Benchmark’s focus remains on driving sustainability in aquaculture by delivering mission-critical products and solutions across our three specialisms; genetics, animal health and advanced nutrition.
We have a unique position in the aquaculture industry, as our three complementary business areas are able to work simultaneously to provide highly specialised solutions. Never standing still, Benchmark has undergone a number of changes since the previous Aqua Nor exhibition in 2021, as part of our efforts to continuously streamline our approach.
Ahead of the event, we caught up with some of the Benchmark leadership team, for insight into their roles and views on the outlook of the aquaculture industry.
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Trond Williksen, CEO
How has Benchmark changed since the last Aqua Nor exhibition in 2021?
When I joined Benchmark, it was my goal to develop us into the leading aquaculture biotechnology company driving sustainability. This goal has underpinned our operations.
We have continued to streamline the business. Our teams work together as ‘One Benchmark’ to deliver the best solutions and service to customers around the world creating a ‘one-stop’ shop with shared experience and knowledge. This has been the outcome of a focus to create a stronger, more aligned group with a view to realising synergies and driving commercial performance.
Our Health and Genetics activities now have one contact point for Benchmark’s entire product portfolio for Atlantic salmon.
From business operations to culture, the ‘One Benchmark’ approach has allowed us to drive further integration through the combination of functions and establishing cross-group initiatives. We have been able to supplement our offering and further serve our customers across all areas of the value chain.
What are the key trends you’re currently seeing in the aquaculture industry?
Our purpose encapsulates the main trend in the industry, driving sustainability across aquaculture. Its influence has only grown in previous years, with customers demanding a more sustainable food chain. As an industry, we must strive toward achieving this goal.
Aquaculture produces more than half of the fish used for human consumption today. With its continued growth, our vision is to enable a more sustainable and adaptable industry that can meet its challenges.
Where is Benchmark in its journey to be the leading aquaculture biotech driving sustainability?
We have made great progress, but there is always more to be done. Sustainability is front and centre of both our strategy and operations. We design products to deliver better yield and animal welfare, improving resource efficiency and reducing environmental impact. We also manage our operations responsibly, with an ambitious energy transition commitment.
Each part of our business is engaged in delivering our sustainability programme. From being an active member of the Global Salmon Initiative (GSI) to electing Environmental Representatives at each of our sites across the world, we have gone to great lengths to
consolidate the progress made so far and continue in our mission to drive sustainability in aquaculture.
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Geir Olav Melingen, Head of Salmon, Health and Genetics
What do you hope to bring to your new role within Benchmark?
Previously, as our Commercial Director for Salmon, I worked to unite Benchmark’s salmon product portfolio, building upon our commercial success while continuing to grow our portfolio.
In July, I moved to my current role as Head of Salmon, Health and Genetics which was a continuation of our commitment within Benchmark to improve commercial efficiencies and strengthen customer engagement. By moving to establish one contact point for our entire product portfolio for Atlantic salmon, we have been able to align resources in a more effective manner and improve our service delivery.
We have industry leading solutions in both salmon genetics and sea lice treatments, two mission critical areas in salmon production. We are, therefore, uniquely positioned to work in tandem with our customers tailor-fitting to their needs from the beginning of production, throughout the production cycle.
What I enjoy most about this role is the combination of working with the Benchmark team and with our customers. Every day I am able to work with great people and there is always something new to learn.
What role can genetics play in sustainable aquaculture?
Genetics is the ideal example to showcase progress in improving sustainable aquaculture. Through enhanced health and yield, alongside a focus on animal welfare, we deliver products and solutions that improve sustainability for producers. Every day it is exciting to witness the motivated people focused on improving our products, optimising our broodstock production egg to egg and collaborating with our customers to streamline performance.
Technology in the sphere of genetics is fast moving, and in recent years what was previously thought impossible is now possible. This shows no signs of slowing down and I can’t wait to see what will come next.
How has Benchmark’s Animal Health business evolved since Aqua Nor 2021?
