Reykjavik, Iceland-based Marel showcased a number of new products at Seafood Processing Global, the processing wing of Seafood Expo Global – which ran from 25 to 27 April in Barcelona, Spain – but Marel Global Sales Director Diego Lages told SeafoodSource one new machine stood out from the rest.
The company’s new 2750 salmon-filleting machine, Lages said, was its “jewelry of the crown” at the show. The company launched the product in February, and Lages said it had constant buzz during the three-day expo.
“There was a moment when it was impossible to walk through due to the amount of people that we had there,” Lages said.
The new machine is fully connected into the company’s “industry 4.0” internet of things program, SmartBase, allowing for extensive sensor capabilities. The machine is also efficient and small in size, Lages added.
“In a space of five meters, we are able to process 25 fish a minute, with a fully de-trimmed fillet,” Lages said. It also saves up to 2.5 million liters of water per line, per year compared to its main competitors, he said.
Another machine, the 3400 automatic slicer, also grabbed attention, Lages said. The product was developed after Marel took complete ownership of whitefish primary processing equipment provider Curio, and according to Lages offers a high degree of precision and classification.
Another product, a Curio-developed filleter, has the ability to change internal tools, so that a single line can work for multiple species.
“You only need to change tools, and you are able to adapt to the different seasonality that you have,” Lages said.
Also at the show, the company showcased its finalized digital platform that allows for full connectivity of its many processing machines, allowing companies to collect an array of data and see machine health and quality control on one platform. As Marel continues to update the software, the machines running its platform will also be updated and improved over time, Lages said.
“We are creating constant value for the customers," he said.
Lages said in Marel’s 40th year, the company is continuing to look forward at trends in the seafood market, and there are a few that it plans to try and capitalize on ...
Photo by Chris Chase/SeafoodSource
