Flatlantic flatfish farm: a sustainable and robust environment thanks to Granite® HDXtreme

Expansion and renovation for sustainable efficiency

Flatlantic is the second largest producer of flatfish in Europe and the leading aquaculture company in Portugal. Its 40-hectare site, close to the fishing village of Praia de Mira, produces more than 3500 tonnes of flatfish a year.

“Over the next two decades we plan to expand production across an additional 22 hectares,” explains Flatlantic Project Manager Danilo Pinto.  “With new buildings and improved solar and wind energy generation, we will be increasing production to 10 000 tonnes of sole and 7000 tonnes of turbot.”

The new buildings will be modular with two floors of fishtanks to maximise efficiency. In the meantime, Flatlantic are upgrading and refurbishing eight existing buildings.

Praia de Mira has had a Blue Flag since 1987. “Seastainability means optimising animal health and welfare, prioritising energy conservation and renewable energy generation,” Pinto explains.

Enhancing sustainability with modern materials: Granite® HDXtreme

“Part of our seastainability culture also means using better materials which last longer, and Granite® HDXtreme steel offers market-leading corrosion resistance,” explains Pinto.

With buildings just 500 metres from the Atlantic coast pumping seawater 24/7, Granite® HDXtreme has been selected for both the new and refurbished buildings. The existing sandwich panel technology for the roofs is being replaced by a deck type roofing with a waterproof membrane on the outside skin, insulation, and Granite® HDXtreme as the inner skin.

An important aspect of Granite® HDXtreme is the absence of rugosity – the smooth surface is easy to clean.

The panels and profiles are fabricated by the Portuguese company FTB, which specialises in mineral wool sandwich panels. They are being installed by local contractors under the instruction of engineering project managers from SOPSEC.

Sustainability, a key ethos of the company

“We bring the sea inside our buildings, and we have earned the trust of Portugal and Europe with the quality of our fish that are raised efficiently and ethically with the water of the Atlantic Ocean,” says Pinto. “We don’t really care about looking sustainable, we just want to be sustainable.”