Acadian Seaplants snaps up Scottish seaweed firm

Nova Scotia-based bio-tech company ASL is the largest independent manufacturer of marine plant products of its type in the world.  Uist Asco, which is based on North Uist in the Outer Hebrides, has a core staff of three, headed by managing director Raghnall Maclain, and about 40 cutters it calls on for harvesting.

The acquisition gives ASL a greater presence in Europe, complementing its operation in Kilkieran, Ireland. “Tremendous synergies and sharing of personnel and expertise” have been promised between the European and Canadian operations.

Time-honoured tradition

The company’s president and chief executive Jean-Paul Deveau said: “I would like to acknowledge the achievements of Raghnall Maclain, who, with the support of his family, has brought Uist Asco to this stage of development. We are very much looking forward to continuing this time-honoured tradition by sharing our technologies, expertise and making the investments necessary to address any challenges to ensure the local seaweed industry prospers.”

Last month Uist Asco shipped a three-ton consignment of dried seaweed 3,800 miles to fuel the prize camels in the United Arab Emirates. The company has also exported its product to be used as a fertiliser on golf courses in Europe.

MacIain said: “We are very pleased with the level of investment that Acadian Seaplants brings to Uist Asco and their support for the harvesting industry in North Uist. We look forward to growth of both the company operations and the local seaweed industry.”

Four core divisions

ASL is a fully integrated company that is responsible for every stage of its operation from the sustainable harvesting and cultivation of marine plants, technology development and engineering, manufacturing and quality assurance to market development, sales and technical customer support.

It employees more than 350 employees in eight countries and has four core business divisions based on how the products are used:

• The Food Science Division is responsible for the research and development, production, marketing and sales of cultivated marine plants for global food markets.
• The Plant Health Division is responsible for the research and development, production, marketing and sales of specialty fertilizer products including crop biostimulants, plant growth regulators, soil amendments and technical formulation products for global agricultural and horticultural markets.
• The Animal Science Division is responsible for the research and development, production, marketing and sales of animal feed supplements deriving specific benefits and targeting specific animals in global agricultural markets.
• The Specialty Seaweed Ingredients Division is responsible for the research and development, production, marketing and sales of marine plant ingredients for global nutriceutical, cosmetic and brewery markets.