It all started in 1969…

…and today Vónin is a major developer and manufacturer of high quality fishing gear and aquaculture equipment with branches in Norway, Greenland and Canada, plus a production facility in Lithuania, in addition to several specialised locations in the Faroe Islands and a highly international client base.

What started in 1969 as a venture to produce fishing equipment for the local fleet, set up by a group of fishermen, Vónin has grown into one of the Islands’ major exporters as its focus expanded from working solely with the home fleet. Vónin has developed from relatively modest local roots, into a highly specialised and genuinely international operation with a wealth of expertise and experience behind it. 

History

Vónin was founded in 1969

by Olaf Olsen, Jákup Oluf á Lakjuni, Otto Dam, Janus av Reyni and Sámal G. Jacobsen as they acquired the trawler they named Vónin

1971

Opened a net loft in Fuglafjørður

1975

Opened a net loft in Tórshavn

1977

Built a new net loft and flume tank in Fuglafjørður

1980

Started to produce aquaculture products

1989

Opened a department in Newfoundland

2000

Built a new net loft in Tórshavn

2002

Acquired the net loft from Polar Seafood in Greenland

2002

Faroese company of the year

2005

Acquired the net loft from Royal Greenland

2006

Acquired local netloft in Norðskála

2008

Merged with RFG in Norway, now called Vónin Refa

2008

Opened sales office in Russia

2011

Faroese company of the year

2014

Built a production plant in Lithuania

2018

Built a new net loft and Head Office in Fuglafjørður

2019

Opened sales office in Far East Russia

2019

Extended the plant at Norðskála

2021

Acquired engineering and design company Volu Ventis

Focus on innovation and quality

As fisheries and aquaculture have become increasingly more demanding and competitive industries, Vónin has responded by developing hard-wearing, high-strength materials to its own specifications, developing its own range of reliable products. By working closely together with the industry we have attained a high level of product quality, and we are very proud of our achievements.

As we have always done, all innovation and trials are undertaken in close co-operation with the industry so that the ideas coming from either our highly skilled staff or the clients themselves can be considered, tried in our computer simulators and then scaled down to be tried in flume tanks. When we feel that we have reached an optimal result, the designs and the products are tested out at sea by our own experts and experienced clients.

Innovative designs

Reliable materials

Specialized workmanship

Tailor-made solutions

Sustainability

Vónin has a longstanding commitment to minimizing waste in its own production, as well as providing its customers with gear that will last – which consequently results in keeping waste to the lowest possible level.

Our aim is to supply the highest quality products that function with maximum efficiency, therefore allowing fishing companies to keep fuel consumption and therefore emissions as low as possible. As we increase our focus on sustainability, we are also placing an ever greater emphasis on being part of a supply chain that produces minimal waste of resources in return for maximum production of protein from the sea.

It’s important to us to play a part in preserving the environment for generations to come and to make the best possible use of the finite resources at our disposal.

Every year Vónin ships a substantial volume of end-of-life aquaculture equipment and fishing gear for recycling and re-use. 

RECYCLING REPORT 2022

Material collected by the Vónin group in co-operation with clients and sent to recycling in 2022

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Purse seine nets
and similar material

120.144 kg

sent to polivektris.lt

Fishfarming nets,
fishing nets and ropes

879.848 kg

sent to nofir.no

Trawls, buoys and
other plastics

69.680 kg

sent to plastixglobal.com

Trawl doors and
other metals

106.200 kg

sent to metallco.com
and hjhansen.dk

Enviromental benefits

Of 879.848 kg recycled material according to Nofir

Decrease in carbon footprint is about

3214672

kg CO2 eq.

The reduction of climate gasses equals

29224

passengers flying from Oslo to London

Decrease in non-renewable resources is about

1452962

kg oil eq.

Vónin is part of the Faroese Sustainable Business Initiative, a network of twelve businesses in the Faroe Islands aiming to advance sustainable business practices and contribute towards UN Sustainable Development Goals.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

All of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals are significant to our strategy, daily operations and the value chain that we are part of. We have identified 3 Sustainable Development Goals that are particularly important to us: