Industry · municipality
Optics Shops in Kongsberg
An analytical article about the industry, companies, and outlooks in the municipality of Kongsberg in Viken county, Norway.
Executive Summary
The optics shop industry in Kongsberg shows a mix of stability and variation. With 11 registered companies and 60 employees in 2026, the industry is relatively small but active. In recent years, there has been a marked increase in sales up to 2024, followed by a sharp decline in 2025. This may indicate both development and challenges in the market. Kongsberg and Hvittingfoss are the two main geographical centers, with Kongsberg as the industry's main hub.
Economic Overview
Sales and employee development (2016–2026):
| Year | Sales (NOK) | Employees | Annual sales change | Annual employee change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 44.8M | 54 | - | - |
| 2017 | 46.9M | 50 | +4.8% | -7.4% |
| 2018 | 65.0M | 54 | +38.5% | +8.0% |
| 2019 | 63.3M | 58 | -2.7% | +7.4% |
| 2020 | 60.5M | 60 | -4.4% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 68.4M | 56 | +13.1% | -6.7% |
| 2022 | 76.5M | 60 | +11.8% | +7.1% |
| 2023 | 78.5M | 61 | +2.6% | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 78.7M | 69 | +0.3% | +13.1% |
| 2025 | 56.5M | 60 | -28.2% | -13.0% |
| 2026 | - | 55 | - | -8.3% |
Sales experienced a sharp increase from 2016 to 2018, but fell sharply in 2025. The number of employees had a more stable development, with a significant increase in 2024 before the decline in 2025.



Companies in the Industry
In Kongsberg, there are 11 companies registered in the optics shop industry. Most are organized as AS, with an average income per employee of approximately 1.5M NOK. The most well-known companies include:
- Synsam Kongsberg (Storgata 8) – 8 employees, 15M NOK operating income
- Aa Optikk As (Skolegata 2) – 7 employees, 8M NOK sales
- Brilleland Avd 448 (Karsches gate 3) – 6 employees, 8.6M NOK operating income
There are also several companies with lower activity, including Interoptik Nøkleby and Spiten Synssenter, which have negative or zero sales in some years. Vig As is the only company registered as bankrupt, with negative EBITDA and equity.
Business Geography
The industry is most active in Kongsberg, with 8 companies and 50 employees. Hvittingfoss has one company, C Optikk Hvittingfoss As, with 5 employees and 4.1M NOK operating income. The key economic indicators for the two areas:
| Area | Number of companies | Employees | Sales (NOK) | EBITDA (NOK) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kongsberg | 8 | 50 | 48.4M | 5.9M |
| Hvittingfoss | 1 | 5 | 4.0M | 209.0K |
Kongsberg dominates both in the number of companies and economic activity, while Hvittingfoss has a smaller but stable approach.

Business Dynamics
The industry shows a mix of stability and challenges. Vig As is the only company registered as bankrupt, with negative EBITDA and equity. This may indicate specific challenges for this company, but the industry as a whole appears stable. Some companies, such as Alliance Optikk Optiker Hogstad As and Drammen Papir Engros As Avd Medi Buskerud Kongsberg, have zero sales and employees, which may indicate recent start-up or inactivity. This should be monitored to ensure continuous operations.
Outlook
Outlook for Entrepreneurs
For entrepreneurs in the optics shop industry in Kongsberg, it is important to be aware of the development in recent years. Sales experienced a sharp decline in 2025, which may indicate market changes or competitive pressure. This can be a challenge, but there are also opportunities in a stable business geography and a good organizational structure (AS). Entrepreneurs should consider focusing on customer satisfaction and differentiation to ensure profitability in a competitive market.
Outlook for Agriculture
Agriculture is the broader industry that includes the optics shop industry in Kongsberg. With 22 companies and 108 employees in 2026, agriculture shows a more stable development than the optics shop industry. Sales in agriculture experienced a sharp increase from 2016 to 2018, but fell slightly in 2019–2020 before a new rise in 2021. This shows that agriculture has a more stable economic development compared to the optics shop industry. Examples of companies in agriculture include Tnb Kongsberg As (computer store) and Elkjøp Kongsberg (electronics store), which have higher sales and employees than the optics shop industry.



Other companies in landbruk (not in optical store)
| Company | Industry | Address | Sales | Employees | EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tnb Kongsberg As | computer store | Storgata 28, 3611 Kongsberg | NOK 19.2M | 6 | NOK 1.3M |
| Elkjøp Kongsberg | electronics store | Sølvparken|Gomsrudveien 1, 3612 Kongsberg | NOK 107.3M | 24 | NOK 1.3M |
| A & M Vacuum Tubes Hans Christoffer Kise | computer store | Cort Adelers gate 5, 3612 Kongsberg | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Andreas Barsnes Consulting | audio equipment / musical instruments store | Hornsruds vei 9, 3612 Kongsberg | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Hagenmarketing As | computer store | Musikkløkka 12, 3612 Kongsberg | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Hagenmarketing As | phone store | Musikkløkka 12, 3612 Kongsberg | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Løfi Ans | computer store | Rogstadbakken 10, 3616 Kongsberg | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Power Norge As Avd Kongsberg | electronics store | Schwabes gate 5, 3611 Kongsberg | NOK 0 | 25 | NOK 0 |
| Saga Collect As | audio equipment / musical instruments store | Zienersvingen 15, 3610 Kongsberg | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Etnisk Musikklubb As | audio equipment / musical instruments store | Masovngata 18, 3616 Kongsberg | NOK 101.0K | 2 | NOK -30.0K |
| Radio Og Tv Hjørnet As | computer store | Karjolveien 15, 3612 Kongsberg | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK -157.0K |
Conclusion
The optics shop industry in Kongsberg shows a mix of stability and variation. With 11 companies and 60 employees in 2026, the industry is relatively small but active. In recent years, there has been a marked increase in sales up to 2024, followed by a sharp decline in 2025. This may indicate both development and challenges in the market. Entrepreneurs should consider focusing on customer satisfaction and differentiation to ensure profitability in a competitive market. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses in Kongsberg for the optics shop industry.