AGDER 2006

Business and industry in Agder experienced good times in 2006. The majority of the companies reported high capacity utilisation, increased value creation and increased employment, as well as substantial order reserves. There has been a positive development in this region of the country.

Business and industry in the counties is very varied, from small companies, often family-owned, to large foreign industrial concerns.

There are no one-sided industrial centres in Agder. Most municipalities have varied business and industry where many sectors are represented. The Agder office of Innovation Norway is an office for both Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder counties. This represents a relatively large area, with 30 municipalities and a population of around 266,500.

Even though there is one Agder office organisationally, Innovation Norway has offices in both Arendal and Kristiansand. There is a joint board of directors for both counties.

The office handled a total of 687 cases in 2006. This applies to ordinary financing, maintenance and SkatteFUNN Programme cases.

Director: Erling L. Hellum

The Arendal office has nine employees and the office in Kristiansand has seven employees.