Executive Summary Norway is the world’s largest producer of farmed Atlantic salmon, harvesting 1.553 million tonnes in 2024 and consuming an estimated 1.8 to 2.0 million tonnes of formulated feed annually. The physical quality of salmon feed pellets — particularly water stability, durability, and sinking characteristics — directly determines farm-level feed conversion ratios (FCR) and the environmental footprint of aquaculture operations. Poor pellet integrity results in nutrient leaching, uneaten feed settling on the seabed, and elevated production costs that erode already thin margins in the hyper-competitive Norwegian salmon sector. This case study examines the experience of Fjordfôr AS, a mid-sized independent feed manufacturer based in the Trøndelag region of central Norway. The company operates a single production line serving seven salmon farming customers along the Helgeland coast, with an annual output of approximately 35,000 metric tonnes. In mid-2025, Fjordfôr replaced its aging pellet mill with a customized SZLH series ring die pellet mill from Liyang Hongyang Feed Machinery Co., Ltd. (Hongyang). After four months of continuous production, the Hongyang line delivered quantifiable improvements across all key pellet quality metrics: Pellet Durability Index (PDI) reached 96.2%, water stability after 30-minute submersion in 10°C seawater improved to 91%, specific energy consumption declined by 14% to 12.6 kWh per metric tonne, and fines content at bagging dropped from 3.8% to 1.4%. The line operates at a sustained throughput of 8.5 tonnes per hour, matching the production target set during commissioning. 1. Norway’s Salmon Feed Industry: Scale and Technical Demands Norway’s dominance in Atlantic salmon aquaculture is well documented. In 2024, the country operated 994 seawater production sites and held 2,905 aquaculture licences, of which 1,651 were dedicated to salmon and trout. Total farmed salmon production reached 1.553 million tonnes, a figure that has grown consistently over the past decade and underpins a NOK 150-billion-plus export industry (Eurofish, 2025). This production volume requires a correspondingly massive feed supply chain. The Norwegian salmon feed market is served primarily by four major manufacturers — Skretting (Nutreco), Mowi Feed, Cargill (EWOS), and BioMar — whose combined output exceeds 1.5 million tonnes annually. Mowi Feed alone produced 584,586 tonnes of feed in 2024, generating operational EBITDA of €62.2 million, and announced a 60,000-tonne expansion at its Bjugn plant scheduled for completion by Q2 2026 (Mowi Q4 2024 Report). Skretting Norway reported that its feed carbon footprint had fallen to 1.41 kg CO2 equivalent per kilogram of feed in 2024, a 46% reduction from the 2020 baseline, driven primarily by raw material substitution and energy efficiency improvements (Skretting Norway Impact Report, 2024). Independent feed mills such as Fjordfôr occupy a niche but strategically important segment of the market. These mills typically serve regional farming clusters, offer formulation flexibility that larger competitors cannot match for smaller customers, and play a critical role in maintaining supply chain resilience along Norway’s 2,500-kilometer coastline. However, they face the same technical demands as the majors — and in some respects greater challenges, given that they operate fewer production lines and cannot afford extended downtime. Salmon feed formulation is among the most technically demanding segments of the global aquafeed industry. Typical grower diets for Atlantic salmon in seawater contain 28–38% lipid, 36–42% crude protein, and less than 10% nitrogen-free extract (NFE). The high lipid content is achieved through a combination of in-extruder fat addition (typically limited to 12% due to friction requirements in single-screw extrusion) and post-extrusion vacuum coating that brings total lipid to formulation targets. Pellets must sink rapidly to the required depth in net pens, remain intact during submerged feeding windows of 20–40 minutes, and resist mechanical degradation during pneumatic conveying, storage, and transport (ScienceDirect, 2025; Nofima, 2015). The physical pellet quality parameters considered non-negotiable by Norwegian salmon farmers include: water stability of at least 88–90% after 30 minutes of submersion; Pellet Durability Index (PDI) above 95%; sinking velocity consistent with feeding system specifications; and fines content below 2% at the point of delivery. Research published by Nofima has demonstrated that pellet durability and water stability are positively correlated with feed intake in Atlantic salmon, while excessive fines generation leads to direct economic loss and localised environmental impact. 