Cosmetics Manufacturing in Ringerike: Current Status and Outlook

The cosmetics manufacturing industry in Ringerike is a small but dynamic sector with 16 registered companies. The most significant player is Rituals Cosmetics Norway As, which operates from Hønefoss and reports extensive revenues and wage costs. The industry has been marked by large variations in employee numbers and sales over time, with a significant increase in 2022 after being quiet in previous years. There is also a mix of company structures, including sole proprietorships (ENK) and limited liability companies (AS).

Sales and Employees

• Sales: The industry had zero sales from 2016 to 2020, but a sharp increase of +574% in 2022 to NOK 10 million. Sales have since gradually declined to NOK 8.4 million in 2025.
• Employees: The number of employees has varied significantly, with a peak of 23 employees in 2017 and a decline to 15 employees in 2026. The most stable period was from 2022 to 2024, with between 14–17 employees.
• Annual Development: Sales and employment have been unstable, but there is a clear improvement after 2021, especially in 2022.

Registered Companies

• Rituals Cosmetics Norway As is the most significant company, with 6 employees, NOK 8.8 million in sales, and NOK 1.1 million EBITDA in 2025. The company is an AS and has a high margin (12% EBITDA margin).
• Other companies mainly have 0 employees and 0 sales, with exceptions being Hilde Endrerud (ENK) and Al Mansoury Alaith (ENK), which are newly established (2025) but do not report activity.
• Company Structures: 15 companies are ENK and 1 is AS. Rituals is the only one with significant financial reporting.

Geographic Distribution

• Hønefoss is the only city in Ringerike with activity in the cosmetics manufacturing industry, with 16 companies.
• Financial data for Hønefoss: Some companies report extreme figures, such as NOK 410.7 million gross profit for Rituals (4655% gross margin), which may be due to specific business models or data errors. There are no other cities or areas with activity in the industry.

Dynamics and Bankruptcy Statistics

• Bankruptcy: No companies in the industry are bankrupt, according to the data.
• New Companies: Five companies were established after 2020, including Al Mansoury Alaith (2025) and Nochedelunahair As (2026), but these have no reported sales or employees.
• Stability: Rituals is the only company structure with consistent financial reporting, while most other companies are newly established or have no activity.

• Potential: The industry has shown an increase in sales after 2021, but there has been a decline since 2022. This may indicate that Rituals has been a key driver, but there is uncertainty about future growth.
• Competitiveness: With 16 companies, but only one with significant activity, there may be opportunities for new players looking to establish themselves in Hønefoss.
• Risk: Most companies have 0 employees and 0 sales, which may indicate that many are newly established or not actively operating. This could be a challenge for stability in the industry.

The cosmetics manufacturing industry in Ringerike is a small but potentially growing sector with Rituals Cosmetics Norway As as the only significant player. With 16 companies and a sales increase in 2022, there may be opportunities for new players looking to develop in Hønefoss. However, there is significant variation in activity, and many companies have no reported sales or employees. For entrepreneurs, it may be a challenge to establish themselves in an industry with limited activity, but also an opportunity to fill gaps in the market.