Irreplaceable 

pillar 

of 

the 

municipality

In 2023, we elected a new municipal council. The election resulted in a change of administration in Kinn municipality and a new mayor to lead the municipality for the next four years. How is the business community in Kinn faring today—and what will matter in the years ahead? And what do they think about the future plans at Fjord Base?

To shed light on these questions, we spoke with the newly elected mayor, Bengt Solheim-Olsen, and the new chair of the Planning, Environment, and Business Committee, Arlene Vågene. We also invited Bjørn Hollevik, chair of the Florø Industry and Business Association (FIN), to join the conversation.

So… what’s the status of the municipality today—seen through the eyes of business? “Our local business community is an irreplaceable pillar of the municipality. There isn’t a single service in the public sector that isn’t funded by business, directly or indirectly. You could say it’s the engine of the local community,” says Bengt. An analysis by Menon mapping the business landscape in Kinn shows that 72% of employment is in the private sector. With relatively few public-sector jobs, the importance of business becomes clear. All agree that we must work actively to create new, attractive jobs and support the business community.

400 submissions to the land-use plan

“As elected officials, we must actively drive development. One of the most important tasks is facilitating new industrial/commercial land. Sufficient land is a scarce resource,” says Arlene. She leads the committee responsible for stewarding our scenic municipality well. The deadline for input to the new land-use plan recently passed, and around 400 submissions came in—large and small, from private individuals, the public sector, and businesses. All will be evaluated. “We have a job ahead of us. The interplay and balance between business development and protecting nature are in focus. The municipality needs more land, but it must be done in a careful and sustainable way,” Arlene explains. Bjørn has long experience with such processes, both as FIN’s chair and as a politician himself. “Since 1989, the question of more industrial land has been on the agenda. These processes take time, but I find the municipality both helpful and receptive,” he says.

Critical success factors for success

The three interviewees are positive about the initiatives underway at Fjord Base. They emphasize that it’s important we take part in society’s transition, even if change can be daunting. “We must be allowed to test, try, and fail. That’s what development and innovation are about. The transition from oil and gas to new, green forms of energy is coming, and we need to be where it’s happening. Otherwise, I think we’ll lose much of the new workforce and in-migration,” says Arlene. In addition to Fjord Base, many companies in Florø are at the forefront of the green transition. Beyond sufficient land, green energy and access to water are critical success factors that must be secured. “Many Florø companies are national leaders in their fields,” Bjørn explains, citing examples such as Cargill/EWOS, NorTekstil, Fjord1, Evoy, Havlandet, and Westcon. They are investing heavily in innovative, sustainable solutions to make this happen. “That’s why it’s important we have enough land, power, and water in the municipality,” Bjørn underscores. Bengt assures that the municipality has this high on its priority list.

“In the municipality, we play as a team with the business community and are working on solutions to these challenges. That’s absolutely crucial for succeeding with the green transition,” Bengt concludes.