Product category:
Finance and Innovation Support
News Release from: North East Lincolnshire Council
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 13 March 2007
Flatfish announces lemon sole expansion
Flatfish, one of Europe's largest suppliers of lemon sole, has nearly completed a massive GBP1.35 million investment programme to extend its Grimsby based processing factory
Flatfish, one of Europe's largest suppliers of lemon sole, has nearly completed a massive GBP1.35 million investment programme to extend its Grimsby based processing factory As part of the exciting expansion plan, the company will be installing additional 'state-of-the-art' fish handling equipment, which has been specially sourced to make the factory one of the most modern and environmentally friendly in Europe
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 4 May 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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The move by Flatfish to extend its existing factory, which previously scooped a plethora of food awards, has been caused by increased demand for the company's internationally famous lemon sole.
Recent accolades secured by the forward looking firm include BRC Global Standard - Food Issue 4 accreditation and the prestigious Seafish Higher Level Quality Processor Award for excellence in seafood products.
Planning for the factory has been on-going for the last two years and the company has worked closely with North East Lincolnshire Council Economic Development Unit to attain planning permission and funding.
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A big retailing plus for Flatfish is that it has worked tirelessly with over sixty skippers to establish an environmentally sustainable fisheries policy for lemon sole without over-catching.
The majority of this fish is caught in Iceland and the Faroe Islands where the fish is environmentally stable.
This record has enabled the business to secure contracts with a large cross-section of customers including supermarkets and fish retailers, along with a large number of trade customers throughout the UK and mainland Europe.
The Grimsby based business envisages that 15 new jobs will be immediately created with a possible further 50 in the future.
This latest investment brings the company's total spending to GBP5 million over the last three years.
As part of the investment plan the company now offers full product traceability from ship to shop Flatfish is keen to state that all its future product developments will accommodate its policy commitment towards encouraging sustainability for all species.
This includes only purchasing whole lemon soles that are above 25cm in size in order to allow the fish to mature and breed thereby creating sustainable species for future generations.
Its managing director Steve Stansfield, who is spearheading the expansion plan, says: "The substantial investment we are making in the factory expansion coupled with environmentally friendly supply will ensure continuity of lemon sole for many years to come".
North East Lincolnshire Council's portfolio holder for regeneration, Cllr Geoff Lowis says: "Flatfish are an important and integral part of the local economy.
Over the past few years the Council has worked closely with them to help their expansion plans come to fruition and I am delighted that this will lead to the creation of more jobs.".
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