The Hairdressing Industry in Østre Toten: An Analytical Article

Øvre Toten: An overview of the hairdressing industry

Østre Toten has an active, but variable hairdressing industry with 16 registered companies in the municipality. The most active part of the municipality is Lena, where 3 companies operate with a total of 9 employees and 4.4 million NOK in sales. Kolbu and Skreia each have one company, but these have no activity in the form of sales or employees. The industry shows a mix of older, established companies and new, start-up businesses, indicating a dynamic, but uneven development.

Key figures:

• Total number of companies: 16
• Number of employees: 14 (2026)
• Annual revenue: 4.4 million NOK (2025)
• Largest company: Wenches Dame Og Herrefrisør As (4.4 million NOK in sales)

SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable locations in Lena, where there is a clear concentration of activity.

Sales and employee development (2016–2026):

Trend analysis:

• Sales increased by 11.7% from 2024 to 2025, but grew only marginally in 2026.
• The number of employees decreased sharply by 35% in 2025, but stabilized in 2026.
• Wenches Dame Og Herrefrisør As had an extraordinary performance with 11% sales growth and a 5% EBITDA margin in 2025.

Conclusion: The industry has an uneven development, but shows potential for growth during periods of increased activity in Lena.

Organizational forms:

• AS (Corporation): 3 companies, 11 employees, total sales of 4.4M NOK.
• ENK (Sole Proprietorship): 2 companies, 3 employees, but no activity.

Key companies:

1. Wenches Dame Og Herrefrisør As (Silogata 11, Lena)

• Establishment: 1981
• Employees: 6
• Sales: 4.4M NOK
• EBITDA: 234.0K NOK

1. Nye Hårstellet As (Åsvegen 3, Lena)

• Establishment: 2022
• Employees: 1
• No activity.

Observation: Most companies either have no activity or are small sole proprietorships. Wenches is the only active AS with significant sales and EBITDA.

Distribution of activity in the municipality:

Analysis:

• Lena is the only area with significant activity, with 3 companies and 9 employees.
• Kolbu and Skreia each have one company, but these have no activity in the form of sales or employees.
• There is a clear concentration of activity in Lena, which can be an advantage for entrepreneurs seeking locations with existing infrastructure.

Bankruptcies and operational status:

• No bankruptcies registered in the industry in the municipality.
• 13 companies have no activity (sales = 0, employees = 0).
• Wenches Dame Og Herrefrisør As is the only active company form with significant sales and EBITDA.

Analysis:

• The industry has a low bankruptcy rate, indicating stable operations.
• Many companies are either newly established or have no activity, which may indicate uneven market dynamics.
• There is potential for growth, but there is also a risk that new companies may not achieve operational results.

Outlook for entrepreneurs

Opportunities and challenges:

• Opportunities:
• Lena has an existing concentration of activity, which can provide benefits from infrastructure and customer bases.
• Wenches Dame Og Herrefrisør As shows that it is possible to achieve high sales results and EBITDA in the municipality.
• Challenges:
• Many companies have no activity, which may indicate uneven market dynamics.
• There is a risk that new companies may not achieve operational results.

Recommendation: Entrepreneurs should consider establishing themselves in Lena, where there is existing activity. It is also important to be realistic about operational results and plan for a degree of uncertainty.

Outlook for the parent industry (hair salon)

Comparison with the parent industry:

• The hair salon industry has 49 companies in the municipality, while the hairdressing industry has 28 companies.
• Sales and employees:
• The hair salon industry has the same sales and employee development as the hairdressing industry.
• Peer companies:
• There are 21 companies in the hair salon industry that are not registered in the hairdressing industry, including beauty salons and nail services.

Analysis:

• The hair salon industry is broader and includes more business forms.
• The hairdressing industry has fewer companies, but shows a similar development in sales and employees.
• There is potential for growth in the hair salon industry, but there is also a risk that the hairdressing industry may not achieve operational results.

The hairdressing industry in Østre Toten has an uneven, but potentially growth-friendly development. Lena is the only area with significant activity, and Wenches Dame Og Herrefrisør As shows that it is possible to achieve high sales results and EBITDA. Entrepreneurs should consider establishing themselves in Lena, but must be realistic about operational results and plan for a degree of uncertainty. It is also important to be aware of the many companies with no activity, which may indicate uneven market dynamics.