Optical Stores in Namsos – Industry Analysis and Outlook

The optics industry in Namsos has shown stable growth over the past few years. From 2016 to 2025, sales increased from NOK 30.8 million to NOK 41.2 million, with an annual growth rate of 2.5% in 2025. Employee numbers have been more variable, but there has been an increase from 20 employees in 2016 to 31 employees in 2026. The industry's EBITDA margin is 6%, with the highest margin at 11% for Brillehuset Gifstad Og Ledang As. The gross margin is 59%, indicating good cost control in the sector.

Table: Sales and employees per year

The industry has good financial health, with an average EBITDA of NOK 2.9 million and a low debt level of NOK 8.9 million. This indicates that companies have a good capacity to handle economic challenges.

There are 7 companies in the optics industry registered in Namsos, with a total of 33 employees. The most well-known companies are:

• Brillehuset Gifstad Og Ledang As (Sverres gate 19): 18 employees, NOK 21.0M in sales, EBITDA of NOK 2.4M
• Brillehuset Namsos As Avd Namsos (Verftsgata 4): 9 employees, NOK 7.0M in sales, EBITDA of NOK 489.3K
• Namsos Bandasje As (Verftsgata 1): 6 employees, NOK 13.9M in sales, EBITDA of NOK 55.0K

Organizational form: All companies are registered as AS (limited company), indicating a standardized structure in the industry. No companies are registered as sole proprietorships or partnerships.

Table: Companies in the industry

Some companies, such as Alex Investment As and Namsos Bandasje As, have negative or very low EBITDA values, which may indicate financial challenges.

All companies in the optics industry in Namsos are registered in the Namsos area. There are 3 companies in the Namsos district, with a total of 33 employees and NOK 41.8 million in sales. The main addresses are:

• Verftsgata 4 (3 companies)
• Sverres gate 19 (2 companies)

Table: Distribution per district

No companies are registered in other districts in the municipality, indicating that the optics industry is concentrated in central areas.

The industry has been stable over time, with no bankruptcy registrations for companies in the optics industry in Namsos. However, some companies show negative or very low EBITDA values, which may indicate financial challenges:

• Namsos Bandasje As: EBITDA of NOK 55.0K (0% margin)
• Alex Investment As: EBITDA of NOK -13.0K
• Ledang Holding As: EBITDA of NOK -108.0K

This may signal that some companies have difficulty generating profit, even though they are not bankrupt. It is important to assess financial health before investing or establishing a business in the industry.

Outlook for Entrepreneurs

The optics industry in Namsos shows stable growth in sales and number of employees, with an increase from 20 employees in 2016 to 31 employees in 2026. This indicates a good market for optical stores in the municipality. The EBITDA margin of 6% and a high gross margin of 59% show that companies have good cost control.

Potential challenges:

• Bankruptcy risk for certain companies (such as Namsos Bandasje As and Alex Investment As)
• Competitive companies with higher EBITDA (such as Brillehuset Gifstad Og Ledang As)

Potential opportunities:

• Increasing sales (NOK 41.2M in 2025)
• Stable employee level (31 employees in 2026)
• Good financial health for the most stable companies

SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses in Namsos for optical stores, based on market outlook and competitive solutions.

Agriculture is the broader industry to which the optics industry belongs in Namsos. This industry has 16 companies in the municipality, with a total sales of NOK 125.8 million in 2025. Employee numbers have been more variable, with a decline from 111 employees in 2016 to 86 employees in 2025.

Contrast to the optics industry:

• Agriculture has higher sales (NOK 125.8M vs. NOK 41.2M for optics)
• Agriculture has lower EBITDA margins (not provided for agriculture, but optics has 6%)
• Agriculture has more variable employee numbers (a 23% decline from 2016 to 2025)

Peer companies in agriculture:

• Odd Ingebrigtsen As Avd Namsos (electronics store): NOK 77.8M in sales, NOK 2.3M in EBITDA
• Power Norge As Avd Namsos (electronics store): NOK 58.3M in sales, NOK 1.4M in EBITDA
• Teleconsult Eiendom As (computer store): NOK 3.7M in sales, NOK 3.0M in EBITDA

Table: Peer companies in agriculture

Agriculture has a more variable development than the optics industry, which may be an important factor for entrepreneurs to consider.

The optics industry in Namsos shows stable growth in sales and number of employees, with good financial health for the most stable companies. However, there are challenges related to competitive solutions and financial health for certain companies. Agriculture, as the broader industry, has a more variable development, but shows higher sales.

For entrepreneurs, the optics industry in Namsos can be a good opportunity, especially with the stable growth and good cost control. SmartGrunder can help find suitable addresses and assess market outlook for new optical stores in the municipality.

The optics industry in Namsos has 7 companies, 31 employees, and NOK 41.2 million in sales in 2025. The industry shows stable growth, with good financial health for the most stable companies. However, there are challenges related to competitive solutions and financial health for certain companies. Agriculture, as the broader industry, has a more variable development, but shows higher sales.

Table: Key figures for the optics industry

Table: Key figures for agriculture