Medium-sized fish farmers are being kept out of Salmonor bidding

by
Aslak Berge

Medium-sized salmon farmer Salmonor is up for grabs. Bidding of the company is in full swing. But local fish farmers are being kept out.

Dagens Næringsliv first reported on the imminent sale of the 14,000-tonne a year Salmonor. Big fish Mowi, SalMar and NTS/Midt-Norsk Havbruk are at the forefront of the ongoing bidding war.

But it is not only the heavily listed companies that are interested in securing the company based in Rørvik, Central Norway. Among the stakeholders is also the fish farmer SinkabergHansen.

Is it the case that you are not allowed to bid on Salmonor?

Svein-Gustav Sinkaberg, CEO of Sinkaberg Hansen. PHOTO: SH

“Yes, I can say “yes” to that,” SinkabergHansen CEO Svein-Gustav Sinkaberg told SalmonBusiness.

“We have reached out, but not made any progress“.

What’s the reason why you don’t get a shot?

“I have no idea. We haven’t received an answer to that. We have been told that some guidelines have been put down for the sale,” said Sinkaberg.

Are there any old conflicts, neighbouring quarrels or the like behind this?

“No, not that I know of. That would be a real shame in that case. But that’s not what I know. I really know very little about it, there have been a lot of rumours,” he said.

Local fish farmer Emilsen Fisk owns 11.2 per-cent of Salmonor’s shares. Do they have a pre-emptive right here?

“From what I know, Emilsen is interested in using a pre-emptive right, but I don’t know much about it,” said Sinkaberg.

What do you think about the fact that only large listed companies are allowed to bid for Salmonor?

“We think it’s a bit of a shame then, but we deal with it,” said Sinkaberg.

Roy Emilsen, general manager of Emilsen Fisk, referred politely, but firmly, to the company’s chairman Tore Holand for comment on the matter. Tore Holand has not yet returned a request for comment.

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