Profish Food B.V. Stops: Machines for the Fish and Food Industry in Online Auction

"We were no longer able to make Profish a profitable company in recent years. That’s why we decided to stop," explains Henry Zwiers, General Manager of Profish Food B.V. The company's entire inventory, including a large assortment of food industry machines, electronics, and office inventory, is currently being auctioned online at Troostwijk Auctions. Bidding is open until Monday, November 18, with the auction closing at 10:00 AM. 

“There had already been a downward trend at Profish Food B.V. for quite some time,” says Zwiers. "Salmon prices have soared in recent years, so people buy less of it. But salmon still accounts for eighty percent of our volume. On top of that, our factory – an old cattle slaughterhouse converted into a fish factory – wasn’t efficient enough. We looked for a new location, but when we did the math, it just didn’t work out. We also explored the possibilities of a takeover or merger, but none of that worked out either. So, we had to make the difficult decision to put an end to Profish Food B.V." 

"Fish is a fun product"
Zwiers has a background in food technology. "Over ten years ago, I ended up in the fish industry, and I've enjoyed it. Fish is a fascinating product, especially because it’s natural. But that also makes it challenging." 

He explains, "Fish isn’t like a brick that’s the same every day. One day the fish weighs 400 grams, and the next day it’s 500 grams. It’s also a seasonal product, but consumers want it year-round. So, you have to be savvy with purchasing. Plus, we work with a fresh product, which requires a very different approach than frozen products. We have to act quickly, make fast decisions, and know what we’re doing. That’s what I love about my job.” 

Taking good care of the staff
Zwiers's enthusiasm for his work is evident. For him and the PP Group, of which Profish Food B.V. is a part, it was a tough decision to pull the plug on the company. "Once that decision was made, my top priority was to show our commitment to our staff. We allocated funds to arrange severance packages for everyone. What I'm most proud of is that everyone worked until the very last day. No one called in sick or gave up. We provided support for job applications, creating resumes, and building a good LinkedIn profile. We also organized a job fair with stands from nearby companies. Now, eighty percent of our employees have a new job, and I’m very pleased about that." 

"Troostwijk relieves us tremendously"
“Since last week, the full inventory of Profish has been up for sale online at Troostwijk Auctions. It’s a whole new world that I’m stepping into! Fortunately, we’re receiving fantastic guidance from Troostwijk, which is really great,” says Zwiers. 

“Our accountmanager, Caspar Lampe, helps us with so many things. He’s done this many times before and thinks of details we wouldn’t consider. He knows exactly which machines will attract buyers and which will be less popular.” 

“When we decided to close Profish, we quickly chose Troostwijk for the machine sales. Troostwijk has a good reputation, and buyers know how to find their platform. They have bidders from all over the world, providing a large market. That makes it very appealing. I also now realize how well Troostwijk supports us as sellers. It’s important because you don’t realize how much is involved. It seems simple—just selling items online. But there’s so much more to it. Troostwijk helps, guides, and greatly relieves us.” 

Machines for the food, meat, and fish industry
Are you curious about the machines and goods up for auction from Profish Food? Companies in the food, meat, and fish industries have a great opportunity in this online auction. Among the items up for bid are label lines from Espera. “These are unique pricing lines, with only a few in the Netherlands. They allow you to label products at a retail level,” Zwiers explains. 

You can also bid on MAP packaging lines, spiral freezers, and machines for the food industry from brands like Espera, Proseal, Hellings Machinebouw, Bosgraaf, Elpress, Vakona, Toshiba, and Marel. 

In addition to food processing machines, office furniture, electronic devices (printers, monitors, laptops, label writers, copiers, and more), all cafeteria furniture and equipment, and warehouse inventory are up for sale. View all 545 lots in this auction.

About the Auction  
The online auction of the business inventory and machines for the food and fish industry of Profish Food B.V. in Twello closes on Monday, November 18, 2024, at 10:00 AM. 

Would you like to view the lots before placing a bid? A viewing day will be held on Monday, November 11, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Location: Oude Rijksstraatweg 24, 7391 MD in Twello, Netherlands. 

Click here for all the details about this auction.