About Acadian Seaplants
"Success Abroad - Innovation at Home"
Acadian Seaplants Limited (ASL) is a globally recognized industry leader in the processing of seaweed-based products for food, biochemical, agricultural and agri-chemical markets worldwide and in the cultivation and processing of unique seaweeds for Asian as well as global food markets. Several noteworthy aspects of our operations include: the advanced methods used to harvest seaweeds as a sustainable, renewable resource and the technologies created to process the natural seaweed resources into value-added finished products for sale in exacting international markets. These activities have brought knowledge-based employment to Maritime Canadians and environmentally safe benefits to users of the finished products.With the founding of Acadian Seaplants in 1981, a new Canadian industry was launched.
Acadian Seaplants 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.
We have searched the world to assemble a strong, highly motivated and internationally-recognized team that are all uniquely qualified to meet the challenges of competition in a global, technology-based industry.
Acadian Seaplants is a world-class Canadian company that has placed Canada on the international seaweed map. view more»
Scientific Pursuits
Acadian Seaplants enjoys a long and successful history of studying and processing marine plants in Atlantic Canada. Our innovative approach has resulted in the development of a wide array of seaweed cultivation, marine plant extraction and product manufacturing processes that are unique in the world. In the process, we have advanced both the fundamental and applied scientific study of seaweeds and are responsible, in real terms, for advancing on a global scale, the understanding of the physiology and processing of seaweeds and their benefits. Given the technical nature of the research work conducted at ASL, we have assembled an expert and world-renowned scientific team. In addition to the company's technical personnel, we work with local research partners and contract research to international organizations as required.Innovation is the basis for sustainable competitive advantage in our industries, and success hinges on our ability to build and maintain excellent technical relationships. Keeping our innovation pipeline full is crucial to developing unique, first-to-market products for the global industries we serve.
Acadian Seaplants invests a significant portion of its annual revenues in research and development. Our science and technology focuses on:
- Product and Process Development
- Product Applications Research
- Resource Management
- Marine Plant Cultivation and Research
- Technical Support for Customers
Quality Assurance
The wonderful diversity of marine plant life offers many unique opportunities. This is reflected in the many technologies used by Acadian Seaplants in the creation of numerous and unique products for global agricultural, food and food chain industries. These markets have very demanding quality and food safety standards and our success is evidence of our ability to meet these standards.Our GMP+HACCP certifications provide our seaweed ingredients customers with third-party assurance of product quality and safety. We also take great pride in our ability to satisfy the exacting Japanese food market. Our dedicated team of Quality Assurance professionals work diligently with our manufacturing, sales, and technical teams to continuously enhance our ability to "wow" our customers, and keep them coming back for the best marine plant products available.
Our Company Has Four Divisions
To address the global and diverse demand for seaweed-derived products, Acadian Seaplants developed four separate, yet complimentary, 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 cultivation and food processing site is in Charlesville, Nova Scotia.
- The Plant Science 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 processing facility is in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia.
- 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 processing plant is in Pennfield, New Brunswick.
- 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. The processing operation is in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.
World-class Seaweed Processing Facilities
Acadian Seaplants operates four main manufacturing facilities strategically located close to cultivation and harvesting sites throughout Atlantic Canada. In addition, it also manages from its Head Office in Dartmouth, NS, a site in Miminegash, PEI, the Dr. James S. Craigie Research Center in Cornwallis, NS, and a harvesting operations office in Pembroke, Maine.
Adhering to its philosophy of investment in Research and Development, our company has developed unparalleled expertise in a wide range of seaweed processing and product manufacturing technologies. These low impact processes ensure the complex marine plants are handled in a manner that preserves the valuable characteristics of fresh seaweed.
Over thirty years experience and investment in Research and Development has made Acadian Seaplants world authorities on understanding marine plant physiology and how to process our seaweeds without compromising their valuable properties. This expertise and commitment ensures our customers receive only top-quality, performance-proven products every time.
We employ an experienced team of seaweed resource managers as well as a world-renowned Marine Biologist, Dr. Raul Ugarte, to apply exacting, comprehensive and technically-sound marine plant management procedures and controls involving all of our harvesting territories. Our company supports government licensing of harvesting territories to ensure industry accountability and the sustainability of the valuable resource and its ecosystem.
All of our products are manufactured from select seaweeds that have been harvested by experienced and well-trained fisher-harvesters using specially-designed hand-harvesting tools. This process not only ensures the best of the chosen seaweed species is harvested; the procedure is also very gentle on the ecosystem. Our well-managed seaweed beds can be harvested annually providing sustainable earnings to local fishers and economic benefits to rural coastal communities.
