2025 has been a year of great progress for Haugaland Næringspark. New establishments, strategic investments and collaborations have laid the foundation for future-oriented industrial development. Our future prospects have never been better, and we look to the coming year with optimism.
Throughout the year, the development of Haugaland Næringspark has gained pace and direction, with milestones related to, among other things, power infrastructure, ownership, establishments and customer agreements. Long-term preparatory work is now being translated into concrete decisions, and several projects are entering the realization phase. This forms a solid foundation for activity and value creation in the years to come.
Power development underway
In January 2025, Statnett started construction work on Gismarvik substation in the business park. Together with the new 420 kV power line from Blåfalli in Kvinnherad, it will lead to a significant strengthening of the power system in the region and will contribute to strengthening industrial development in the business park. Gismarvik substation and the new power line from Blåfalli are scheduled to be put into operation in the first half of 2028. Together, these facilities provide significantly increased capacity in the power grid, which will strengthen the park's competitiveness.
Fagne, the regional grid company, has an area concession in the park and will build a regional substation here at a 132kV voltage level. Construction is expected to start for the Fagnes substation during 2026, and completion is expected in parallel with Statnett's Gismarvik substation. Good cooperation between the grid companies, industrial players and the business park is key to successfully establishing good and effective solutions and maintaining progress in the development.
Haugaland Næringspark would like to extend a special thank you to Statnett and Fagne for their excellent cooperation. We look forward to continuing the good cooperation and ensuring the completion and commissioning of the facilities in line with today's timetables.
Siva on the owner's side
In May, it was announced that Siva will invest NOK 250 million in Haugaland Næringspark to accelerate the realization of the industrial establishments in Haugaland Næringspark. Siva sees that the park has all the prerequisites to become an internationally attractive industrial park, and that the region can play a key role in national efforts towards green industry and value creation. The investment is part of Siva's strategy to contribute to the faster establishment of new industry in one of the most attractive industrial locations in Norway. In December, the agreement was formally signed with the owner municipalities, and with Siva on the ownership side, the park is even more strongly equipped to land major industrial projects in the years to come.
The capital injection gives the Industrial Park the opportunity to advance the development of industrial areas, which reduces risk for industrial players. Siva's entry as a part-owner in Norway's largest fully regulated industrial park in itself gives international industry security for a future in Haugalandet.
More establishments
Decisions made during 2025 have laid the foundation for significant activity and value creation in the years to come, with several projects now moving from planning to realization.
This spring it became clear that the construction company Vassbakk & Stol is building a new head office in Haugaland Næringspark. When one of the largest construction companies in Western Norway has now chosen the business park, a powerful cluster of key players in construction is strengthened. The new head office and workshop will be the workplace for nearly 100 employees. The first sod was turned on November 6, and the building is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2027.
During the year, Norcable has purchased new land in the park and started the expansion with a new large factory on an 18-acre plot. Norcable produces aluminum cables for power lines for Statnett and Fagne, among others, and contributes to emission reductions in power distribution. The goal is to quadruple production capacity, and up to 120 people will have their workplace in the park when the factory is completed next year. The factory will be a future-oriented production environment with a high degree of digitalization and automation.
There is otherwise considerable interest and demand for possible establishment from the market, both locally and from international players.
Important industrial collaborations
Collaboration across businesses, industries and value chains is crucial to successful restructuring and industrial development. Haugaland Næringspark has actively participated as an initiator and project manager in several industrial collaborations and contributed to knowledge sharing, development of common infrastructure and new collaboration models that strengthen the competitiveness of the region.
In December, Haugaland Næringspark invited participants to the gathering " The Future Takes Shape ", focusing on development and collaboration in the industry in Haugalandet. Here, the agreement with Siva was signed, and the participants gained insight into some of what is happening in our forward-looking industrial region.
Industrial Symbiosis Haugalandet is a collaboration between industrial actors that deals with how to utilize surplus resources in the region. In March, we organized a final seminar for the first phase of the industrial collaboration Industrial Symbiosis Haugalandet, with, among others, the Minister of Climate and Environment Bjelland Eriksen as a guest. After one year of dedicated effort, 21 possible symbioses were identified.
We have now started work on realizing a selected few of these with a focus on regulatory issues, knowledge sharing and concrete resources that can be realized in new circular value chains. The project has received further support into 2026 from both Innovation Norway and Rogaland County Council.
CCS Haugalandet is a consortium established in December 2022, initiated by Haugaland Næringspark. The collaboration now consists of the partners Equinor, Eramet, Gassco, Haugaland Næringspark, Hydro, Horisont Energi, Carbonor and Forus Energigjenvinning. Together, the players are looking at the possibilities for a common infrastructure for the safe transport and storage of CO₂ from industrial plants in Rogaland.
Throughout the year, work has been done to find the most cost-effective transport solutions, both for the industry as a whole and for each individual player. It is clear that CCS (carbon capture and storage) requires collaboration across the value chain, and that Norwegian emitters need immediate access to affordable storage services on the Norwegian continental shelf.
An injection terminal in the business park will provide short transport distances for both existing and new industry in Rogaland, and open up more forms of transport than ships. This will reduce costs for the industry, as everyone can use the most cost-optimal form of transport. For Haugaland Business Park, it is central to realize a solution for CO 2 handling, as many of our customers depend on solutions for precisely this and will give Norway a unique competitive edge.
Good future prospects
After more than 20 years of regulation, development of infrastructure and port facilities, and establishment of supplier industries, Haugaland Næringspark is now entering a new phase. Statnett's new 420kV transformer station, which is under construction and is scheduled for completion in 2028, provides a significant competitive advantage.
Haugaland Næringspark is in negotiations with several large international companies. We are clearly attractive to international industry with both fully regulated areas, efficient logistics, expertise, housing conditions and access to power. Voltage setting of the new transformer station being built in the park is crucial for both new establishments and development projects in existing industry. Development of critical infrastructure and a strengthened capital base provides increased predictability and better framework conditions for both existing and future industrial establishments.
The first customers will likely make their investment decisions over the next year, and the development will take place in parallel with the new substation. 2026 will be the year where we invest in further preparation and facilitation for new value creation and we will hopefully see several of the first larger establishments make their investment decisions.
Haugaland Næringspark looks forward to creating value together with existing and new owners and partners, and contributing to green industrial development in the region and nationally.
Tiril Mountain
Managing Director, Haugaland Business Park