2. The Challenge at Fjordfôr: Aging Equipment, Declining Quality By early 2025, Fjordfôr’s production team had documented a progressive decline in pellet quality from its existing ring die pellet mill, which had accumulated over 36,000 operating hours since installation in 2011. The decline manifested in three measurable ways: First, water stability after 30 minutes had fallen from a historical average of 88% to 84%, dropping below the minimum requirement specified in the company’s offtake agreements with farming customers. Second, PDI had declined from 94% to approximately 91%, generating fines that accumulated during transport and created dust-related handling problems at farm delivery points. Third, specific energy consumption had crept up to approximately 14.6 kWh per tonne, roughly 16% above the benchmark for modern ring die pellet mills in the 132–160 kW class. Root cause analysis identified ring die bore wear as the primary factor. After 36,000 hours, the die holes exhibited measurable diameter enlargement and surface roughness degradation, resulting in uneven compression across the die face. The existing single-shaft conditioner also showed temperature fluctuations of ±5°C during production runs, contributing to inconsistent starch gelatinization and weakened pellet binding. Fjordfôr’s management evaluated three options: refurbish the existing line with a replacement ring die and upgraded conditioner; purchase a new pellet mill from one of the established European manufacturers; or evaluate competitively priced alternatives from Asian suppliers with demonstrated salmon feed experience. The decision to engage Hongyang was driven by a detailed reference check with a Chilean salmon feed producer that had commissioned a Hongyang SZLH line in 2024 and reported water stability improvements from 84% to 92% alongside 12% energy savings (Hongyang Chile Salmon Feed Case Study, 2025). 3. Hongyang’s Technical Solution: Custom-Engineered for Salmon Feed Hongyang’s engineering team conducted a four-day on-site assessment at Fjordfôr’s facility near Namsos, analysing the existing process flow, reviewing six months of production logs, and testing mash samples from the company’s standard salmon grower formulation. The resulting proposal centred on an SZLH508 ring die pellet mill configured specifically for high-lipid, sinking salmon feed production. The key technical specifications and design rationales are outlined below. Ring Die Compression Ratio. Salmon feed formulations with 32–36% protein and 12–15% pre-extrusion fat content require significantly higher compression ratios than standard livestock feed to achieve adequate pellet density and water stability. Hongyang specified a 1:11 compression ratio for the ring die, calculated based on Fjordfôr’s specific formulation composition — approximately 28% fishmeal, 16% soybean protein concentrate, 14% wheat gluten, 10% fish oil (pre-extrusion), and 8% pea starch as a binder, with the balance comprising vitamin and mineral premixes. This compression ratio ensures sufficient mechanical pressure for starch gelatinization without over-compacting the pellet, which would reduce sinking velocity and compromise feeding behaviour. Dual-Shaft Differential Conditioning. The SZLH508 line was equipped with a double-shaft conditioner offering independent speed control on each shaft, enabling precise adjustment of retention time (typically 60–120 seconds for aquafeed) and mixing intensity. This design delivered consistent moisture penetration and temperature distribution across the entire mash volume prior to die entry. During production trials, conditioner temperature stability was maintained within ±2°C at a set point of 88°C, compared to ±5°C on the legacy equipment. Uniform conditioning is critical for salmon feed because incomplete starch gelatinization directly weakens pellet binding, reducing water stability and increasing fines generation. Ring Die Metallurgy and Surface Finish. Hongyang supplied a vacuum-hardened alloy steel ring die (HRC 58–60) with die hole surface roughness polished to Ra ≤ 0.8 μm. This metallurgical specification provides superior wear resistance against the abrasive characteristics of high-ash fishmeal formulations. The polished hole surface reduces friction during pellet extrusion, contributing directly to the energy efficiency gains observed during production. The projected ring die service life based on Fjordfôr’s abrasive index testing is approximately 11,000–12,000 tonnes per die, a 40–50% improvement over the customer’s historical die replacement interval. Drive System and Energy Efficiency. The SZLH508 configuration at Fjordfôr uses a 160 kW main motor with a gear-driven transmission. The gear drive provides higher torque transmission efficiency (approximately 96–97%) compared to belt-driven alternatives, translating input power more directly into pelleting work and reducing energy losses. Combined with the reduced friction from polished die holes, this drive architecture contributed to the 14% reduction in specific energy consumption. Installation was completed during a scheduled 10-day maintenance shutdown in August 2025. Hongyang’s commissioning team remained on-site for five additional days to conduct production trials across Fjordfôr’s three salmon feed formulations (starter, grower, and finisher), optimize conditioner parameters for each recipe, and train the company’s shift operators on die changeover procedures and preventive maintenance scheduling. 