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Halldorsson Svavar

Mar 01
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Astaxanthin – the origin of nature‘s most potent antioxidant

By The Algalif Blog

Natural astaxanthin is known as a chemical compound that has several health benefits for humans; including reducing inflammation, accelerating muscle recovery, and enhancing joint, skin, and eye health. But what is the origin of this nature‘s most potent antioxidant – and what role does it play in nature?

Astaxanthin helps to outperform

Even though we might recognize astaxanthin as the pigment that provides flamingos, lobster, and salmon meat with their distinctive colors, the primary producers of the compound are simple multicellular microorganisms. When taking a step further to understand why this magical pigment is produced by these simple organisms, we must keep the forces of evolutionary biology in mind. For instance, Haematococcus pluvialis, the freshwater microalgae species used at Algalíf, produces astaxanthin in high concentrations to outperform other organisms that thrive in similar conditions. Astaxanthin production aids the algae in competition for light, nutrients, and other essential resources. In other words, astaxanthin has played a role in the success of Haematococcus pluvialis in the brutal process that we generally refer to as natural selection.
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Jan 30
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Algalif is a CarbonNeutral® certified Company.

By News

Since last year, Algalif Iceland is a Certified CarbonNeutral® Company. This is in accordance with the company’s Environmental Policy Manifesto by the internationally renowned CarbonNeutral® Protocol. Algalif produces plant microalgae using clean natural water and green geothermal energy. All Algalif´s astaxanthin products are also certified as CarbonNeutral®.  

Algalif Iceland is now a Certified CarbonNeutral® Company. This is in accordance with the company’s Environmental Policy Manifesto by the internationally renowned CarbonNeutral® Protocol. Algalif produces plant microalgae using clean natural water and green geothermal energy. All Algalif´s astaxanthin products are also certified as CarbonNeutral®. 

Algalif choose CarbonNeutral® as a green certification partner based on its outstanding reputation. Among other international companies with the same certifications are Microsoft,  Logitech, and Sky.

CarbonNeutral® has played a critical role in enabling clients to confidently make clear and credible claims about their climate programs and navigate the complicated and rapidly developing landscape of voluntary climate action. 

Algalif is the only Natural Astaxanthin producer in the world that is certified as a CarbonNeutral® company. 

Jan 14
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Original Study by Algalíf Scientists on Asta Quantification Reproducibility

By Articles, News

Accurate quantification of astaxanthin is an integral part of the quality control system in the production of this compound. It is essential for both producers and customers that the true amount of astaxanthin is stated on a product label. However, astaxanthin quantitative analysis is prone to high variability between laboratories. One reason for this is that astaxanthin is not a single molecule but a mix of geometrical variants (isomers).

An original study performed by the Quality Department of Algalif Iceland ehf. revealed that these astaxanthin isomers can transform into each other depending on the conditions of the analysis. The chemical behavior of astaxanthin greatly affects its quantification and explains poor between-lab reproducibility which impacts the whole astaxanthin industry.

 The original paper is published in Molecules and accessible through the link.

Dr. Oleksandr Virchenko of Algalíf.

 

Dr. Tryggvi Stefánsson

Dr. Tryggvi Stefánsson of Algalíf.

Dec 18
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Algalíf stefnir á almennan hlutabréfamarkað árið 2025.

By Fréttir

Stjórn líftæknifyrirtækisins Algalífs samþykkti á fundi sínum 15. desember að hefja undirbúning fyrir skráningu fyrirtækisins á almennan hlutabréfamarkað árið 2025. Stjórnin hefur fengið ráðgjafafyrirtækið Hamrar Capital Partners til að halda utan um undirbúning skráningarinnar og veita eigendum félagsins sértæka ráðgjöf í ferlinu. Þá var Baldur Stefánsson, framkvæmdastjóri og einn eiganda ráðgjafafyrirtækisins Hamrar Capital Partners, kjörinn stjórnarformaður Algalífs á fundinum.

