EWOS Innovation (EI) and VESO announced they will work together on operating the new 80 million NOK EWOS Fish Health Center (EFHC) that is under construction in the Los Lagos region in Chile.
\"The partnership will give EFHC a flying start\", said Managing Director of EI, Adel El-Mowafi.
The agreement was signed by El-Mowafi and CEO of VESO, Arne Ruud, during Aqua Nor in Trondheim. It is valid for five years, and VESO has an option for another three years.
VESO will hire 25 percent of the capacity in the research center. The company’s experts will assist EI in operating the center, and both EWOS and VESO will have access to infectious material and previously developed infection models.
\"The establishment of EFHC requires top Biosafety. There is no room for error in the initial phase, and for that reason VESO is the ideal partner\", says El-Mowafi. \"VESOs expertise means that we can start trials at an earlier stage in the EFHC.The building of the center started this spring, and the first trials will take place by March next year\", said El-Mowafi, and added that the construction is going according to plan.
VESO is already a leader when it comes to fish health, both in Norway and abroad. The company takes on assignments for the vast majority of companies who deliver vaccines, breeding companies and feed manufacturers.
\"This is a win-win situation since VESO also will have increased access to the vast Chilean market. We have had a strong desire to conduct infection trials in Chile for a long time\", said Arne Ruud, who had management experience from EWOS in the period 1998-2002.
He says that VESO have been looking for facilities in Chile for years, but that the company has not wanted to take the risk of building a facility alone.
\"About two years ago we gave some suggestions to the construction of EFHC, and this good dialogue has contributed to the recently signed agreement. It was a coincidence that this happened just after Cargill became EWOS’ new owner. VESO is now sending several researchers to Chile to conduct training on a temporary basis. We will also recruit a scientific manager who will have EFHC as the permanent workplace. We have a good overview of the tasks that wait, and we will gradually build up our organization in Chile\", said Ruud.
Feed is a central part of the solution for improving fish health. EWOS is investing heavily in research and innovation to create special products that will make it possible to reduce the use of expensive and environmentally controversial drugs and chemicals.
The big challenge for the aquaculture industry in Norway is to combat the sea lice, while the bacterial disease Piscirickettsiosis (SRS) creates similar problems in Chile.
\"There has been limited research capacity on sea lice and SRS, but EWOS Innovation will now be able to conduct three to four times more studies a year. This will represent an increase of 30-40 % worldwide\", said El-Mowafi.
\"In Chile there are many who say that SRS is the root of all evil. If we can find a solution to the SRS-problem, much is won. Cooperation between EI and VESO will provide valuable exchange of knowledge for both parties, which in turn will benefit EWOS customers and the industry in general\",said Arne Ruud.
