/ Southern Norway, full of unknown world champions
Southern Norway is often associated with sun, summer, sandy beaches and great vacations. That's part of Southern Norway, but the region has so much more to offer than this.
- The Kristiansand region has a long, proud industrial tradition and a varied business community. We have strong competence environments within the supplier industry for the oil, gas and marine sector, the process industry, the power sector, construction, tourism, culture, trade and health industry, says Geir Haugum, Business Manager in Business Region Kristiansand.
In the process industry, businesses in the region have worked together to create a sustainable and competitive industry. As a result, these companies have the world's cleanest production processes, and the vast majority deliver products and services globally, capturing a large share of the world market. The examples are many. Norsk Hydro in Vennesla produces super-clean aluminum that is used in 80 percent of the world's LCD screens. GE Healthcare in Lindesnes supplies 40 percent of the world's X-ray contrast agents. One third of all the world's wind turbine blades contain glass fiber from 3B Fibreglass in Birkeland. This company was named Norway's best export company last year. Elkem and Glencore in Kristiansand produce, among other things, silicon and nickel, which are used in smartphones, computers, airplanes and batteries. What all these companies, and many of the other businesses in the Kristiansand region, have in common is that they have been good at adapting to international markets and delivering products of very high quality.
- And I haven't even mentioned the local businesses that most Norwegians know well. Companies like Dyreparken, Stormberg, Hennig-Olsen Is and Sørlandschips," says Haugum.
Humans are developing technology further
Businesses in the region are keen to further develop processes, products and services. They are forward-looking, collaborating in clusters, challenging each other and sharing what can be shared. This helps to make them world leaders. In addition, there are test laboratories in the region that enable experimentation, exploration and testing of new products or production processes. The FutureMat catapult center provides equipment and expertise for companies to test new materials technologies. In addition, the region has a world-leading center for innovation, piloting and technology qualification in mechatronics and other related disciplines at the Mechatronics Innovation Lab.
- However, it is the people who are most important for the further development of the companies. Therefore, there may be very exciting opportunities for those with a high level of expertise who want to apply their knowledge to further develop processes and products," says Haugum.
Tight labor market and many opportunities
Kristiansand is the largest municipality in the region, but there are also many opportunities in the neighboring municipalities. There are many exciting jobs throughout the region, as well as nice surroundings to live in. You can choose to live in an urban area in the center of Kristiansand, or live in a more rural area close to the sea or the moors. Housing prices in the region are lower than in other metropolitan regions, which gives more and better opportunities to most people. The short distances make it possible to live in one municipality and work in another without spending unnecessary time on transportation.
This allows you to spend your time doing what you want, whether it's working, spending time with family and friends, taking advantage of what the city has to offer or being active in nature," says Haugum with a smile.
Written by Tom Backe