We’re at a new stage of our journey within Animal Health. It will be around the time of the Aqua Nor 2023 exhibition that we will mark our second anniversary of commercial deployment of the first Ectosan® Vet treatments, in conjunction with CleanTreat®.
Over the last two years, Ectosan® Vet and CleanTreat® have demonstrated the benefits to producers of effective lice control, with accompanying improvements in fish welfare. We see a bright future for this solution in the fight to control sea lice.
Quite simply, CleanTreat® is a game changer. It makes medicinal treatments viable and is key to parasite control. Environmental sustainability is rightly on the agenda, and as an industry we have had to adapt the balance between animal welfare and profitability. CleanTreat® helps remove the barriers here, allowing the best solution for both welfare and for the environment.
What are your hopes for the future of the aquaculture industry?
To continue to improve our production of salmon eggs, we must ensure an output that is sterile and tailor-made to the challenges faced across different markets such as resistance
to sea lice or other diseases. Every improvement in efficiency and survivability will contribute to a more sustainable end product and to reduce losses across salmon farming. Coupled with strategic sea lice management, using the full toolbox at our disposal, we can promote growth in the industry, through greater sea lice control.
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Kate Furhovden Stenerud, Commercial Director for Salmon, Health and Genetics
What do you hope to bring to your new role?
As Geir Olav shared, Benchmark merged its commercial forces for Genetics and Health into one joint salmon team last year. This was a major step in supporting our customers with the strong tools needed for successful production. Our ability to serve customers from both a health and genetics perspective makes us uniquely positioned to work with them at every stage of the production cycle.
Previously, I had the opportunity to work with seawater customers across various levels within different companies while working in the feed industry. Subsequently, my focus shifted towards our freshwater customers at Benchmark in the south of Norway. Throughout these experiences, I prioritised building strong relationships and ensuring customer satisfaction by engaging with people at various layers of the organizations. This approach is important to gain accurate information and to be able to utilise it collaboratively – finding solutions together that benefit both parties. Our customers and their success is vitally important for us to succeed. This customer-centric focus is one I will bring to my new role as Commercial Director. We are investing in getting to know our customers, learning their businesses inside and out, and then delivering the best possible solutions.
What are the biggest challenges salmon farmers are facing currently?
The industry is under pressure to be more efficient, while driving sustainability, but this is a challenge we are primed to meet.
Through precision work in Genetics we can ensure a high quality salmon egg, improving growth, late maturation and quality with an increased focus on disease traits. Animal Health has the same focus on creating a high-performing product for our customers through sea lice treatments. By optimizing production from the outset, we create the best base to improve efficiencies and survivability.
Sea lice management will continue to be a challenge. As an industry we have used limited tools in previous years with a variety of strategies, but this means firefighting has become commonplace at peak pressure periods. Today, we have more tools at our disposal, so we have to move our focus to be strategic in the timing of use. Through early strategic coordinated management, we can schedule treatments to have the greatest impact at the most optimal time.
Where do you see the future of Benchmark’s commercial operations for salmon?
The future will be a continuation of the groundwork we have laid so far, working with our customers globally to constantly improve our offering.
Particularly, in sea lice control the success of the future will be underpinned through integrated strategic use of both medicinal and mechanical treatments adopting the best tools for both the size and health of the fish. Our Ectosan® Vet and CleanTreat® solution has now been used along the entirety of the Norwegian coast, but by prioritising collaboration between producers across regions, we can promote more control over sea lice, ultimately leading to the growth of the industry as a whole.
I also see a future where the efficiencies of our current operations are increased. The team and I will be keeping customers up to date whilst we work with MMC First Process AS and Salt Ship Design AS to integrate CleanTreat® into a well-boat solution.
Our re-organisation allows us to have a closer dialogue with customers, with lessons learned shared across the full commercial team. The change will allow us to realise synergies, and so ensure best practices and optimal use of our solutions. Each member of our team brings a wealth of specialised knowledge, and I look forward to working with them all in my new role.