Epax to invest $35 million in Omega-3 innovation

Over the next two years, Epax Norway AS will invest $35 million to increase its capacity and boost innovation in the Omega-3 sector.

The company will expand capacity at its main production facility in Ålesund in Norway, allowing output to increase by more than 50% by 2021. Meanwhile, a new manufacturing facility nearby will provide raw materials for new and specialized marine ingredients.

Part of Norwegian fishery giant Pelagia AS, Epax Norway AS manufactures concentrated marine oils and supplies leading dietary supplement brands worldwide. 

The investment will also allow the implementation of groundbreaking technology to increase EPA and DHA concentration without triggering oxidation. The new distillation process will pave the way for gently processed products with concentration as high as 70% percentage by weight (compared to the current industry standard of 50wt%).

The mild nature of the next generation distillation process makes it a highly effective way to increase EPA and DHA content without creating unwanted by-products such as trans-fatty acids and polymers.

Epax, which invented the technology to concentrate fish oil as an ethyl ester in 1987, has a 180-year history of innovation. Much of the new investment will be allocated to R&D, including clinical studies on the benefits of innovative new marine ingredients in dietary supplements.

Bjørn Refsum, CEO of Epax, said: “As a leading producer of highly concentrated Omega 3, and a company with a proud history of innovation, we have a responsibility to push the limits of what is possible. This substantial investment will create new possibilities for the marine ingredients sector in terms of concentration, purity and quality. We’re particularly excited about our new distillation process, which we believe is the most effective and environmentally friendly way to achieve high levels of EPA and DHA without creating unwanted by-products and waste materials.”

Epax’s commitment to innovation has allowed it to create a range of marine oil products that offer exceptional quality, purity and organoleptic properties. At this year’s SupplySide West (17^th-18^th October in Las Vegas) the company will showcase products including:

• EPAX 0460 TGN and EPAX 1500 TGN: High-DHA products ideal for prenatal and postnatal health, children’s health and healthy aging
• EPAX 5025 TGN: A high Omega-3 product typically used in formulations targeting healthy inflammatory response and sports nutrition

All three products are certified sustainable and responsibly sourced by Friend of the Sea (FOS) and IFFO, the Marine Ingredients Organisation. They are also certified Halal.