Algalíf ræktar örþörunga á Ásbrú í Reykjanesbæ og framleiðir úr þeim andoxunarefnið astaxanthín. Yfirstandandi 7.500m² stækkun á verksmiðju Algalífs er komin vel á veg en heildarstærð verksmiðju Algalíf verður 12.500m² þegar verkinu lýkur seint á næsta ári. Framleiðslugeta félagsins mun jafnframt fjórfaldast frá því sem nú er.

Nýja verksmiðjan verður stærsta og fullkomnasta verksmiðja í heimi í framleiðslu á náttúrulegu astaxanthín og er heildarfjárfjárfesting vegna stækkunarinnar um 4,5 milljarðar króna.

Sjálfbærni verður áfram leiðarljós í starfseminni en við ræktun örþörunga umbreytist koltvísýringur í súrefni við ljóstillífun þörunganna. Algalíf er vottað kolefnishlutlaust fyrirtæki og notar eingöngu græna jarðvarmaorku frá HS Orku til framleiðslunnar í samræmi við langtímasamning fyrirtækjanna.

„Stækkunin hefur gengið í samræmi við áætlanir og fyrstu kerfin er þegar virk. Nýja verksmiðjan mun hjálpa Algalíf að styrkja sig í sessi sem eitt fremsta fyrirtæki í heimi í framleiðslu og markaðssetningu á náttúrulegu astaxanthíni. Til viðbótar mun bætt aðstaða gefa ný tækifæri til að leggja aukna áherslu á rannsóknir og þróun og sækja inn á nýja markaði,“ segir Orri Björnson, forstjóri Algalífs.

„Við erum afar spennt yfir því að fá Baldur Stefánsson til liðs við okkur sem stjórnarformann., og einnig að geta fljótlega aukið framleiðslu félagsins umtalsvert í nýrri hátækniverksmiðju. Fyrirhuguð skráning á hlutabréfamarkað mun gera okkur kleift að vaxa enn hraðar og styrkja okkur sem leiðandi fyrirtækis í rannsóknum og þróun, sem mun skila sér til viðskiptavina okkar og annarra hagaðila,“ segir Kenneth Bern, Forstjóri HeTe Invest AS eiganda Algalífs.

Dec 18
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Algalif for initial public offering in 2025.

By News

The Board of Directors of biotech company Algalif agreed on its meeting on December 15th to start preparations for the initial public offering (IPO) of the company scheduled for 2025. The board has mandated Hamrar Capital Partners to manage the preparation process and provide strategic guidance. At the company´s board meeting, Baldur Stefánsson, Managing Partner of Hamrar Capital Partners, was voted as Algalif´s new Chairman of the Board.

Algalif is currently starting up its 7.500m² expansion, bringing the total size of its production facility up to 12.500m², quadrupling the company´s previous production capacity of its flagship product Astalíf™ natural astaxanthin. The new facility will be the largest and most technically advanced natural astaxanthin production facility in the world, with a total investment of roughly 32 million US$.

All operations will continue to be sustainable, as in the production process CO2 is converted into oxygen by the algae through photosynthesis.

Algalif is a carbon-neutral certified company and only uses green geothermal energy for the astaxanthin production process, supplied by Icelandic power company HS Orka via the parties´ long-term power purchase agreement.

“The expansion has been going according to plan and the first processing systems in the new plant are already online. The new facility will help us establish Algalif as the clear global leader in the production and marketing of natural astaxanthin. Furthermore, it will allow us to put even more focus on our research and development into other valuable algae products and address new markets,” says Orri Björnsson, Algalif´s CEO.

“We are very excited by Baldur Stefánsson joining our BoD as chairman, and the future of Algalif now that we will start to ramp up production in our new state-of-the-art plant. The planned IPO will allow us to accelerate growth and strengthen our R&D efforts, to the benefit of our customers as well as other stakeholders.,” says Kenneth Bern, CEO of HeTe Invest AS, Algalif’s owner.

