FUSION MARINE
30 years of Scottish Aquaculture
Innovation is key to a successful future
THE OBAN-BASED COMPANY LOOKS BOTH BACK AT THEIR HISTORY AND ON TOWARDS TOMORROW’S FISH FARMING WORLD
reputation for their toughness and ver- satility.
In 1995, the increase in the export trade resulted in the opening of a new support base in Chile. Four years later Fusion Marine became a limited compa- ny, which was a fully owned subsidiary of the newly restructured Fusion Group. Whilst the overall market was burgeon-
ing, there were also difficult times to overcome – most notably the ISA out- break in Scotland in the late 1990s. Such problems led Fusion Marine to embark on a new strategy of diversification – by expanding into different export markets and bringing in new products such as polyethylene workboats.
Relocation
rom humble beginnings repairing poor quality imported polyethylene (PE) fish farm pens, Fusion Marine has undergone a remarkable transfor- mation over the last 19 years. Indeed, it has become one of the leading aquac- ulture equipment manufacturers in the world and is renowned for the quality of its products combined with excellent customer service. Fusion Marine was established in 1991 as the marine division of the Chesterfield based Fusion Group – a major utility sup- plier of water and gas pipes, fittings and associated equipment. It was recognised at the time that the technology applied in the manufacture of PE piping and associ- ated fittings had considerable potential to be used in the rapidly growing fish farming industry. ‘We had a fantastic resource at Fu- sion to develop new products for the fish farming industry and that this was the spur that led to the founding of Fusion Marine,’ says Stephen Divers, managing director.
F
Originally based in Livingston, most of the company’s initial work was repairing
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and upgrading imported pens. But it was not long before the first Fusion Marine designed pens hit the market. The first sale was for a two-ring pen for Golden Sea Produce Ltd, which was quickly fol- lowed by an investment and upgrade programme that led to the launch of a new three-ring design, complete with safety decking.
This new design proved an immediate success, with orders from Harlosh Salmon and Uyeasound Salmon launching Fu- sion Marine for the first time as a serious player in the fish farm market. In 1993, the company located to new premises in nearby East Kilbride that enabled it to set up a dedicated service centre and devel- opment base, resulting in the design of several new types of robust and innova- tive circular and square fish farm pens for both marine and freshwater, as well as pontoons and other associated products. Further significant investment resulted in the development of a new and unique form of extra-strong fish farm pen bracket which, when combined with the use of unique electrofusion components, resulted in Fusion pens gaining a global
In 2001, the business relocated to Oban to enable it to provide an even better service to the fish farming industry. This was a significant development, as the new coastal base at the Marine Resource Centre provided the space and environ- ment for a fully functional manufacture and repair centre handily placed in the heartland of the Scottish fish farming industry. It also meant that many pen de- liveries could be towed direct to the fish farm sites, pen designs could be trialled in the adjacent sea loch, and workboats put through their paces nearby. It was the perfect location.
Fusion pens gained a global reputation for their toughness and verstility
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