Knit Store in Haugesund: An Analysis of the Industry, Companies, and Outlook

Haugesund has an active knit store industry with 8 registered companies and 116 employees in 2026. The industry showed strong growth up to 2024, with a peak of 151 employees and sales of 266.6 million NOK. There have been significant fluctuations in recent years, especially a sharp decline in sales of 94.2% from 2024 to 2025. Although no companies in the industry have gone bankrupt, data shows that some companies have negative EBITDA values, which may indicate economic challenges.

The industry is dominated by AS companies (4 companies) and one ENK (1 company), with Garnius.no being the largest company with 76 employees and sales of 257.7 million NOK. There are also several new companies, such as Aftenstrikk (founded 2026) and Strikkesund (founded 2024), which have not yet reported income.

Haugesund is the only borough in the municipality with activity in this industry, with 5 companies, 110 employees, and sales of 273.2 million NOK. This shows a concentration of activity in the center of the municipality.

Sales and employees in the knit store industry in Haugesund:

• Sales: The industry had strong growth up to 2024, with a peak of 266.6 million NOK. Then sales fell sharply by 94.2% in 2025 to 15.5 million NOK.
• Employees: The number of employees grew up to 2024, with a peak of 151 employees, before falling to 116 employees in 2026.

Key figures:

• EBITDA margin: 1% (2026), which shows that the industry has a relatively low profit margin.
• Gross margin: 35%, which indicates that the industry has good cost control relative to income.
• Sales per employee: 2.3 million NOK per employee (2026), which shows a high productivity per employee.

Yearly development:

• 2016–2021: Sales increased sharply by 26.2% from 2020 to 2021, while the number of employees increased by 71.4% during the same period.
• 2022–2024: Sales had weaker growth, with an increase of 4.7% from 2023 to 2024, while the number of employees increased by 14.4%.
• 2025: Sales fell sharply by 94.2%, while the number of employees fell by 17.2%.

Conclusion: The industry had strong growth up to 2024, but there is a clear decline in 2025. This may be a signal that the industry is facing a challenge, but it is also possible that this is a temporary decline.

Haugesund has 8 companies in the knit store industry, with a mix of AS and ENK. The most important companies are:

1. Garnius.no As (Industrigata 25): The largest company with 76 employees and sales of 257.7 million NOK. The company has a positive EBITDA of 5.8 million NOK and a high EBITDA margin of 2%.
2. Garnkroa As (Torggata 6): Has 14 employees and sales of 8.3 million NOK. The company has a negative EBITDA of -0.87 million NOK and an EBITDA margin of -10%.
3. Strikkesund As (Longhammarvegen 27): A new company founded in 2024 with 9 employees, but no income or EBITDA.
4. Jacobsen Broderi Og Bunad (Haraldsgata 200): An ENK with 7 employees, but no income or EBITDA.
5. M Consept As (Haraldsgata 153): Has 4 employees and sales of 7.2 million NOK. The company has a negative EBITDA of -0.07 million NOK and an EBITDA margin of -1%.
6. Aftenstrikk As (Sigvat Skalds veg 3): A new company founded in 2026 with 0 employees and no income or EBITDA.
7. Klubbleverandøren As (Kaigata 1): A new company founded in 2022 with 0 employees and no income or EBITDA.
8. Studio Luna Da (Skåregata 141): A DA with 0 employees and no income or EBITDA.

Organizational forms: 4 companies are AS and 1 company is ENK. AS companies have higher income and EBITDA than ENK companies, which shows that AS companies are more stable companies in the industry.

Haugesund is the only borough in the municipality with activity in the knit store industry. The borough has 5 companies, 110 employees, and sales of 273.2 million NOK. This shows a concentration of activity in the center of the municipality.

Details about Haugesund:

• Number of companies: 5
• Number of employees: 110
• Sales: 273.2 million NOK
• Income per employee: 2.5 million NOK per employee
• EBITDA: 4.9 million NOK
• EBITDA margin: 1%
• Gross margin: 35%
• Operating margin: 1%

Conclusion: Haugesund is the only borough in the municipality with activity in the knit store industry, and there is a concentration of activity in the center of the municipality. This can be an advantage for new companies wishing to establish themselves in the industry.

Bankruptcies: There are no bankruptcies in the knit store industry in Haugesund, which shows that the industry is relatively stable.

EBITDA and income: Some companies have negative EBITDA values, which may indicate economic challenges. For example, Garnkroa As has a negative EBITDA of -0.87 million NOK and M Consept As has a negative EBITDA of -0.07 million NOK.

Yearly development: The industry had strong growth up to 2024, with a peak of 266.6 million NOK in sales. Then sales fell sharply by 94.2% in 2025 to 15.5 million NOK. The number of employees grew up to 2024, with a peak of 151 employees, before falling to 116 employees in 2026.

Conclusion: The industry had strong growth up to 2024, but there is a clear decline in 2025. This may be a signal that the industry is facing a challenge, but it is also possible that this is a temporary decline.

Outlook for entrepreneurs

Strengths: The industry has shown strong growth up to 2024, with a peak of 266.6 million NOK in sales. This shows that there is potential for growth in the industry. There are also several companies in the industry, which can provide opportunities for collaboration and development.

Development: There is a clear decline in sales in 2025, with a fall of 94.2% from 2024 to 2025. This may be a signal that the industry is facing a challenge, but it is also possible that this is a temporary decline.

Conclusion: For entrepreneurs, it may be possible to establish themselves in the industry, but it is important to be aware of the fluctuating sales figures. It may be an advantage to establish oneself in Haugesund, which is the only borough in the municipality with activity in the industry.

Creative, arts, and entertainment activities are a broader industry that includes the knit store industry. This industry has 98 companies in Haugesund, which shows that there is a lot of activity in this industry. This industry also has higher sales than the knit store industry, with a peak of 644.5 million NOK in 2024.

Bankruptcies: There are no bankruptcies in the creative, arts, and entertainment activities industry in Haugesund, which shows that the industry is relatively stable.

EBITDA and income: Some companies in the creative, arts, and entertainment activities industry have negative EBITDA values, which may indicate economic challenges. For example, Lager 157 As has an EBITDA of 4.2 million NOK and sales of 64.5 million NOK.

Conclusion: The creative, arts, and entertainment activities industry has a lot of activity in Haugesund, and it is possible to establish oneself in this industry. It is also possible to collaborate with companies in this industry, which can provide opportunities for development.

The knit store industry in Haugesund has shown strong growth up to 2024, but there is a clear decline in 2025. This may be a signal that the industry is facing a challenge, but it is also possible that this is a temporary decline. It is also possible to establish oneself in the industry, but it is important to be aware of the fluctuating sales figures. It may be an advantage to establish oneself in Haugesund, which is the only borough in the municipality with activity in the industry.

The creative, arts, and entertainment activities industry has a lot of activity in Haugesund, and it is possible to establish oneself in this industry. It is also possible to collaborate with companies in this industry, which can provide opportunities for development.