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A Process of Growth at Home and Abroad

Norway's process industries are high-tech and have a very international focus. Embracing 750 companies, this sector accounts for 55 percent of Norwegian non-petroleum exports. The country's activities in international markets have expanded in recent decades, which implies that foreign sales...

The sector further plays an important role in Norwegian mainland industry, accounting for about one-third of total national value creation. Process industries members invest both at home and globally, making many of them important players in the trends and restructuring processes affecting the process industries worldwide.

It is advantageous for Norwegian companies to invest abroad and take part in global industrial development if they’re going to continue building their positions in the various regional markets. Being part of such international operations is very exciting and educational, and has helped Norway’s process industries to develop world-class technology and expertise. Norway has strong traditions of cooperation in international projects, and pays close attention to health and safety. We have been one of the pioneers in adopting stringent environmental requirements, and the process industries have, in many respects, been a prime mover in developing national and international standards in this area.

Norway is one of the world’s richest nations, and this is largely a reflection of the country’s abundant oil and gas resources, which in turn allow us to make a commitment to education and technological development. But it also represents a major challenge in terms of costs and the need to focus on necessary land-based industrial development.

Enthusiasm – about the ever-tighter global network to which Norway’s process industries naturally belong – is the predominant tone within the industries. The Norwegian process industries have every reason to be self-confident in their meetings with the international market. We see that every day provides new opportunities to learn from encounters with competitors, fellow industrialists, customers and suppliers worldwide.

 Ketil Lyng

Chairman of the Board, The Federation of Norwegian Process Industries (PIL)