Last month, you may have spotted the news that Animal Health has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with STIM Scotland Ltd. In practical terms, this means that STIM Scotland are now the ‘Authorised Wholesaler’ in the distribution of our product, Salmosan® Vet, across the UK.
So, what will this mean for our customers? How will this change or help to improve effective sea lice management? To answer some of these questions we caught up with Ben Perry, Sales and Technical Manager, and Harry Tziouvas, Global Sales Manager, Salmon, along with Justin Watson, Technical Manager at STIM Scotland.
Both Ben and Harry have been with Benchmark for over five years. Meanwhile, before joining STIM, Justin worked at Greig Seafood for over 12 years, working in Shetland and on the Isle of Skye.
Harry Tziouvas, Global Sales Manager Benchmark (left), Ben Perry, Sales and Technical Manager Benchmark (middle) and Justin Watson, Technical Manager STIM Scotland.
So, how will this impact our customer’s operations on a day-to-day basis?
• Harry: The main change customers will notice will be greater technical support, provided together with our partners at STIM Scotland. While we will continue as key points of contact and will continue to work with customers, all Salmosan® Vet orders will now be placed through STIM. Ultimately, this means a secure supply chain underpinned by Benchmark and STIM’s expertise and field experience in aquaculture.
• Justin: We welcome the opportunity to further support the industry and deliver our expertise in technical support, and as professional distributors of Salmosan® Vet.
What are your expectations of this new partnership?
• Ben: Customers will now receive greater technical support as Benchmark work in tandem with STIM and our customers to ensure continual research and development. We have plans in place to work closely with our UK customers over the coming months where the focus will be on best-practice treatments. Along with STIM, we will liaise with our customers to establish ways of working collaboratively and to agree on study objectives. Once complete, we will communicate the results of these as soon as they are available.
• Justin: Importantly, our partnership will ensure continuity of supply and that going forwards Salmosan ® Vet remains a tool for the industry here in Scotland as part of an integrated approach to sea lice management.
How will this contribute to continual innovation within the aquaculture industry?
• Ben: There has been an ongoing focus placed on the innovation of Salmosan® Vet within Benchmark Animal Health. Last year we took part in a first-of-its-kind trial along with Mowi, the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture and the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre to test the use of Salmosan® Vet with our water purification system, CleanTreat®, which produced positive results. That’s not all. There have also been label changes for Salmosan® Vet in Canada and in the EU. This agreement means we can direct our resources to keeping research and development at the core and establish more efficacious and sustainable ways of using this product.
•Justin: It is crucial we give farmers the tools and support that enables them to take decisions in the best interest of the fish they care for day-to-day. In my experience, Salmosan® Vet is a safe, low cost and comparatively low-stress treatment option that serves an important function in the toolbox for combating sea lice. The upcoming amendment in the GB Veterinary Medicines Regulations to shorten the withdrawal period required when a product is used outside the SPC, is also an important change for the industry. It will allow farmers to look again at strategy, particularly around treating larger fish, that may help improve the sustainability of farming operations in Scotland.
This exclusive agreement with STIM Scotland offers an opportunity to further support customers in their use of Salmosan® Vet, providing a positive impact on their operations. Is there anything else you’d like to know about this partnership? Let us know and we can put your question to the team!
