the uK where it now owns Grimsby-based Havelok seafood. last november isi took over the specialist irish smoked salmon company Carr & sons in a deal worth around £6m.
The company sees Spain, where it already has extensive interests, as one of its most important markets. ahumados Dominguez is a retailoriented business with a strong brand and consumer recognition in the smoked salmon sector in spain. it is known for its premium quality.
ISI said the move will strengthen Iceland Seafood’s proposition in the Spanish retail market, as well as creating opportunities to use the platform ahumados Dominguez has created.
The remaining 20% stake in the spanish company will be held by Pedro Mestanza, Managing Director, who will continue to lead the company post-acquisition. The company’s sales in 2020 were €19.3m, its EBITDA was €1.7m and profit before tax was €1.2m.
The statement said: “By leveraging both the untapped opportunities ahumados Dominguez has as a standalone company, and the opportunities that a partnership with Iceland Seafood creates, the aim will be to significantly grow sales and profitability in the coming years.”
The purchase price for the 80% stake will be “8.8 x EBITDA on a debt and cash free basis”. iceland seafood plans to fund the acquisition with a combination of debt and equity, with the final financing structure still being worked on.