This continuous replenishment of nutrients makes the Bay of Fundy one of the richest marine ecosystems on Earth."
Saltscapes, Jan/Feb 2004 Vol.5, No. 1
Our dynamic, successful and growing company is proud to be able to provide knowledge-based and sustainable employment opportunities in positions ranging from administration, accounting and management to manufacturing, sales and research. Acadian Seaplants employs 300 people in eight countries and we enjoy a multi-cultural workplace. So what do our employees like about working at Acadian Seaplants? Perhaps you'd like to hear from them... (view more)
Each year, our employees donate thousands of hours to help local charities, business, health, sport, safety and educational organizations achieve their objectives.
Adhering to its philosophy of investment in Research and Development, our company has developed unparalleled expertise in a wide range of seaweed processing and product manufacturing technologies. These low impact processes ensure the complex marine plants are handled in a manner that preserves the valuable characteristics of fresh seaweed.
Over thirty years experience and investment in Research and Development has made Acadian Seaplants world authorities on understanding marine plant physiology and how to process our seaweeds without compromising their valuable properties. This expertise and commitment ensures our customers receive only top-quality, performance-proven products every time.
Marine Resource Sustainability
Acadian Seaplants knows that properly managed wild seaweeds are a rapidly renewable resource. We carefully oversee the ecosystem involving both marine plants and other marine life. Our approach to sustainable resource management has been employed for more than three decades with great acceptance and recognition from Canadian and international governments.We employ an experienced team of seaweed resource managers as well as a world-renowned Marine Biologist, Dr. Raul Ugarte, to apply exacting, comprehensive and technically-sound marine plant management procedures and controls involving all of our harvesting territories. Our company supports government licensing of harvesting territories to ensure industry accountability and the sustainability of the valuable resource and its ecosystem.All of our products are manufactured from select seaweeds that have been harvested by experienced and well-trained fisher-harvesters using specially-designed hand-harvesting tools. This process not only ensures the best of the chosen seaweed species is harvested; the procedure is also very gentle on the ecosystem. Our well-managed seaweed beds can be harvested annually providing sustainable earnings to local fishers and economic benefits to rural coastal communities.
Abundant Seaweed Resource Base
The North Atlantic Coast of Canada is famous for its icy, clean waters that are continuously replenished by the world's highest tides which average 14 feet or 4.25 meters from high to low tide. This ideal environment provides Acadian Seaplants with an abundant seaweed resource base which includes:- Ascophyllum nodosum (Rockweed, Kelp)
- Chondrus crispus (Irish Moss)
- Furcellaria lumbricalis
- Fucus vesiculosus (Bladderwrack)
- Laminaria digitata (Kelp)
- Other seaweed species
Bay of Fundy
"200 billion tonnes flow in and out of the bay on a single tide... greater than the combined flow of all the rivers on Earth.This continuous replenishment of nutrients makes the Bay of Fundy one of the richest marine ecosystems on Earth."
Saltscapes, Jan/Feb 2004 Vol.5, No. 1
Environmental Responsibility
Acadian Seaplants Limited's owners, management team and employees have a longstanding commitment to minimize our operational impact on the environment. We provide leadership and resources dedicated to making certain that we work in an ecologically conscious manner to ensure that future generations of stakeholders can continue to enjoy the pristine, marine environment. We achieve this through the sustainable management of the raw material resource and by minimizing our footprint when processing the resource into environmentally-friendly products for global markets. Environmental Policy (PDF)OUR GREATEST ASSET - OUR EMPLOYEES
For thirty years Acadian Seaplants has operated its marine plant processing facilities in several rural, Maritime communities providing sustainable, knowledge-based employment and economic stimulus to local business operators. While company operations are managed from our head office located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, all product manufacturing occurs close to our supply of seaweed. We are very proud of the 300 fisher-harvesters, the men and women, who sustainably harvest seaweed from our Canadian and Provincial Government-licensed resource sectors and in coastal Maine.Our dynamic, successful and growing company is proud to be able to provide knowledge-based and sustainable employment opportunities in positions ranging from administration, accounting and management to manufacturing, sales and research. Acadian Seaplants employs 300 people in eight countries and we enjoy a multi-cultural workplace. So what do our employees like about working at Acadian Seaplants? Perhaps you'd like to hear from them... (view more)
Committed to Community
Giving back to the communities where we work and live is one of our company's Guiding Principles and a fundamental belief that has been embraced by our employees.Each year, our employees donate thousands of hours to help local charities, business, health, sport, safety and educational organizations achieve their objectives.