Busy seafood processor moves into bigger building

By DON CUDDY
NEW BEDFORD — A growing seafood processor has expanded its business operations with the recent acquisition of a 15,000-square-foot building in the South End.
Mariner Seafood, like many of its neighbors in the South Terminal area, is an international fresh and frozen seafood company. But the company had outgrown its former location and jumped at the opportunity to move to its new location on South Street.
“We’ve been processing fish on Hassey Street for almost two years, but it was just too small,” company president and founder Jack Flynn said.
Mariner currently employs 35 people, and over the next 12 months expects to add another eight to 10 jobs, he said.
Flynn initially moved his company to New Bedford from Middletown, R.I., two years ago, opening an office on Belleville Avenue for frozen seafood sales and to house administrative staff.
“By closing on this South Street property, we’ve been able to combine our fresh and frozen operations under one roof,” Flynn said.
Mariner Seafood imports seafood from Canada, China, Southeast Asia, Iceland and Norway and sells its products throughout the United States.
“We also anticipate (scallop) exports to Asia in the near future,” Flynn said.
The move to New Bedford from Rhode Island has enabled his company to take advantage of all of the services and infrastructure that the city offers for fish processing and marketing, he said.
“As far as I’m concerned, this is the place to be in New England,” Flynn said.
To mark the newest phase of its growth, Mariner will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3 p.m. Thursday, with Mayor Jon Mitchell scheduled to attend.
doncuddy@s-t.com
February 14, 2012 12:00 AM
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