Two buildings have now been rented out, several of the plot areas have been reserved, and there are plans for preparation for new establishments.

Positiv for industrial development

Head of facilities and development at Herøya Industripark AS, Skjalg Aasland, believes the acquisition is good for the market and industrial development. "We need new industry. To get new industry to Herøya, we need more prepared area. We are now planning for clean-up and demolition and give new players the opportunity to use central areas here at Herøya."

New areas provide opportunities

Aasland points out and talks about plans for buildings and areas in the industrial park and what opportunities it provides.

"The area in the middle right inside the main gate at Herøya, we like to call it the "inner fillet" in the industrial park, has very good access to infrastructure. It is centrally related to support functions and is close to other industries. These are important areas in the industrial park."

He says that a larger plot of land has already been reserved, and the newest building is being prepared for a tenant. Other plots of land will be converted into temporary open areas, laydown areas. These areas can be used for placement of construction equipment, building materials or other activities of shorter duration.

New industries that fit well 

Aasland and colleagues in Herøya Industripark AS are already in dialogue with several players.

"We talk to companies that can fit in with existing industry at Herøya, such as hydrogen technology, carbon capture/storage and reuse, in addition to battery technology and other relevant industry. Our strategy is to find more players from these industries. They will fit in well here at Herøya."

The industrial park company acquired the entire MgO line after Magnor Minerals decided to stop production at Herøya last winter.

Extensive acquisitions

The property consists of 7 industrial buildings, a large industrial conveyor belt system and 53 acres of land with a scattered location in the industrial park. It includes the unloading facility on the quay, the conveyor belt, the crushing process facility, the calcinator plant, and the salt water tanks. Also included are the production buildings MgO / Building 103, and the "new building" from 2012, fused magnesia / building 132.

Building 103 and the Dorr-tank area in Herøya Industrial Park, a large contiguous area. "Each of these plots is about 15,000 m2," says Skjalg Aasland. "It creates opportunities for new industrial development."

"The newest building, Building 132, has been rented out and is now being restored. Apart from that, there is very little that can be reused," says Aasland. "We mainly plan to demolish the other buildings. Maybe with the exception of the calcinator," he says.

"Building 103 was built in 1943 and has a large maintenance backlog, so we plan to demolish it," says Aasland. "This area is suitable for an open area, a lay-down area, for example when Vianode is going to start its construction business. We simply need more space and need this area during a construction period. There must be rational progress in construction projects, something we want to facilitate as best we can. Here we take care of the customers both in the start-up phase, in the operational phase and in the closing phase," says Skjalg Aasland.

The silos at Building 103 on the list for demolition.

"The plan is to start here in the south-eastern part of Herøya," says Aasland. "The unloading facility from the quay with the large conveyor belt is in the way of activities we plan in this area. It will therefore be necessary to demolish this facility, the conveyor belt and the crushing process building first. They have no use value or technical value, and pose a health, environmental and safety risk."

"We rent out the rubber hall in front of the calcinator for different uses. It is also an option area for Nordic Electrofuel. Starting construction of Norway's first e-fuel production at Herøya.

Skjalg Aasland believes that the calcinator may have new uses. "The calcinator is a special building," he says. "It was built in 1984 and is in pretty good condition. A unique design, 70 meters high, and with piping and calcinator process with vertical furnaces, allows us to see if there are other relevant uses. The building has an interesting location close to test facilities in the research park and Equinor's test rig, and may be relevant for use in research activities on CO2 or other activities. We have to find out. We are in dialogue with environments to assess possible uses."