Hair Salon Industry in Ullensvang: A Comprehensive Overview

Overview of the Hair Salon Industry in Ullensvang

Ullensvang has an active hair salon industry with 23 registered companies in the municipality, distributed across three central locations: Odda, Kinsarvik, and Lofthus. The industry has shown variation in sales development, with strong growth up to 2024, followed by a dramatic decline in 2025. Employment figures have also been unstable, with a decrease of 21.1% from 2025 to 2026. While some companies have shown positive development, such as Elmero Frisør As in Kinsarvik, others have experienced losses, such as Odda Hårstudio As. The industry has a mix of AS and ENK entities, with AS entities as main companies and ENK entities as sole proprietorships. There are no bankruptcy registrations in the industry, which indicates a certain level of stability, even though the development has been uneven.

The hair salon industry in Ullensvang has experienced a complex economic development. Sales values have grown from 9.0 million NOK in 2016 to 11.5 million NOK in 2023, followed by a sharp decline to 4.6 million NOK in 2025. This is a decline of 59.7% from 2024 to 2025. Employment figures have also shown variation, with a decrease from 22 employees in 2016 to 15 employees in 2026. EBITDA margins have been very low or negative for most companies, with the exception of Stimar Frisør As, which had an EBITDA margin of 9% in 2024. This shows that many companies in the industry operate with small or negative profits, which can be a challenge for future growth.

In Ullensvang, 16 companies are registered in the hair salon industry, distributed between AS and ENK entities. The most well-known companies include:

• Elmero Frisør As (Kinsarvik): 6 employees, 2.7 million NOK in operating income, 10% sales growth in 2023.
• Grasdal Hårdesign As (Odda): 4 employees, -2% sales growth in 2024, but with high operating income of 7.7 million NOK.
• Stimar Frisør As (Odda): 3 employees, 41% sales growth in 2024, with an EBITDA margin of 9%.

There are also several ENK entities, such as Ullensvang Frisørsalong Sigrunn Eidnes (Lofthus) and Draumen Iselin Buer Storli Håvik (Jondal), which have 0 employees and 0 sales. This suggests that sole proprietorships may be less stable in the industry. The organizational forms are distributed between 3 AS and 13 ENK entities, showing a mix of larger companies and sole proprietorships.

The hair salon industry in Ullensvang is most active in Odda, which has 2 companies and 7 employees. Kinsarvik has 1 company with 6 employees, while Lofthus has 1 company with 2 employees. Sales values vary greatly between locations, with Odda as the main hub for the industry. Odda had an operating income of 9.5 million NOK in 2023, while Kinsarvik had 2.7 million NOK and Lofthus had 0 sales. This shows that Odda is the most central location for the hair salon industry in the municipality, with higher activity and larger companies.

The industry has shown a certain degree of dynamism, with both growth and decline in different years. There are no bankruptcy registrations in the industry, which indicates that companies have been able to survive, even though some have experienced losses. For example, Odda Hårstudio As had a sales growth of 239% in 2024, but a negative EBITDA of -38,000 NOK. This shows that even though some companies have had growth, they have not necessarily been profitable. There is also a large variation in operating income and EBITDA between companies, which can be a challenge for new entrants in the industry.

Outlook for the Hair Salon Industry

The outlook for the hair salon industry in Ullensvang is a mix of challenges and opportunities. The dramatic decline in sales in 2025 (59.7%) shows that the industry can be vulnerable to external factors, such as economic downturns or competition from other services. However, some companies, such as Stimar Frisør As, have shown positive development with high growth and profitability. This suggests that there may be opportunities for new entrants who want to establish themselves in the industry, especially if they can adapt to market needs and differentiate themselves from existing companies. It is also possible that an increase in population or tourism in Ullensvang could provide new opportunities for the industry in the future.

When comparing the hair salon industry with the broader hairdressing industry in Ullensvang, data shows that the hairdressing industry has 30 companies, while the hair salon industry has 23 companies. This shows that the hairdressing industry is somewhat larger and more diversified. In the hairdressing industry, we also find companies such as Anina Sae Lao and Eufori Hud Og Fotpleie As, which offer services in beauty and skincare, which is not the case in the hair salon industry. This may indicate that the hairdressing industry has greater potential for growth and diversification, while the hair salon industry is more specialized. There is also a large variation in EBITDA between companies in the hairdressing industry, which can be a challenge for new entrants.

The hair salon industry in Ullensvang has shown both growth and challenges over time. With 23 companies and a mix of AS and ENK entities, the industry is relatively active, even though there has been a sharp decline in sales in 2025. There are no bankruptcy registrations, which indicates a certain level of stability, but the development has been unstable. For new entrants, there may be opportunities, especially if they can adapt to market needs and differentiate themselves from existing companies. It is also possible that an increase in population or tourism in Ullensvang could provide new opportunities for the industry in the future. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses in Ullensvang for the hair salon industry, based on data and market analysis.