Jul 07
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Algalíf and geothermal power company HS Orka sign a 15-year agreement on green electricity purchases

By News

The biotechnology company Algalíf has signed a new 15-year agreement for the purchase of environmentally-friendly electricity from power producer HS Orka. All the electricity is produced with geothermal power. Through the agreement, Algalíf ensures sufficient clean energy for the company’s ongoing plant expansion.

Algalíf grows microalgae and processes them into the dietary supplement astaxanthin. Green electricity is one of Algalif’s most important resources. The foreseeable stability in energy prices that is bound by the agreement strengthens the company’s international competitive position in the long term.

HS Orka is known for its security of supply and environmentally friendly production of geothermal electricity. It is therefore in accordance with Algalif’s environmental policy to enter into a long-term agreement with HS Orka, as Algalíf places great emphasis on sustainability, product purity, and the minimum ecological footprint of its production processes.

Construction work on the Algalif plant expansion is progressing well, but production capacity will triple, from 30 tons to 100 tons of biomass annually, and the number of employees will double from 40 to 80. The project will be finished by the end of 2023. With secure access to green electricity, there is no nothing to stop the company from becoming the largest worldwide producer of sustainable natural astaxanthin.

Algalíf has been in a business relationship with HS Orka since the company was founded a decade ago. The management of both companies is satisfied with the collaboration so far and expects a lot from the collaboration in the coming years

Jul 07
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Algalíf og HS Orka undirrita 15 ára samning um raforkukaup

By Fréttir

Líftæknifyrirtækið Algalíf hefur undirritað nýjan 15 ára samning um kaup á umhverfisvænni raforku af HS Orku. Með samningnum tryggir Algalíf sér næga hreina orku vegna yfirstandandi stækkunar fyrirtækisins að Ásbrú í Reykjanesbæ.

Algalíf ræktar örþörunga og vinnur úr þeim fæðubótaefnið astaxanthín. Græn raforka er meðal mikilvægustu aðfanga Algalífs. Sá fyrirsjáanlegi stöðugleiki í orkuverði sem bundinn er í samninginn styrkir því alþjóðlega samkeppnisstöðu fyrirtækisins til langs tíma.

HS Orka er þekkt fyrir afhendingaröryggi og umhverfisvæna framleiðslu á raforku úr jarðvarma. Það fellur því einkar vel að umhverfisstefnu Algalífs að gera langtímasamning við HS Orku, en Algalíf leggur mikla áherslu á sjálfbærni, hreinleika afurða og lágmarks vistspor framleiðsluferla.

Framkvæmdir við stækkun verksmiðjunnar á Ásbrú ganga vel en framleiðslugetan mun þrefaldast og starfsmannafjöldi tvöfaldast úr 40 í 80 þegar framkvæmdum lýkur 2023. Áætlað er að árleg velta fari yfir fimm milljarða króna eftir stækkun og með tryggum aðgangi að raforku er ekkert því til fyrirstöðu að fyrirtækið verði það stærsta á heimsvísu í framleiðslu á sjálfbæru náttúrulegu astaxanthíni.

Algalíf hefur verið í viðskiptum við HS orku frá því fyrirtækið var stofnað fyrir áratug. Stjórnendur beggja fyrirtækja eru ánægðir með samstarfið hingað til og vænta mikils af samstarfinu næstu árin.

May 05
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Agreement on the development of biodegradable food coating from leftover algae biomass

By News

It is a great pleasure for Algalíf Iceland, at its 10th anniversary, to sign an agreement with Start-Up company Marea on the development of food coating from leftover algae biomass.

Algalif produces sustainable natural astaxanthin from microalgae. Leftover biomass and oxygen are the only significant by-products. Currently, the leftover biomass is used as a fertilizer.

The product will be a biodegradable food coating that will both reduce plastic use and reduce food waste by increasing the shelf life of food.

 

This utilization is a novelty and can be an important step towards increased sustainability in Iceland and around the world. It is an important contribution to the value-creating circular economy of the future.

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