Lerøy focuses on innovation and sustainability on Urk

Over the past 35 years, Rodé Vis (now Lerøy Seafood Netherlands) has grown into a major player in the Dutch salmon industry. The fresh fish location on Urk marks the starting point of the Dutch supply chain. For innovative cleaning solutions, the company partners with a top-tier provider.

Albert Dekens from Urk spent over 25 years fishing. Until 1987, when he decided he’d had enough. He told his wife: from now on, I’m going to sell fish instead of catching it. Not long after, he started a small fish shop on Urk, focusing on plaice and sole. Shortly afterward, he became one of the first in the Netherlands to import farmed salmon on a large scale. It was a masterstroke. Today, the company – known for years as Rodé Vis and gradually integrated into Lerøy Seafood, the world’s second-largest salmon farmer – has become a key player in the North European fish market. The Dutch division comprises two smokehouses, a convenience location, an IQF plant, and a fresh fish location, all based on Urk.

Too good to be true

The fresh fish location processes incoming fish (mainly salmon). “Roughly 300,000 kilos per week. The fish is processed here first: rinsed, deboned, filleted, and portioned. After that, it’s sent to one of our other locations or directly to our clients: retailers and wholesalers,” says Willem de Vries, Quality Manager at Lerøy. He’s always looking for innovative ways to elevate the company to the next level. That’s how he come across Chisteyns about eight years ago. Willem recalls, “They introduced a new method of enzymatic cleaning. It all sounded too good to be true. But I tested it here, with our own samples, in our own lab. And it actually worked.”

Fedor Oude Lenferink and Willem de Vries

Taking it further

From that moment on, the collaboration was a fact. “Last year, we reached out again for the fresh fish location. We had just switched cleaning companies and wanted to keep the momentum going,” Willem explains. Christeyns not only had the right products but also provided tailored advice. Fedor Oude Lenferink, Account Manager Food Hygiene at Christeyns, lists how he and the Lerøy team brought crate cleaning under control both visually and bacteriologically while also improving sustainability. “For example, we now use a largely chlorine-free cleaning agent, which is better for both people and the environment. Once every three months, we use an enzymatic product for deep cleaning and to prevent biofilm development. We’ve also adjusted the dosing of cleaning agents, water temperature, and pressure to save energy and water.” Willem adds, “We never had the ability to measure the cleaning agent dosage in the crate washer. If the crates came out dirty, we’d simply add more detergent.

"I tested it with our own samples in our own lab. It actually works."

Following Fedor’s advice, Christeyns installed a new, better dosing unit with an empty-signal feature. It operates based on conductivity, ensuring the wash bath always has the correct dosage, and there is never too much of too little detergent used. And just as important; the crates come out spotless.” Willem is clearly pleased with Christeyns’ support. “Their service is excellent too. If there’s a technical issue, it’s resolved in no time. That total package – products, advice, monitoring, and support – makes Christeyns truly stand out in this industry.”

200 cubic meters of water per day

Water conservation is critical for Lerøy’s fresh fish location. Willem explains, “We use nearly 200 cubic meters of water daily. Almost every process here requires water: rinsing, deboning, filleting, skinning… And when production is done, we need water again for cleaning. Luckily, we have a high-capacity water connection and storage for about 70,000 liters. So, we do a lot of buffering. But Urk faces a water shortage, and the arrival of new industries is at risk. We feel it’s our responsibility to contribute. Besides, all the water we use must also be discharged, leading to high purification costs.” Currently, the company is exploring ways to save and reuse water. One of the options is HydRO. Fedor explains, “HydRO is a water purification system that allows 80% of wastewater to be reused in the production process. It would be a perfect fit here. We’re currently assessing the payback period and checking if there’s enough space to install a HydRO system.”

Leroyseafood.nl
Christeyns.com

Photos: ©Ton Kastermans