Automated Salmon Gutting is Making its Way to Chile

It was a market breakthrough when the first BAADER 144 were sold in Chile in November 2021.

The project is as exciting as complex, but it has a clear goal: a fully automated plant. "Labour costs are much lower here in Chile than in most other salmon-producing countries of the old continent. Salmon gutting in Chile has, therefore, until now, been done either with manual systems or with the previous generation gutting machines, the BAADER 142", explains Esberto Andrade, Managing Director, BAADER Chile.

Customer Procesadora Natales Limitada equipped his facility in Puerto Natales, Chile, with five BAADER 144 and two BAADER 101 with six canals each and all relevant project equipment, such as an inspection band behind the BAADER 101 and a manual gutting table with the BAADER 1580. Procesadora decided to build the new production in phases to make this happen. This approach balances investment burdens and allows the operator team to get thoroughly familiar with the new machinery.

A joint fitter team from Germany and Chile installed and commissioned the new equipment after they had provided extensive on-site training to the new operator team of Procesadora Natales. The five machines are now running to the customer's satisfaction.

"It was an extraordinary effort from all of us. With the best of two worlds from BAADER Chile and BAADER Headquarters coming together, we delivered the greatest possible outcome," he summarizes. "We can confirm that we have the first five BAADER 144 running at the end of the world".

His experience is being shared by the customer. Adriano Cabrini Fernández, Project and Operation Manager at Procesadora Natales, states: "The commitment and attitude of the BAADER staff throughout the process, especially the flexibility in accommodating to schedule changes to ensure full commissioning, was much appreciated. I have also been impressed by the leadership of the Chilean office during this project. I congratulate the entire BAADER team for your efforts and the client experience you supply".

Esberto Andrade is convinced that this will not be the only project for the BAADER automated gutting solution: "With the labour shortage we face in Chile and the great performance of the BAADER 144, these first five machines could open a new era for automated gutting in Chile in the coming years", he stresses. And with automated gutting comes the highest hygiene, food safety and quality for the customer and end consumer's peace of mind.

© Picture Credits: BAADER