Statistics show that NCE Raufoss, the national competence centre for light weight materials and automated production, has a high productivity and can compete internationally.

The industrial cluster NCE Raufoss is a national competence centre for light weight materials and automated production in Norway. Nammo, Benteler, Kongsberg Automotive, Hexagon Ragasco, Raufoss Technology, Plastal, NTNU and SINTEF Raufoss Manufacturing are members of NCE Raufoss, as well as partners of SFI Manufacturing.

The project period of ten years ends this summer and the statistics show a very good productivity development. When you're based in a high cost country like Norway, productivit is a key factor in order to compete internationally. On Febryary 3rd, NCE Raufoss published a chronicle in Oppland Arbeiderblad about its achievements so far.

Read the chronicle in Oppland Arbeiderblad here (pdf).
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NCE Raufoss is also called 'The industry's main sports centre'. Illustration: NCE Raufoss

On December 16th 2015, the yards Brødrene Aa and Chu Kong Shipping Enterprises signed an agreement on the sale and purchase of 40% of the shares of Brødrene Aa.

Brødrene Aa is situated in Hyen, Norway, and is mainly manufacturing fast commercial passenger vessels built with carbon fiber composite, in the range of 20 to 41 meter. The investment includes a significant private placement of shares in Brødrene Aa, which will give Brødrene Aa very solid financial muscles for future development. 

A large market and an increased capacity will strengthen the competitive power of the yards and can optimize the comparative advantages between the yards in the two countries. The cooperation between the parties has already started with the shipbuilding contracts and construction of two 41 meter catamarans built with carbon fiber composite.
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2016 started with the yearly conference of NHO. SINTEF's CEO Alexandra Bech Gjørv was one of the key note speakers and presented a trend analysis about how technology will influence the work floor. 

The theme of this years conferance was 'Remix' and focused on how Norwegian business should change in order to adapt to future demands. SINTEF's CEO Alexandra Bech Gjørv was one of the key note speakers and presented a trend analysis about how new technology changes digital- and physical manufacturing processes, and how these changes will influence the work floor.

Researchers, also involved in SFI Manufacturing, contributed to the analysis and report presented by Bech Gjørv. The report describes the most important technology trends, market enablers and social challenges from a Norwegian perspective.

Alexandra Bech Gjørv at the Remix conference (video).

​Here you can find the trend analysis and report.
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Alexandra Bech Gjørv at the Remix conference. Photo: NHO

Now it's still 'Høgskolen i Gjøvik', but soon it will be 'NTNU i Gjøvik'. Photo: Espen Dalmo

Raufoss Technology's suspension arms. Photo: Mikaela Berg

Vision of the Fjords, one of the hybrid electric sightseeing vessels of Brødrene Aa. Photo: Emil Rasmussen fotografi

The next couple of years, Rolls-Royce's investments will be focused on knowlegde.

Rolls-Royce is a global business providing integrated power systems for use on land, at sea and in the air. The organization will invest more in research and knowledge the next couple of years. Teknisk Ukeblad wrote an article about it.

Read the article here.
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Tunnel thruster in one of the production halls of Rolls-Royce. Photo: Eirik Helland Urke

Raufoss Technology produces suspension arms and chassis for Mercedes, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo (among others). Both the number of employees and profit have increased over the last couple of years.

Teamwork has lead to an upswing, as well as extensive research, development and continuous improvements. Sparebanken Hedmark wrote an article about Raufoss Technology in their magazine 'Konjunkturbarometer for Innlandet'.

Read the profile article here.
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 Raufoss Technology's factory chef Christopher Braathen. Photo: Reidar Kjæstad

Benteler Aluminium Systems Norway AS, one of the partners of SFI Manufacturing, was profiled on the website of the Research Council of Norway earlier this month.

Benteler works continuously with innovation in several kinds of projects, such as industry driven and research driven projects under the BIA umbrella and SFI. Benteler has major contracts with OEM's as Volvo, Mercedes and Audi, and its major competitive advantage is the knowledge-base, gained through extensive market driven research and development.

Read the profile article here.

The production of car parts in aluminium. Photo: Bente Haraldstad Delmas