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The white gold

Almost every Norwegian west coast valley has a running river with roaring waterfalls. The Bergsdalen valley was no exception, with the mighty Bergsdal river cascading down towards the small hamlet of Dale.

This was the sight that caused our founder to stop and subsequently establish our factory at this very spot. Where other countries were dependent on expensive and polluting coal to fuel their factories, we could take advantage of a literally perpetuum mobile: stable, cheap and perpetual hydropower. No wonder it was called “the white coal” and “the white gold”.

Alas, the river could also be a curse. Being the very basis of our existence, the raw and cold river ran wild and cold mere feet from the factory walls, causing the factory workers to be blue with cold in the then uninsulated buildings. Two big floods in the 20s and 30s were near-devastating incidents.

But most of all the river is a blessing. For over 140 years it has been a consistent and reliable source of power for our factory. And now, with increased focus on renewable energy, the white gold has gained an extra dimension, an even higher carat.