Nordlaks resumes development project at our Børøya facilities

The development project, which includes plans for a new slaughterhouse, filleting department, and office building, was put on hold in 2022. – We are building for the future and will continue to produce food and create jobs. This is why we need to renew ourselves, says Operations Director at Nordlaks Produkter, Tomas Tømmerås.

The expansion on Børøya in Stokmarknes, where Nordlaks has its headquarters, began in 2018. Expanded land, a box factory, a new cooling terminal, and a new water treatment plant were in place in phase 1. The board has now decided to resume phase 2, which was put on hold due to the introduction of the new cash flow-based resource tax.

– We are at a crossroad and have a choice to either build new facilities or undergo extensive maintenance to renew ourselves and adapt to future requirements,” says Tømmerås. The new filleting department will, among other things, allow for the production of pre-rigor, which means processing freshly caught salmon. Phase 2 of the development project was supposed to be completed in 2025, but it is now estimated to be finished in 2027.

– This is an investment that has been postponed for a year and a half. Now we move forward and acknowledge that everything except the sea is not subject to resource tax, and that ordinary tax rules apply, says Tømmerås.

Details about the project, such as area, cost framework, and schedule, are not finalized.

– We are still in dialogue with contractors about this. What has been decided now is that we will resume the project. The alternative would ultimately be to cease operations, and that is not an option for us. We will continue to be a community builder and food producer into the future, says Tømmerås.