In the heart of Telemark, at the foot of the majestic Gaustatoppen, Skanem Rjukan has in a short time undergone a significant transformation. The company, which now has 21 employees, has been equipped to meet the future with modern production equipment, high competence, and a strong position in the Nordic market.

With Group Director Eirik Bergh at the helm, Skanem has invested more than NOK 20 million in upgrading the facilities and machinery in Rjukan — an upgrade that is already delivering results. At the same time, they have entered into close cooperation with the municipality of Tinn and serve as a board representative in the Tinn Interdisciplinary Training Office. Over the past two years, Skanem Rjukan has also taken in several apprentices and candidates through NAV, who have been given the opportunity for valuable work training, which for some has also led to permanent employment.

– We have made major changes since we acquired this company at the end of 2023. The portfolio complements what we have at Skanem Bergen, which means we can deliver broadly to the same customer group. Revenue in Rjukan in 2025 was around NOK 41 million. We now have the opportunity to double our capacity, which inspires us to continue investing in technology and equipment, says Group Director Eirik Bergh.

About Skanem

– The Nordic region is our home market, and in Norway the healthcare sector and laboratories are our largest customers. Norwegian Orkla, with Solidox / Jordan, is among the most important within the laminated tube segment, but we also export to Finland and other Nordic countries. To Europe we ship, among other things, large quantities of caps. Tube production is a priority area, and we hope for more customers, primarily in the Nordic market where we have a unique proximity and expertise, explains Bergh.

Aud Ausland at Skanem Rjukan presents one of the toothpaste tubes produced here. Did you know that an average of 200 tubes are produced per minute? And that capacity reaches up to 50 million tubes? Photo: Norsk Industri

Alone in the Nordics

The company’s main products range from petri dishes for laboratories and healthcare, to various tubes and thin-walled packaging, as well as special solutions for technical applications. It is clear that Skanem Rjukan has succeeded in finding its niche — they are in fact the only player in the Nordics producing both petri dishes and laminated tubes. All powered by local hydropower and green energy.

However, competition is not lacking. Imports are a challenge, and not unfamiliar to companies connected to the graphic industry.

– We hope Norwegian industry will see us as the preferred partner in the geopolitical landscape we are now facing. We have significant potential and can quickly adapt to needs and product solutions, says Bergh as he shows us around the production facility.

– To give an example: we can quickly adjust to support other Norwegian production, for example the defense industry, with components that our machines can be adapted to produce. Or other critical societal solutions such as components for water, sewage, electronics, hospitals, explains Bergh.

Secured Survival

That the Skanem Group stepped in and acquired Heger AS, thereby establishing Skanem Rjukan, has been decisive for the future.

– It was absolutely crucial for our future that Skanem took over. We had stagnated and would probably not have existed much longer without this change, says Ingunn Irene Martinsen, Production and Quality Manager at the company and second-in-command under Eirik Bergh. She has 24 years with the company.

– We have a good working environment and a strong focus on employee development. Nine employees are now pursuing trade certificates to further strengthen competence, says Martinsen.

Local Engagement and Certifications

The changes have not gone unnoticed in the local community. The mayor, Kathrine Haatvedt, and parts of the administration have followed the process closely, and several employees speak of a boost in both motivation and willingness to learn. Close cooperation with Rjukan Business Forum, represented by Rune Hellingsrud, has also been important in gaining good historical insight and understanding the current situation in Rjukan’s industrial environment.

Eco Lighthouse certification (Miljøfyrtårn) was achieved in 2024, and throughout 2025 Skanem Rjukan has worked on implementing ISO 9001-2015 as well as FSSC 22000.

– Ingunn has done an outstanding job here, followed by the rest of the team in Rjukan, especially considering the changes this has required in routines and processes for daily production, says Group Director Bergh. He also describes strong cooperation within the Skanem Group:

– Skanem Bergen already holds these certifications, as well as ISCC Plus. In this context, Quality Manager in Bergen, Viktoria Rivedal, has assisted with valuable guidance and document structure.

Climate Responsibility

For Skanem Rjukan, success is not only about technology and market position. The company invests heavily in sustainability, both for the environment and for people.

– Caring for the climate is an important part of our strategy. We aim to minimize our environmental impact by reusing waste and ensuring that our products are not harmful to health. Our motto is “Together we can create a responsible future in packaging,” says Bergh. He adds that diversity and development opportunities for employees are equally central.

– As an employee at Skanem, you should experience that we believe in your competence, and through greater freedom and responsibility in your daily work, quality is created in the work performed. Ownership and use of competence are emphasized throughout the working day, says Bergh.

He describes exciting plans for the company:

– We envision Skanem Rjukan as a competence center where, together with both existing and future customers, we can quickly initiate projects, test and develop prototypes on the way to a market solution. There is a great deal of competence in-house that must also be shared externally. That is why our customer meetings are very inspiring and important. We want to be a more proactive factory with greater employee engagement in development work involving our customers, says Bergh.

The Plastics Debate

The Group Director has followed closely the plastics debate that has taken place in Norwegian media in recent years. Bergh points out that plastic has unique advantages, particularly in transport, durability in demanding environments, and storage for maintaining the shelf life of food products, among other things. He believes it is important to consider alternatives, but also to highlight success stories, such as the deposit return system, which has nearly a 100 percent return rate.

– We are in continuous development and are happy to collaborate with our customers on new projects. Today, it is particularly laminated tubes and high-quality products for hospitals and the healthcare sector that give us a competitive advantage, of course in addition to local production, says Bergh.

He explains how new regulations within packaging are continuously used for improvement. Among other things, Skanem’s factories in Norway (Bergen and Rjukan) carry out daily projects where they look at tomorrow’s solutions.

– At Skanem Bergen, there is, among other things, a department working on larger projects also for customers outside Norway and Scandinavia. This expertise makes us unique, and not least well equipped to take responsibility for various and highly complex solutions, says Bergh.

He further explains that the Managing Director of Skanem Bergen AS, Jan Atle Ellingsen, and his team are experiencing strong interest from Norwegian and international players due to their unique and long-standing expertise in thin-walled plastic packaging.

Believes the Future Is Bright

Group Director Bergh sees a bright future for Skanem Rjukan:

– Skanem Rjukan stands strong in an industry characterized by stricter regulatory requirements, recycling, and sustainability. With innovation and long-term investments in both people and technology, our factory in Telemark has all the prerequisites to shape the packaging solutions of the future, both in Norway, the Nordics, and wherever our expertise can be a strength, he concludes.