The innovation arena opened the door for a collaboration Vinje Industri hopes will become an important part of their business. Now they are working with BD Geosyntia to commercialize a simple method for the purification of plant water.

“At the Innovation Arena, representatives from business, the public sector, consultants and research participate. When you're doing development, it's very effective to be able to hit everyone in one place.

This says Tor Gunnar Austjord, sales and marketing advisor for environmental project Vinje Industri. In 2023, he and colleague Siri Eidet, who is a sales and market leader land-based, participated for the first time at the Innovation Arena. This is a meeting place where innovative and climate-smart solutions for roads, bridges and tunnels come together under one roof. Now the ambition is to present a new concept at this year's Innovation Arena on October 22, along with contacts they made there last year.

“We didn't think we could achieve so much by being there,” says Austjord.

A chance meeting

Vinje Industri works to contribute to the construction of infrastructure towards the energy market, as well as maintenance and repair of equipment for various industries, both onshore and offshore. They work purposefully to look for climate- and environmentally smart projects.

“Today, 65 percent of land-based business is related to renewable projects,” says Eidet.

One of the projects they are now working on is related to sludge and plant water treatment. Up to 90 percent of the sludge is water, which is both expensive to transport away and to clean. The idea was to simplify and improve this part of the purification process.

“We had discussed the concept and ways to solve it in Vinje Industri, but did not know any Norwegian suppliers who could complement us. At Innovationsarena, we literally walked in on two eager throngers at the bar, who turned out to be doing exactly what we were looking for, says Austjord.

A lively chat throughout the evening resulted in the Norwegian supplier Geosyntia, a division of Brødre Dahl, being in place.

“It's an incredible story, but it's absolutely true,” confirms a committed Thor Erik Johansen, Sales Manager at BD Geosyntia.

He was one of the avid trundlers, and can't get stressed enough how important it is with these kind of networking venues:

“Regardless of whether you come from a large or small company, the Innovation Arena is a good opportunity to open doors.

A simple and sustainable solution

The innovation arena also opened the door to a relevant research environment. VIA connected Vinje Industri with Associate Professor Rein Terje Torsteinsen at the University of Agder, who researches the use of biological purification rather than chemicals.

“We need an independent actor to verify this method of cleaning plant water,” says Austjord of Vinje Industri, stressing the value of connecting to a research environment when working on this type of innovation.

The method currently being developed contributes, among other things, to reduced energy use and reduced transport of sludge. This further reduces CO2 emissions and costs for the contractors.

“The requirements for the treatment of plant water are only getting stricter and stricter, and we believe this will be a sustainable and economically beneficial solution for the contractors,” says Eidet.

Together, Vinje Industri and BD Geosyntia now have a preliminary project to build test facilities together.

“The goal is to scale and bring the product to market, and deliver better tools for contractors who need water purification. The hope is that it can become such a good product that it will become an important part of our business,” says Austjord.

“Everyone who generates sludge in road and construction works needs a smart way to manage the sludge. We have contractors who are curious to try the solution, and we hope to launch trial projects within the year,” says Johansen of BD Geosyntia.

And in it comes a new request to Austjord from a contact Vinje Industri has received through VIA:

— This is great fun!

An arena for networking

Vinje Industri got to know VIA through its own network.

“It is a social responsibility to take part in building and optimising solutions together. With the climate and environmental challenges we face, it's incredibly important to network and collaborate. It's hard to go up the road alone, especially against the authorities. Having a cluster in the back adds a whole different heaviness. One plus one becomes so much more than two,” says Eidet engagingly.

Now they are looking forward to this year's Innovation Arena, which will also be hosted this year by VIA, Nye Veier and Statens vegvesen.

“We have set a tough deadline for ourselves, but hope to have a new concept for wastewater treatment ready for presentation by then. We want to be an active member contributing to the network. It fosters pride and inspiration,” says Eidet.

The two representatives from Vinje Industri say that the atmosphere at the Innovation Arena motivated them to network.

“At many conferences, people walk around for themselves, and only talk to people they know from before. At the Innovation Arena, the motivation was high to actively engage with others,” says Austjord.

“The organizers managed to create an informal venue where everyone felt included, There was a good atmosphere and little stiff,” says Eidet, adding:

“In addition to building networks, it is also useful to see what our competitors are up to. Not everyone has to be good at everything. When we know each other's strengths, we can complement each other in the market. It's more sustainable for everyone involved, and good for the environment that we're working in the breadth.

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