Friday, August 30, 2013

Opening of Nofima bioprocessing plant

“Industry based on new uses for marine raw materials can become a new and major industry for Norway,” said the Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Lisbeth Berg-Hansen when she opened the National Facility for Marine Bioprocessing (NAMAB) at Nofima.

The facility at Kaldfjorden in Troms County will offer high technology companies, universities and university colleges competence and production equipment to help them transfer good research results from the laboratories into commercial production.

“This industry produces special products from new marine raw materials and from raw materials that we have not previously managed to utilize. The potential is huge. Scientists estimate that it’s possible to increase the current market value from NOK 5 billion to NOK 70 billion by 2050. Achieving this requires major investments in research and competence,” said Berg-Hansen.

In practice the facility is a mini factory covering an area of around 1000 m² where high technology companies may receive help to transfer good research results from the laboratories and produce advanced products on an even larger scale.

The food research institute Nofima is responsible for the establishment and operation of the mini factory.

“This is not a large-scale factory, but it provides new companies with the opportunity to test out their products on a larger scale. Not all companies have NOK 40 million to construct such a facility themselves,” says NAMAB Manager Rasmus Karstad.

Investment in construction of the new facility and equipment totals NOK 40 million. This has been financed by the Troms Country Council and the Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs.
The new facility has two full-time employees.

More information...

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The flag of Norway (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 
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