Ten salmon farming centers located in Aysén were visited by a team of young professionals from Blumar who learned “in situ” the entire salmon farming and fattening process. This visit was managed by the company’s Human Resources department with the objective of introducing a relevant part of the salmon business cycle to people working in the different departments that interact in the salmon production chain.
The delegation consisting of seven people was guided by Alex Moreno Mendoza, Head of South Area XI Region at Blumar Salmon, who highlighted the importance of these types of activities that allow for close knowledge of the complex tasks of farming centers. “It was very important for us that the new professionals who make up our work team would know all the stages of the process, as well as the people in charge, understand how salmon production and fattening work, logistics and geographical distribution, so that we can have relevant information and improve communication in our work teams”, he added that there were days of good weather and that as their host in Aysén, he accompanied them on their tour based at Victoria Center, and then, aboard the Queulat boat, complete the circuit through the different centers, being able to know on the ground the different stages of each one of the centers. “They were able to see centers with newly received fish, others with manual feeding, the formation of cages, moorings, veterinary care tasks and antiparasitic baths. We also visited centers with fish over 3 kilos, with automatic feeding, monitoring systems, microalgae reading, necropsy, and measurement of environmental parameters, and everyone was very satisfied. Due to the dynamic nature of the visit, they were able to see each stage live and in real time, share with the operators and divers, with whom there was fluid and very enriching dialogue”, highlighted the professional, who added that for those who received the visit it was also very important, “because in the centers we don’t know much about the final value-added process and commercialization. It was very good for us to know how the final process is carried out, very clarifying and interesting. We had a very rich work environment with a lot of exchange of experiences”, he said.
“What I highlighted most was the human quality of the professionals we have at Blumar. Personally, I was very satisfied to see that the young people who are joining the company are people with the capacity to form work teams. It served us to create a connection since we all row in the same direction, we are one company”, commented Alex Moreno.
For Bastián Parischewsky, Sales Manager for the Chilean, Argentine, and Brazilian markets, this invitation to visit the farming centers was very relevant “I work daily with salmon and when I talk with clients I like to provide quality information, so it seemed to me that knowing in situ would be another negotiation tool. Also, sharing with the center managers, with the people, is always very enriching, you learn a lot, we talked a lot about sales and farming. It was an excellent exchange of experiences, where we even witnessed a necropsy. Without a doubt the trip was tremendous learning” he said and added that sharing with his travel companions was very positive, “we improved communication, and strengthened bonds that will improve work management. Today there is a different trust”, he highlighted.
For Carlos Sepúlveda, Head of Management Control and Financial Planning at Blumar, the trip was a super productive visit, “from knowing working conditions to seeing the care with which they care for the fish and the respect in how they work in isolation. The sacrifice of the people was very inspiring.
“We visited several centers with the possibility of seeing different processes, vaccination, mortality removal, diving service, how the school forms to improve feeding, we learned about the systems, the improvements and how the industry has changed since everything started. My expectations were to know the detail of the operation on a day-to-day basis, especially the role of the people who work there. We had excellent reception and it was very enriching. Although you know how difficult the operation is, being there changes your perception, the climate, the delays in travel, poor connectivity. It’s very difficult work being isolated. We were able to connect with the team’s spirit and we could feel the excellent work environment, with a nice dynamic and very cohesive. They all support each other to carry out the difficult task. I thank the human resources department and management for the possibility of this trip”, commented Carlos Sepúlveda.
Another member of the delegation was Rodrigo Ramírez, Human Resources Management Engineer, who commented that “what motivated us was to learn about the work carried out from the origin of the product, to value the human, professional and scientific team behind the industry and the company in particular. To know how we are positioned, since recognizing human value is key for us to perform better in our daily work. Having had learning of this kind is priceless”.
The trip came about from an offer that Víctor Meza, Head of Human Resources at Blumar Salmon, made to me when I joined the company and in December I decided to take him up on it. The managers supported us and we started with the logistics. “We are very grateful for how they received us and how generous they were with their knowledge. Today I value and understand differently the work from the beginning. Fortunately we had good weather and were able to visit 10 centers and see the entire process because they were in different stages”, commented Rodrigo Ramírez.
