Photo by Ragnar Th.Sigurdsson

The President of Iceland Mr. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, rewarded Samherji hf.  The president of Iceland´s award for export achievement in a ceremony at Bessastaðir yesterday. Thorsteinn Mar Baldvinsson, Director of Samherji accepted the award on the company´s behalf.

The award is being granted for the fifteenth time and in the dispensation committee were representatives from the office of the President of Iceland, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of the University of Iceland, National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce, The Icelandic Confederation of Labor and The Trade Council of Iceland which is responsible for the preparation and expenses of the award.  This time the members of the committee were:  Stefan L. Stefansson, Agust Einarsson, Einar Benediktsson, Thorunn Sveinbjornsdottir og Pall Sigurjonsson, who was the Chairman of the committee.

The following companies have received the export award: Delta hf. (2002), GoPro Landsteinar hf. (2001), Bakkavor hf. (2000), Air Atlanta ehf. (1999), SÍF hf. (1998), Hampiðjan hf. (1997), Eimskipafélag Íslands (1996), Guðmundur Jónasson hf. (1995), Sæplast hf. (1994), Íslenskar sjávarafurðir hf. (1993), Ossur hf. (1992), Icelandair (1991), Marel hf. (1990) og Solumiðstoð hraðfrystihusanna (1989).

The President of Iceland´s award for export achievement is granted for a remarkable contribution to reinforcement of export trade and procure of foreign currency for the Icelandic Nation.  The dispense rules of the award stipulate the award being granted to companies or individuals, Icelandic or foreign, for successfully exporting Icelandic products or for service in foreign markets.  The granting of the award considers increased value of export, share in total export sales, marketing in a new market and more related. 

Steadily advancing
Páll Sigurjónsson The Chairman of the dispensation committee, said in his address on this occasion.  “Samherji hf. receives the award for a remarkable achievement in fishing, processing and marketing of Icelandic seafood.  The company is leading in the procession of Icelandic fishing companies and has been noticed for progressive and profitable operations.  Vigour and audacity characterise the company, the company´s leaders as well as it´s employees.

The operating revenue of  Samherji hf. in the year 2002 totalled just over 13.000 million ISK, which  divided almost equally between fisheries and landbased productions.  Profit was 1.879 million ISK which is the highest in the company´s history and export was 95% of the turnover.  Employees were at the end of the year 739 and employees of the daughtercompanies were 60.  Shareholders in the company were 2.323 and the one owner that owns the largest share owns 17%.  Samherji  hf. is therefore a “LARGE” company on an Icelandic scale.

The award winner gets a specially made trophy and a document, as well as he gets to use the sign of the award on his marketing material for the next five years.  The trophy this year is made by Gerður Gunnarsdóttir, sculptress but the sign of the export award is designed by  Hilmar Sigurðsson