Hair Salon Industry in Notodden: A Comprehensive Overview

Overview of the Hair Salon Industry in Notodden

Notodden has an active hair salon industry with 22 registered companies in the municipality, 16 of which are listed in the data. The industry is dominated by AS-organized companies (3 companies) and ENK-organized companies (13 companies). The most active companies are Zåbra Frisør As and Storgata Frisør As, which together account for over 75% of the total number of employees (22) and over 80% of sales revenue (NOK 14.9M). However, several companies have zero revenue and employees, indicating that the industry has a mix of established and newly started businesses.

Sales Development (2016–2025):

Employees (2016–2026):

The industry has had an uncertain development, with a sharp decline in 2019 (due to the pandemic) and an increase from 2020–2023. The EBITDA margin is at 2%, while the gross margin is high (84%).

Key Companies in Notodden:

Organizational Forms:

• AS (3 companies): 22 employees, NOK 14.9M sales, NOK 310.0K EBITDA.
• ENK (13 companies): 1 employee, NOK 0 sales, NOK 0 EBITDA.

Most ENK companies have no revenue or employees, indicating that they are newly started or in the startup phase.

Activity Distributed Across Locations in Notodden:

Most companies are located in Notodden's city center (Storgata, Telegata, Torvet). There are no significant differences in activity between different parts of the municipality.

Bankruptcies and Operational Results:

• Bankruptcies: No companies in the industry have gone bankrupt, but several have zero revenue (e.g., Fryd Hårstudio As, Salong Elegance Sissel Arvesen).
• Operational Results: Zåbra Frisør As has a negative operating result (NOK -190.0K), while Storgata Frisør As has a positive EBITDA (NOK 262.0K).

Development Over Time:

• Sales had a sharp decline in 2019 (due to the pandemic), but recovered from 2020–2023. The number of employees has been unstable, with a decline from 2019 to 2023.
• The industry has had a weak positive development in 2024, but a decline in 2025.

Outlook for Entrepreneurs

Opportunities and Challenges:

• Opportunities:
• Establishment of new hair salons in Notodden's city center, where there are established companies and high competition.
• Potential in ENK-organized companies, which are cheaper to start.
• Challenges:
• Low EBITDA margin (2%) and uncertain sales development.
• Competition from both AS- and ENK-organized companies.

Recommendation: Entrepreneurs should consider establishing themselves in Notodden's city center, where there is high purchasing power and established companies. It is important to focus on differentiation and quality to compete with existing companies.

Comparison with the Hair Salon Industry:

• Number of Companies: The hair salon industry has 38 companies, while the hair salon industry has 22 companies.
• Sales: The hair salon industry had NOK 20.8M in 2024, while the hair salon industry had NOK 15.9M.
• Employees: The hair salon industry had 31 employees in 2025, while the hair salon industry had 22 employees.

Peer Companies in the Hair Salon Industry:

The hair salon industry has higher sales and more companies, but also more companies with negative EBITDA.

The hair salon industry in Notodden has a mix of established AS companies and newly started ENK companies. The industry has had an uncertain sales development, but has high purchasing power in the municipality's city center. Entrepreneurs should consider establishing themselves in Notodden's city center, where there is high purchasing power and established companies. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses and develop strategies to compete in this industry.