The Optical Shop Industry in Bamble

The optical shop industry in Bamble shows a mix of stability and variation over the past few years. With two registered companies and an average annual revenue of over 17 million NOK, the industry is relatively small but with clear economic trends. It is particularly interesting to note that both companies have been in operation since 2004 and 2012 respectively, indicating a certain level of stability in the market. At the same time, data from the past year shows that the industry has experienced a certain degree of dynamism, with both increases and decreases in revenue and number of employees.

Revenue:

• 2024: NOK 17.1 million (increase of 18.4% from 2023)
• 2023: NOK 14.4 million
• 2022: NOK 14.8 million

Number of employees:

• 2026: 13 employees
• 2025: 12 employees
• 2024: 13 employees

Key Economic Indicators

• Average revenue per employee: NOK 1.4 million (2024)
• EBITDA margin: 6% (Brilleland) and 3% (Interoptik)
• Economic growth has been most pronounced in 2018 (+50.6%) and 2024 (+18.4%)
• The decline in 2019 and 2020 (-28.3% and -18.1%) was likely due to external factors such as the pandemic

Registered Companies

Legal Forms

• 100% of the companies are AS (2 companies)
• Average equity: NOK 2.7M (Brilleland) and NOK 3.2M (Interoptik)
• Average debt: NOK 2.8M (Interoptik) and NOK 2.7M (Brilleland)

Distribution by Neighborhood

Key Observations

• Both companies are located in Stathelle
• Stathelle has an average revenue per employee of NOK 1.6 million
• The EBITDA margin in Stathelle is 4%, which is lower than the industry average

Bankruptcy Safety

• None of the companies are registered as bankrupt (2024 data)
• Brilleland had an operating profit of NOK 416.6K in 2024
• Interoptik had an operating loss of NOK 181.2K in 2024, but EBITDA of NOK 367.2K

Industry Dynamics

• The number of employees has varied between 11 and 15 over the past 10 years
• Largest growth in number of employees: +15.4% from 2017 to 2018
• Largest decline: -26.7% from 2018 to 2019

• The industry shows growth of 18.4% from 2023 to 2024, indicating increasing demand
• With two existing companies in Stathelle, it may be possible to find a place in the market by differentiating through specialization or customer adaptation
• The EBITDA margins of 6% (Brilleland) and 3% (Interoptik) show that profitability is achievable with proper management
• It is important to note that one of the companies had an operating loss in 2024, which could be a warning sign of risky operations in certain cases

Comparison with Agriculture

• Agriculture has 6 companies in the municipality compared to 2 in the optical shop industry
• Economic trends:
• Revenue: Agriculture had NOK 140.1M in 2024 (optical shop: NOK 17.1M)
• Number of employees: Agriculture had 49 employees in 2024 (optical shop: 13 employees)
• EBITDA margins:
• Agriculture: Average 12.7% (based on peer companies)
• Optical shop: 4.5% (average)

Peer Companies in Agriculture

Conclusion

• Agriculture has both a larger number of companies and higher revenue than the optical shop industry
• EBITDA margins are higher in agriculture (12.7%) compared to optical shops (4.5%)
• This shows that agriculture has a different economic structure and growth potential compared to the optical shop industry

The optical shop industry in Bamble shows both stability and growth potential. With two existing companies and a growth of 18.4% in 2024, it is clear that there is a market for optical shops in the municipality. At the same time, the comparison with agriculture shows a clear difference in economic trends and structure. For entrepreneurs, this can be an opportunity, but it is important to be aware of local conditions and competition from existing companies. SmartGrunder can help find suitable addresses in Bamble for this industry, with a focus on natural conditions and market opportunities.