The Plus creates many profitable jobs in Norway

Vestre has invested over 350 million in the world's most environmentally friendly furniture factory. Of this, around 90 per cent is saved equity and loans. In 2020, the project was awarded 35.7 million from the policy apparatus, among other things for ground-breaking innovations.

Our goal with The Plus was to create a smart, unique and transparent furniture factory and in that way contribute to increasing interest in design, technology and sustainable production. Vestre wanted to prove that there is no contradiction between being uncompromising on the environment and at the same time creating profitable export jobs in rural Norway. We have succeeded in that.

Over 100 partners

Major knock-on effects for private business

The Plus is the largest investment in the Norwegian furniture industry in decades. Over 100 suppliers contributed to realizing The Plus in just 18 months, mainly under demanding conditions during the pandemic. This has contributed to new, profitable jobs, and to positive ripple effects for communities and businesses in the region.

The Plus is mainly privately financed

Vestre has invested over NOK 315 million in private equity and bank loans to realize The Plus. Following ordinary application processes, the public policy apparatus has awarded the project NOK 35.7 million, or around 10 per cent of the investment, distributed as follows:

The support from Enova to The Plus amounts to NOK 8.3 million and was applied for in 2020. This year, Enova supported over 2,400 projects in Norway with a total of NOK 2,340 million. The support from Enova to The Plus concerns climate and energy measures that have resulted in The Plus being certified as the world's most environmentally friendly furniture factory with BREEAM Outstanding. The additional cost for the measures was at least NOK 60 million. The experiences from The Plus will be able to be transferred to other projects so that these can hopefully be realized with an equally high environmental standard at a lower cost in the future.

The support from Innovation Norway to The Plus amounts to NOK 27.4 million and was applied for in 2020. This year, Innovation Norway supported over 8,000 projects in Norway with a total of NOK 12,500 million. The support from Innovation Norway to The Plus concerns, among other things, innovative production technology and skills measures, based on the fact that the factory is located in a district with a need for more skilled workplaces.

Good cooperation with the municipality

In 2019, Eidskog municipality invited Vestre to establish itself in the municipality. The municipality had then already started work on regulating a larger area for new business purposes at Magnor. As a result of Vestre's investment decision in 2020, Eidskog municipality acquired land for The Plus and provided the necessary infrastructure on this land. For this, Vestre pays a market-based fixing fee, which will mean a net income for the municipality over time.

Eidskog municipality also carried out the necessary upgrades to roads, water and sewerage in the area, as well as the purchase of land to ensure public access to a public hiking and recreation area in extension of the business area. Here, Vestre has committed to contributing at least NOK 5-10 million to the development of public goods for the public, such as the Hans Børli poetry trail, furniture, lighting, art installations, children's playground, parking spaces, electric car chargers etc. Much of this is already in place and Vestre aims to continue the investments in the years ahead.

Completed: 2022
• In week 7 2022, the installation team moved from the Vestre Steel Factory to The Plus Assembly.
• On 17 March 2022, a protocol was signed and the handing over of the keys celebrated with a The Plus cake from Ingelsrud konditori.
• On 3 June 2022, the opening of The Plus was officially celebrated with an event that was open to the public. Test production was conducted at Wood Factory and Color Factory , and the machinery park was declared operational.

Key figures for The Plus and an overview of all the parties involved:

Construction owner:
The Plus AS (the Vestre Group)
Architect/LARC/structural engineer:
BIG Bjarke Ingels Group ApS
Project, design and construction management:
Fokus Rådgivning AS
Floor space:
7,000 m2
Workforce:
38 (September 2022), dimensioned for up to 70 full-time equivalents)
Budget:
NOK 340,000,000
Vestres AS investment of equity:
NOK 90 million. Added costs for building in an environmentally friendly manner in order to obtain BREEAM-NOR Outstanding certification: NOK 60 million.

Financing:
Danske Bank, Eksfin (GIEK)
Building economics:
Bygganalyse AS (early phase)
Main contractor
Ø.M. Fjeld AS
Groundworks:
Melby Maskin AS
Mass timber and glulam:
Woodcon AS with subcontractors Moelven Limtre AS and Stora Enso AB
Electrical engineering:
Minel AS

Supported by:

Innovation Norway: The Plus applied to Innovation Norway for support totalling NOK 27.4 million, split between investments in machinery and equipment amounting to NOK 22.9 million (the final grant instalment was received in July 2022) and investments in competence development and training amounting to NOK 4.5 million. The first grant instalment of NOK 1,350,540 has been received (as of October 2022).

