Knit Store Industry in Drammen: A Comprehensive Analysis

The knit store industry in Drammen is a small but active sector with both established businesses and recently founded companies. In total, 20 companies are registered in the municipality, but only 2 of these have active operations and employees with income. The most prominent companies are Ulla Garn & Broderi As and Strikkefryd As, which together account for nearly all of the sector's economic activity. The industry has been marked by significant variations in sales and employees over time, with a decline in 2021 and an increase in 2026. There are also several companies that have been registered but have no operations or income, which may indicate some uncertainty in the sector.

Over time, sales and the number of employees in the knit store industry in Drammen have shown significant variations. Sales reached their highest level in 2020 with NOK 14.1 million, but fell to NOK 12.3 million in 2025 before rising to NOK 12.5 million in 2026. The number of employees has also been unstable, with a decline from 18 in 2016 to 10 in 2021, followed by a gradual increase to 15 in 2026. This shows that the industry has been marked by both crises and adaptations over time, with a recent positive trend.

In Drammen, 20 companies are registered in the knit store industry, but only 2 of these have active operations and employees. The most important companies are:

• Ulla Garn & Broderi As (Schwenckegata 4, Drammen): AS entity, 11 employees, sales of NOK 9.8 million.
• Strikkefryd As (Stasjonsgata 3, Mjøndalen): AS entity, 3 employees, sales of NOK 2.4 million.

There are also several companies that have been registered but have no operations or income, such as Quiltehilde Skjevdal, Andersen, and others. Organizational forms are mostly AS (2 companies) and ENK (1 company), with some DA companies that are not operational.

The industry is distributed across two areas in Drammen:

1. Drammen: 2 companies, 12 employees, sales of NOK 9.8 million.
2. Mjøndalen: 1 company, 3 employees, sales of NOK 2.4 million.

Drammen has a higher number of employees and sales, but Mjøndalen has better economic development with a 4% increase in sales and higher margins. This may indicate that Mjøndalen has a more stable and efficient operation in the sector.

There are no registered bankruptcies in the knit store industry in Drammen over time. However, there are several companies that have no operations or income, such as Quiltehilde Skjevdal, Andersen, and others. This may indicate some uncertainty in the sector, and that there may be challenges for new entrants to establish themselves. There is also a certain degree of competition among the few active companies, which may affect future development.

For entrepreneurs considering starting a knit store in Drammen, it is important to be aware of both the opportunities and challenges. The sector has proven to be resilient, with an increase in sales and employees in 2026. However, it is a competitive sector with few active companies, and there may be challenges in establishing oneself. It is also important to be aware of local market conditions, such as Mjøndalen, which has better economic development. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable locations and strategies to establish themselves in Drammen.

In the broader creative, art, and entertainment activities sector in Drammen, 266 companies are registered, showing that the knit store sector is a small part of this larger sector. Sales in this sector have shown a more stable development, with an increase from NOK 104.7 billion in 2016 to NOK 107.3 billion in 2023, followed by a decline to NOK 720.6 million in 2025. There are also more companies in this sector with higher sales and EBITDA, such as Friluftsmagasinet As (NOK 17.3 million EBITDA) and H&M (NOK 43.0 million sales). This shows that the knit store sector is a smaller part of this sector, and that there may be challenges in competing with larger and more established companies.

The knit store industry in Drammen is a small but active sector with both established businesses and recently founded companies. The sector has proven to be resilient, with an increase in sales and employees in 2026. However, it is a competitive sector with few active companies, and there may be challenges in establishing oneself. It is also important to be aware of local market conditions, such as Mjøndalen, which has better economic development. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable locations and strategies to establish themselves in Drammen.