Investment company Kaldbakur, which is owned by the two founders of Icelandic seafood firm Samherji, has acquired Optima International.
Kaldbakur, located in Akureyri, Iceland, took over managing some of Samherji’s assets in 2022. The company acquired Optimar from German investment firm Franz Haniel & Cie, according to a release.
Optimar said that as part of Kaldbakur’s portfolio, it will continue to serve customers as an independent company. The company, based in Valderøya, an island off Norway's west coast near Ålesund, manufactures automated fish-processing systems for fishing vessels, land-based processing facilities, and aquaculture operations.
“Optimar is a reliable, long-term partner for the global fishing industry with strong customer relationships,” Kaldbakur CEO Eiríkur S. Jóhannsson said. “We are excited about the opportunities our partnership will bring to both Optimar and our broader portfolio.”
Kaldbakur said it hopes to strengthen its strategic network in the region with the acquisition, terms of which were not disclosed by either company.
Optimar CEO Georg Saint-Denis said the company is pleased with the new arrangement.
“This is a bit like coming home for Optimar. The companies know each other well through a long and good collaboration and see this as a strategic turning point for Optimar,” he said.
Haniel Investment Partner Thessa von Hülsen said Kaldbakur will be a “perfect strategic partner” for Optimar.
“We sincerely wish both the Optimar and Kaldbakur teams much success in their new partnership,” Hülsen said.
Optimar was chosen by the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries to participate in its FangstID program, an initiative to adopt technological solutions that help properly identify and register the catch on fishing vessels. It has also hosted seminars on addressing animal welfare issues in the seafood industry.
