History

The beginning in Ølensvåg

Ølen Betong AS was established in 1974 as a cooperative company between 'Berge Cementstøperi' and 'Sunnhordland Støperi & Bygg'. Both had traditions going back to around 1950 with the production of various concrete goods. These companies ceased trading in 1977, when Ølen Betong AS took over and moved in to new production premises at Bergsneset in Ølensvåg (Vindafjord municipality), approx. 50 km east of Haugesund (along E-134).

The Ølensvåg factory expands

Major investments were made in terms of buildings, new production machines as well as expansion of the storage areas. In addition to the factory and mixing plants a separate workshop, storage facility and administration building was built as well as a quay facility with covered silos for the various raw materials. In 1994 a silo and depot facility for cement was built, with a capacity of 5000 tons.

Change in ownership

In 2018, the companies Ølen Betong Transport AS and Ølen Betong AS were taken over by Nordic Concrete Group AS. NCG is owned by Ølen Betong Gruppen AS and KB Gruppen Kongsvinger AS with 50% ownership each. NCG is established in a total of 65 locations in Norway and has a total turnover of over NOK 3.5 billion.

In 2021, Nordic Concrete Group AS established a wholly owned subsidiary: ØB Group AS, which took over all shares / holdings in Ølen Betong Transport AS, as well as in Ølen Betong AS with all subsidiaries. ØB Group AS also took over all administrative services that Ølen Betong previously performed for other companies in the group. From this point on, Ølen Betong AS is a purely operating company for the production and sale of concrete solutions.

Concrete products

The production hall for concrete goods (concrete pipes, manholes / inspection chambers, construction blocks etc.) was extended by 20 metres in i 2006, to a total area of 3800 m². In addition, there are 2 Rubbhalls (plastic prefab warehouses) used for storage, at 360 m² and 500 m².

Ready-mix concrete

Ready-mix concrete has been one of the companies’ most important cornerstones right from the start. From the beginning of the 80s there was a decision to invest in mobile mixing plants which could be moved quickly and assembled for the production of ready-mix concrete directly at large construction sites. The first project was the Kårstø development (LNG plant). In the following years, mobile mixing plants were in use at the biggest developments throughout our country, including the Snøhvit development (LNG) and OPS E-18, Hundvåg & Ryfast (roads & subsea tunnels) as well as other huge communication projects, airport hangars, hydroelectric power stations and dams, bridges and tunnelling projects all over this country.

Expansion

In 2001, Ølen Betong took over a concrete mixing plant at Stord as well as establishing a new mixing plant in Bergen. The year after, the company established two mobile and one stationery mixing plant at Hammerfest (Finnmark), for deliveries to the 'Snøhvit LNG project' at Melkøya. The stationary plant is now in use for supplies to Finnmark.

The company has acquired 51% shares in Ribe Betong AS who merged with Agder Betong AS (Ribe Betong has expanded with up to 10 plants in Agder county); Ølen Betong also aquired 51% shares in Sandnes & Jærbetong AS (former Jærbetong AS and Sandnes Betong AS), in Rogaland county. Later on Ølen Betong bought 100% of the shares in Forsand Sandkompani AS, and took over three plants in Vadsø, Kirkenes and Tana from Kirkenes Ferdigbetong. The same was done with mixing plants at Askøy.

Ready-mix stablishments in the north

After the closure of the Snøhvit plant in 2006, Ølen Betong chose to continue its investment in the north. In 2021-2022, acquisitions have been made of several companies that have been merged into Ølen Betong AS, which now has departments with concrete production in Hammerfest, Alte, Tana, Kirkenes, Vadsø and Tromsø. In addition, ØB Group AS has taken over the ownership of HGB Betong AS, which has 4-5 branches in Nordland county.

New industrial and office building at Gismarvik

p>In 2022, the ready-mixed concrete administration moved into a newly built administration building at Gismarvik (in Tysvær municipality outside Haugesund), close to the mixing plant. Ølen Betong Transport's heavy truck workshop as well as the concrete goods division's sales and warehouse for concrete goods in Haugalandet also moved to this building, as well as a concrete block production hall, which receives its concrete from the local mixing plant.

More than 65 mixing plants

When 'Ølen Betong Gruppen AS' and 'KB Gruppen Kongsvinger AS' established 'Nordic Concrete Group AS' in 2018, this resulted in 65 mixing plants + factories for concrete goods, elements, aggregates etc.

In this group Ølen Betong AS represents over 20 locations in Norway.
Read more about ready-mix concrete here.

Tunnel linings in Sveio & Sandeid

In the late 80s Ølen Betong took over a precast concrete element factory in Mølstrevåg (Sveio municipality near Haugesund). This has been highly modernised and equipped, both when it comes to the production facilities and the yard areas. In 2004-2005, the factory was modernised and expanded to a total indoor factory area of 4,600m². Furthermore, a new major expansion of the storage area was performed during 2013-2016, combined with production of aggregates from crushed rocks.

After taking over an element factory in Sandeid in 2011, this has several times been expanded and is now also producing tunnel lining elements in a new and separate production hall of 1800 m².

Today we like to say that our precast division is one of Europe’s largest specialized factory for precast units for fire, water and frost proofing of tunnel linings with deliveries throughout the country. Quays at the factories are our advantage.

Precast concrete units for buildings

In 2011 Ølen Betong took over a modern upgraded precast unit factory designed for all types of buildings in Sandeid. The factory has several times been expanded, among other things with a 1800 m² hall and production of tunnel linings.From 2022 this factory in Sandeid will concentrate on producing special designed elements for road and transport constroctions. Hå Element AS south of Stavanger will concentrate on producing elements for buildings.

Transport and logistics by sea

The continued deliveries and competitiveness of the precast concrete units factories across the country are dependent on having large piers in Sveio and in Sandeid. Boats are loaded with up to 550 units per sailing (3000 tonnes). Further transport into the tunnels is carried out by special vehicles on road. The factory in Ølensvåg also has its own pier where products are delivered by boat, and raw materials for the production arrive by sea to all facilities with a pier.

Administration and workshop in Tysvær

In 2022, Ølen Betong commissioned a new building at Gismarvik in Tysvær municipality. This building is 3,000 m² and houses a modern workshop of 1950 m² for large vehicles, concrete block production hall, sales and warehouse for concrete products, as well as 3 floors of offices and meeting rooms. Division Ferdigbetong's administration is from now on established here.