Enova: The Plus applied to Enova for support for climate and energy measures, and the applications were approved, leading to NOK 8.3 million being awarded (the final grant instalment was received in July 2022).

Eidskog municipality: Eidskog municipality has invested a total of NOK 25 million in connection with the establishment of The Plus, and Vestre is leasing a small part of this area at a market rent. The host municipality is aiding with the development of infrastructure in connection with the establishment of a factory. Vestre AS has fully repaid NOK 13.7 million of the municipality's NOK 25 million total investment. Read the municipality’s article (NO): Eidskog kommunes investering i Vestre AS og "The Plus" på Magnor (2022).

Consultancy, early phase: Klosser Innovasjon, Siva

Consultants to the developer:

Consulting engineer for electrical engineering:
Foyn Consult AS
Consulting engineer for HVAC and sanitation:
Multiconsult
ITB coordinator:
Evotek

Building economics (early phase):
Bygganalyse
Consulting engineer for acoustics:
Brekke & Strand
Consulting engineer for HVAC and sanitation developer:
Erichsen & Horgen AS (Consulting engineer for energy and daylight)

Consultants:

Consulting engineer for construction:
BIG Engineering
Consulting engineer for construction (local follow-up):
Bollinger + Grohmann
Consulting engineer for construction, timber:
Woodcon AS
Consulting engineer for electrical engineering:
Ing. Hallås, sub-adviser for Minel Elinstallasjon
Consulting engineer for HVAC and sanitation, plumbing; Consulting engineer for building physics:
Norconsult
Consulting engineer for HVAC and sanitation, ventilation:
Loe VVS Prosjekt, sub-adviser for Energima Prosjekt AS

Consulting engineer for water, waste water, storm water and roads:
COWI
Consulting engineer for fire safety:
Fokus Rådgivning
Consulting engineer for geotechnics; Consulting engineer for external environment, Consulting engineer for energy and daylight:
Multiconsult
Consulting engineer for ecology:
Asplan Viak
BREEAM AP:
Nordic Office of Architecture
Building physics
Norconsult AS

Supplier Industry 4.0 machinery and equipment:

Wood Factory supplier and installation: Weinig Vertrieb Und Service Gmbh & Co. Kg, A Falkenberg Eftf AS and Dagsland Miljø AS

Color Factory supplier and installation: Greiff Industrimiljö AB, Lakteknik ApS, Nordson Deutschland GmbH and RobNor AS

Subcontractors to ØM Fjeld AS:

Groundworks:
Melby Maskin
Green roof, landscape gardener:
MatTak
Load-bearing system glulam and solid wood:
Woodcon AS
Glass façades:
Reflex Slovenia
Plumbing and sprinkler systems:
YC Rør, designed everything by Norconsult

Ventilation:
Energima Prosjekt, designed by Loe VVS Prosjektering AS
Electrical engineering, telecoms and data:
Minel Elinstallasjon, designed by Ing. Hallås AS
Solar panels:
Solcellespesialisten
Lifts and lifting tables:
TKS Heiser

Subcontractors and suppliers (alphabetical):

A. Aulie	Lydgulvsystemer
Activ Nord	Mapei
Aktiv IT	Marbre Eiendom
Anleggsdata	Moelven Limtre
Artea	Mylift & Borud Stillas
Betong Øst	NCO
Bo Andrén	Nordic Railing
Brannslokkesystemer	Noredson
Byggcompaniet Hedmark	Norsk Forankring AS
Byggimpuls	Norsk Pumpeservice
Certego	Olimb Anlegg
Creo Nordic Prosjekt	Pb Bygg og Montasje
Dagsland Miljø AS	R3 Entreprenør
Dalux	Reflex Norge
Ekwood OU	RobNor AS
EMV Construction	Romerike Armering
Evensen Rør	Sauter Norge
EvoTek	Scanwater
Falkenberg	Skaaret Landskap
Gibtech	Solli Gulvstøp
Henriksen Snekkeri	Sprinklerpartner
Hunton	Stillkom
Hydro	T Myhrvold
Icopaltak	VD Vindu og Dørmontasje
Innlandet Glass & Fasade	Velux Commercial Bramo
ISS Facility Services	Veggmontasje
Iwmac	VLK Nordic
JM Construction	VVS Planlegging
K. Bull	Wiegand (Factory Slide)

Interior:

Interior design:
Anderssen & Voll
Suppliers
De Vorm
Fora Form
Glomma Industrier AS

Horreds
Vestre AS
Vitra

Forest Camp's supporters:

Loan of art installations:
Hydro og Nobels Fredssenter

The Plus creates many profitable jobs in Norway