Haugaland Business Park is located right in the center of a strong and traditional industrial region, which provides very good synergy opportunities.
Main image (Photo: Hydro/Marius Motrøen)
Since the Viking Age, Haugalandet has had a strategic location along the North Sea, due to the region's natural resources and ideal location for extensive contact with the continent. Over the past 50 years, Haugalandet has developed into a highly industry-intensive region, with the process industry, energy, refrigeration and technology automation as some of its core areas.
Within a 15-minute radius of Haugaland Business Park are Hydro Karmøy Aluminum, Equinor Kårstø Process Plant and Aibel's shipyard in Haugesund. Westcon in Ølen and Aker Kværner in Leirvik are also less than an hour away. Together with a large undergrowth of suppliers, these major players make up a close-knit and forward-looking industrial cluster that together possesses unique and broad expertise.
Adaptability
- Industry is one of the largest industries in Northern Rogaland, and 12.6% of those employed in Haugalandet work in industry. In addition, there is hired labor from staffing agencies," says Elisabeth Lie Nilsen, head of NAV Marked Nord-Rogaland.
She also points out that the many oil-related companies in Haugalandet primarily consist of people with industrial expertise.
- It was precisely this industrial background that was much of the reason why Haugalandet fared far better during the oil crisis than Stavanger, for example. Most of the oil-related companies on Haugalandet had expertise that meant they were already well underway in the renewables segment and had several legs to stand on. "Industry in Haugalandet has always shown a great willingness to adapt - and many have shown great ability to develop their products in new directions," says Lie Nilsen.
Spends 1 billion a year on local subcontractors
Shipyard manager for Aibel Haugesund, Ole Sandvik, feels that he has a large network of good subcontractors around him in Haugalandet.
- When we need outside help, we are a company that reaches out broadly, and it's not the case that local suppliers get jobs just because they are located nearby. But we can see that there is a high level of expertise here and that they are competitive, so in a normal year we buy local services for NOK 1 billion in Haugalandet. That says something about how we perceive the level here," says Sandvik.
The Aibel CEO also believes that Haugalandet has the ability to adapt.
- At Aibel, we've always been good at turning things around when times have demanded it, and that's a skill that's absolutely essential to have. In my experience, the industry on Haugalandet is very much on board when it comes to green transition, and the Chamber of Commerce is good at focusing on it. It's something many people in Haugalandet are concerned about, and I have the impression that there is both the will and the ability to adapt," says Sandvik.
Large width
The business community in the region is differentiated and has many legs to stand on. In addition to the industrial expertise in Haugalandet, the region also has a strong maritime cluster, with several large shipping companies that tower on an international scale. There is also a great deal of growth in exciting new companies in fish farming, feed barges and cages. Haugalandet also has a strong specialist environment in electronics, computer technology, gas, building and construction, as well as an exciting innovation environment.
Hydro's recent successful Technology Pilot for reducing energy consumption in aluminum production at Karmøy is a good example of a project that requires innovation and the latest in production technology. The result will reduce energy consumption Hydro on Karmøy also has important and innovative rolling mill expertise that can provide synergies to a battery industry.
- This provides a very good breadth of expertise. Something that has helped to give the industry in Haugalandet good ballast is that, in addition to the important paper engineers, there are also many sought-after vocational engineers with professional certificates," says Lie Nilsen.
Good at cooling water
Many of the established industrial players on Haugalandet have excellent expertise in utilizing seawater for cooling, and with its own deep-water quay, Haugaland Business Park has good cooling water opportunities.
- "Many service providers have developed extensive refrigeration-related expertise, such as diving, inspection, cleaning of intake pipes, expertise in pumps and heat exchangers, etc." says Tiril Fjeld, General Manager of Haugaland Næringspark.
Competence collaboration
To ensure that the industry in the region always has the right skills, they have joined forces in the Work Life Council for Industrial Trades.
- "Hydro took the initiative to bring together Aibel, Dupont Norge, Eramet, Equinor, OPTEK, HSO- elfag, Haugaland Vekst, Fagopplæring Rogaland fylkeskommune, NHO Rogaland, LO Rogaland, the upper secondary schools and us at NAV Nord Rogaland to collaborate on the development and strengthening of industrial subjects in vocational training at Haugalandet based on the needs the industry actually has," says Elisabeth Lie Nilsen.
