Marel has sold solutions to Chile since 1988 and will focus on providing solutions in the salmon and whitefish sectors as well as offering poultry and meat solutions within Chile and to the neighbouring countries. Marel offers a range of weighing units, software, monitoring equipment, and intelligent portioning and grading modules as well as integrated systems suitable for use in all major sectors of the food industry.

Sverrir Gudmundsson, who has been with the company for over 16 years, will run the new office.  A specialist with extensive knowledge of fish processing Sverrir will lead the team working on providing processing solutions to the large aquaculture industry in Chile. By establishing a local sales and service office Marel will be better equipped to provide direct service and support to Marel customers in Chile and South-America in general.

"We will work directly with our Chilean customers, making our operation in Chile more effective while strengthening our ties to the local industries," says Gudmundsson. “Marel has delivered solutions to many of the largest operators in salmon processing in the country and our move is a part of our global sales and service strategy. We see this as an exciting opportunity allowing us to further expand our operation in the area.”

Since the beginning of 2003, Omega Visual Systems has been a Marel service agent in Chile and will continue to support the service network for Marel customers in the country in close co-operation with the new business office.

The opening of Marel Chile marks the expansion of the Marel Group into the South-American market. The group now operates 15 subsidiaries and business offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America, while its network of agents and distributors covers some 30 countries around the world.