February 4, 2009
Skretting to clinch world-class status for Scottish facility
Skretting is aiming for world-class status by applying the principles of Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE), after a GBP5.2 million refit of its Invergordon, Scotland, feed plant last summer.
The refitting has increased the plant''s operating efficiency, said plant manager Morten Ramsoy.
Ramsoy said Skretting plans to boost Invergordon''s performance and outperform all other fish feed factories in the UK.
OEE is an internationally-proven approach in driving performance efficiency in any production plant.
OEE is measured by Availability, Throughput and Yield, said Chris Bryden, Invergordon Production Manager, adding that the GBP5.2 million (US$7.4 million) refit has improved the key indicators as production lines have become more reliable and faster on top of boosting quality.
The plant''s refitting included a redesigned production line, and all three lines were given new oil and water inclusion systems to make delivery more stable and accurate. Transport systems were changed and sieves repositioned to minimise dust and fragments in feeds.
This month, the plant will implement major improvements to the oil systems, with four 600-tonne storage tanks and new heating and dosing equipment.
''''It will give us much greater flexibility, with the option to blend oils to meet customer demands more precisely with clearly differentiated products,'''' said Bryden.
Skretting is the world leader in the production and supply of feed for farmed fish. Total annual production of high quality feeds is more than 1.3 million tonnes. Skretting has operating companies on five continents to produce and deliver feeds from hatching to harvest for more than 50 species of farmed fish. Skretting is a part of Nutreco; an international company in the animal nutrition and fish feed markets.