Nordvågen Crab Company has chosen Carsoe to deliver a complete processing line for its new onshore snow crab factory in Norway. The project includes refrigeration supplied by Industrikulde and coordinated from the outset with the factory design.
The new factory will help Nordvågen Crab Company (NCC) process snow crab quickly after landing. A stable flow helps maintain capacity and protect product quality throughout production.
‘We wanted one supplier to take responsibility for the complete processing line. When the individual process steps work together as one system, we can maintain capacity, reduce unnecessary handling, and process the crab quickly. This is important for the quality of the finished product,’ said Bjørg Helen Nøstvold, CEO at Norfra and chair of NCC.
Carsoe has designed the factory in close cooperation with the team at Nordvågen Crab Company. The layout supports a continuous flow of products, racks, and operators between each process step.
An overhead crane system will move full racks through production, reducing manual handling. The line will also include the Carsoe Crab Cooker, which cooks and cools the crab in the same tank. Crab processing equipment from RYCO, now part of Carsoe, and packing equipment adapted to the finished products are also included.
‘We have designed the factory around the actual movement of products and people. Each process must connect naturally with the next. This helps the operators maintain stable throughput without unnecessary handling or interruptions,’ said Carsoe sales manager Frederik Svane.
Industrikulde will supply the refrigeration plant and brine system. Carsoe will deliver the brine freezing tanks and coordinate the interfaces between the processing equipment and refrigeration package. Carsoe and Industrikulde formalised their partnership earlier this year after working together on several previous projects. Planning both deliveries together reduces the risk of gaps between systems and gives Nordvågen Crab Company a factory in which capacity, temperature requirements and available space have been considered as one process.
Carsoe will remain involved during installation, commissioning and operator training. The purpose is to make sure the production team understands the equipment and can operate the complete line safely and consistently when the factory enters production.
‘A processing line does not create value until the operators can run it with confidence. We stay involved through installation and start up, and we work with the production team to make sure they are prepared for daily operation,’ Frederik Svane said.
Nordvågen Crab Company expects to be ready to participate in the next snow crab season.
