ScaleAQ has bought Skala Maskon AS.

4 January 2023. ScaleAQ has signed an agreement to take over the ownership of the global market leader Skala Maskon AS. With this strategic acquisition, we are expanding our value chain.

At ScaleAQ, we are betting further and expanding our platform, in order to be a total supplier to and a partner for the farming industry of the future. ScaleAQ and the team that has built up Maskon work according to similar drivers around sustainability and innovation. We see great opportunities in being able to build on the Maskon team and their excellent work.

“This is a strategic and important acquisition that unites a diverse and solid competence environment within the aquaculture industry’s supplier industry. This will strengthen our position as a total supplier within critical infrastructure for the farming industry. We will now be represented with the technology of the future in the entire value chain from roe to slaughter”

Geir Myklebust, CEO of ScaleAQ

A Norwegian specialist in fully automatic vaccination

Maskon (established 1991) is a global market leader in the production and sale of fully automatic vaccination machines for fish. The company sold its first roe sorting machine in 2006 and its first automatic vaccination machine to SalMar in 2011.

Maskon, a Norwegian specialist company that complements and expands our value chain in ScaleAQ, had a turnover of NOK 115 million in 2021. Until the acquisition, Maskon was part of the Skala group, which is owned by Nortura and Tine.

Competent organization with long turnaround times

Maskon has 36 employees with extensive expertise in engineering and automation. The organization is very experienced and competent, with a long history as a supplier to the aquaculture industry. This will be a strong supplement to our existing focus areas in ScaleAQ within technology and infrastructure for sea-based farming, fleets, hybrid vessels and digital solutions for the global aquaculture industry.

Maskon will continue as an independent company in ScaleAQ. This allows them to maintain their good work on innovation and product development, while at the same time gaining access to all the advantages of being part of a global total supplier to the aquaculture industry.

Jon Anders Leikvoll, CEO of Maskon, looks forward to becoming part of ScaleAQ and taking part in our broad, ambitious and sustainable approach to deliveries to the global farming industry.

“We look forward to becoming part of a larger, internationally leading technology and industrial company that supplies innovation, technology and equipment to aquaculture customers along the entire coast in Norway and globally.”

CEO Maskon Jon Anders Leikvoll

Technology and solutions the farming industry depends on

Maskon is a global market leader in an attractive niche, with key technology and solutions that all breeders depend on. The acquisition is in line with our commitment to become a global market leader in farming technology and complements our existing value chain: “From roe to slaughter – live fish”.

With Maskon as part of our team, we get unique representation throughout the entire value chain.

The proposal for a new ground rent tax has created uncertainty in the Norwegian market, but the farming industry has a large international catchment area and an expected international growth. ScaleAQ sees this investment as a strategic investment that sets us up for further growth.

Cooperation and benefits

We look forward to getting to know new colleagues better, and have a long list of areas of cooperation that we look forward to benefiting from together:

• global presence in all salmon regions
• service network
• competence transfer
• close and close relationship with customers
• sales and marketing

The acquisition has no consequences for our existing operating budget in ScaleAQ or for our established investment areas. Maskon will continue as an independent company in ScaleAQ, continue with its existing management and will remain in its premises in Stjørdal, Norway.