Since acquiring the entire shareholding in Norwegian fishing gear group Mørenot earlier this year, Hampiðjan has worked on streamlining its operations, merging some of these within other elements of the Hampiðjan Group.
According to a statement by Hampiðjan Group, Mørenot has struggled in recent years, with excessive investment in overheads compared to its underlying operations.
The re-organisation includes disposal of the head office in Ålesund which was taken into use in 2019, with activity relocated to the company’s existing premises in Gangstøvika on the eastern side of Ålesund and to Søvik, with the possibility of acquiring a smaller premises in Ålesund for Mørenot Aquaculture.
Agreement has been reached for current CEO Arne Birkeland and CFO Kjell Magne Sunde to leave the company and these positions wil cease to exist.
Mørenot’s operations are being re-organised into a new structure with three separate pillars –Mørenot Aquaculture, Mørenot Fishery and Hampidjan Advant, which brings together Mørenot Offshore and Hampidjan Offshore in a single entity.
Ole Kristian Flaaen continues as Mørenot Fishery‘s managing director, having been in this role since 2012. Mørenot Fishery‘s operations have been profitable in recent years and optimisation is mainly focused on increased co-operation within the group, with knowledge transfer from Hampiðjan alongside assistance in sales and marketing of Hampiðjan’s pelagic trawls in Norway, utilisation of Hampiðjan production facilities in Lithuania in order to reduce production costs, and by transferring the purchase of materials from external parties to Hampidjan Baltic in Lithuania.
The fisheries section of Mørenot Denmark will be combined with Cosmos, with three staff relocated to Thyborøn.
Thomas Myrvold took over as MD of Mørenot Aquaculture in early 2022 and remains in this post. Changes will take place aimed at making Mørenot Aquaculture profitable for 2023, following losses in recent years.
Aquaculture staff at Mørenot Denmark will report to Mørenot Aquaculture in Norway. Mørenot Aquaculture subsidiary Mørenot Scotland is to be merged with Vónin, which had already established Vonin Scotland in order to establish a new service station on Skye. This brings all of the group’s aquaculture services in the Faroe Islands, Shetland and Scotland under Vónin, while Hampiðjan’s subsidiary in Ireland, SNG, which operates a net loft in Shetland, will also become a part of Vónin Scotland.
Hampidjan Advant merges the activities of Mørenot Offshore and Hampidjan Offshore, serving the market for specialised and seismic marine operations, including deep-sea towing. Due to the staffing levels and strong presence on the Norwegian market, Hampidjan Advant is based in Norway and managed by Bjørn Nogva, continuing his role up to now as MD of Mørenot Offshore.