4. Production Results and Pellet Quality Metrics After four months of continuous operation, Fjordfôr documented the following performance metrics, comparing the new Hongyang SZLH508 line against the previous equipment: Throughput increased from 6.8 to 8.5 tonnes per hour, a 25% improvement. Pellet Durability Index (PDI) rose from 91.2% to 96.2%, a gain of 5.0 percentage points. Water stability after 30-minute submersion in 10 degrees Celsius seawater improved from 84% to 91%, a gain of 7 percentage points. Fines content after the cooler dropped from 3.8% to 1.4%, a 63% reduction. Specific energy consumption declined from 14.6 to 12.6 kWh per tonne, a 14% saving. Conditioner temperature stability improved from plus or minus 5 degrees Celsius to plus or minus 2 degrees Celsius, a 60% reduction in variation. Projected ring die service life extended from approximately 8,000 tonnes to approximately 12,000 tonnes, a 50% increase. The 7-percentage-point improvement in water stability is the most commercially significant result. In salmon farming, feed that disintegrates before ingestion represents a direct financial loss. Fjordfôr estimates that the water stability improvement alone prevents approximately 450 tonnes of feed waste annually across its customer farms — feed that would otherwise leach nutrients into the marine environment without contributing to fish growth. At Norwegian salmon feed prices averaging NOK 12,500 per tonne (approximately USD 1,180), this represents roughly NOK 5.6 million in avoided feed cost per year. The reduction in fines content from 3.8% to 1.4% also carries operational significance. Fines generated during conveying and handling create respirable dust in feed storage areas, posing both occupational health risks and explosion hazards. Several of Fjordfôr’s farming customers had previously reported dust accumulation in automated feeding systems, leading to blockages and uneven feed distribution across net pens. The Hongyang line’s lower fines output has substantially reduced these complaints. Feed conversion ratios reported by two of Fjordfôr’s largest farming customers — both operating in the Vikna archipelago — improved from an average of 1.28:1 to 1.21:1 over the monitoring period. While FCR is influenced by multiple factors including water temperature, fish health status, and feeding management, the farmers attributed approximately half of this improvement to the superior physical pellet quality delivered by the Hongyang line. 5. The Service Dimension: Why Fjordfôr Chose Hongyang Beyond the hardware specifications and production metrics, Fjordfôr’s production manager cited Hongyang’s pre-sale and post-installation service commitment as a decisive factor in the purchasing decision. The pre-installation process audit provided Fjordfôr with a detailed baseline of existing line performance, including PDI measurements, energy consumption mapping, and a ring die wear analysis report. This documentation allowed management to project return on investment with a high degree of confidence — a critical consideration for an independent mill operating with limited capital reserves. During commissioning, Hongyang’s engineers worked alongside Fjordfôr’s operators across three full shift rotations, covering die changeover procedures, conditioner parameter optimization for each feed formulation, and preventive maintenance scheduling. The training program included detailed documentation of optimal operating parameters for each of Fjordfôr’s three salmon feed recipes, with set points recorded for steam pressure, conditioner retention time, die temperature, and pellet cooling airflow. Hongyang also integrated sensor monitoring on the SZLH508 line, enabling remote diagnostics support. While Fjordfôr’s remote location in Trøndelag makes on-site service visits logistically demanding, the remote monitoring capability allows Hongyang’s technical team in China to review operating parameters and alert the customer to potential issues before they escalate into unplanned downtime. 6. Conclusion: Independent Norwegian Feed Mills and the Case for Value-Driven Technology The Fjordfôr case demonstrates that independent feed manufacturers in mature aquaculture markets can achieve world-class pellet quality without incurring the capital expenditure typically associated with European-sourced equipment. The Hongyang SZLH508 ring die pellet mill delivered pellet durability and water stability metrics that meet or exceed the standards demanded by professional Norwegian salmon farmers, while reducing both energy consumption and operational costs. More broadly, this case illustrates a trend visible across the global aquafeed equipment market: manufacturers who invest in application-specific engineering — custom compression ratios, dual-shaft conditioning, vacuum-hardened die metallurgy — can narrow the performance gap with premium-priced alternatives to the point where value-driven purchasing decisions carry minimal technical risk. For Fjordfôr, the Hongyang investment has strengthened its competitive position in the Trøndelag feed market. The company reports that two additional salmon farming operations have approached it for feed supply contracts since the new line’s commissioning, citing the observable improvement in pellet quality and the resulting FCR gains. In the Norwegian aquaculture industry — where every basis point of FCR improvement translates to material cost savings at scale — pellet quality is not merely a technical specification. It is a commercial differentiator.
Post time: Jun-19-2026
