Alaska State Legislature
Media Advisory

Jerry Ritter, House Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
Phone: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

Alaska Seafood International Briefing

Please call the House Majority Actuality Line at 1-800-478-6540 for Audio Clips

For immediate release: April 21, 1998

Juneau -- Executives from Alaska Seafood International briefed members of the Alaska Legislature Tuesday on the construction and other progress of the $125 million seafood center. The project is located on a 45-acre site near the Anchorage International Airport. The facility is due for completion in June 1999, with the first product shipping during the third quarter of that year.

The ASI concept is to provide a consistent supply of value-added seafood through the addition of sauces and other ingredients resulting in table-ready entrees and meals that need only heating and serving. When completed the 200 thousand square foot plant will ship more than 100 million pounds of high quality fresh and frozen seafood each year to markets around the world. Some 450 people will be employed year-round at the facility, with another 750 indirect jobs in support operations. 94% of these positions will be local hire.

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Box 3: Howard Benedict, Chairman and CEO of ASI discusses the concept behind and benefits of his company and it impact on Alaska.
= Howard Benedict,105 K

Box 4: Keld Anderson, Chief Operating Officer of ASI talks about the plant and its impacts on the city and state.
= Keld Anderson, 67 K