Can be Company of the Year 2011

10.02.12

Omega is one of three companies nominated to Company of the Year by Haugesund Region's Business Association (Haugalandregionens Næringsforening).

Omega founder and Chairman, Sigmund Lunde.

Haugesund Region's Business Association (HN) is an interest group for a wide range of businesses in the Haugaland region, with approximately 360 companies as members. The Company of the Year award has been presented at HN's annual Haugaland Conference since 2005.

This year it will be awarded 2 March. Omega’s fellow nominees are IT-company, Sysco, and natural gas company, Gasnor.

“This is a prestigious award and it is a great honor for us to be nominated. We are proud to be part of the innovative and thriving business community in Haugalandet and it's especially exciting to be selected as a nominee from amongst the many worthy businesses in this expansive region,” says Omega founder and Chairman, Sigmund Lunde.

The award

In the following excert from Haugesundregionens Næringsforening's website you can read more about the award and the nominees:

Will it be Sysco, Omega or Gasnor? Yesterday, the jury for the award, "Årets Bedrift" (Company of the Year), heard presentations from the three finalists. High-quality candidates and a difficult choice, was the jury members' verdict after the presentations.

The three companies are entering the final round of the process after careful consideration of almost a dozen candidates. Some candidates are suggested by outsiders, while the rest are selected by jurors and their networks. The criteria for the award have been reviewed and updated as follows:

- Based in Haugalandet, Sunnhordland eller Hardanger
- A strong financial foundation over many years
- A leader and/or innovator in their field
- An active network builder in the region
- A good workplace/business representative in the region

Two of the finalists belong to the rapidly growing IT industry in the region: Omega in Ølensvåg and Sysco on Karmøy. Omega has been growing strongly for several years and reached a milestone in 2011: NOK 1 billion in revenue. The company has 900 employees and six offices in Norway and six abroad. Their economy is rock solid and the company has shown a strong commitment to the company’s working environment and for the weaker members of society, for example, through the building of an orphanage in Ukraine.

Sysco is a small whirlwind in the regional business community with ambitions of becoming a Gazelle company for the fourth consecutive year. They have an atypical approach to marketing and relationship building, and strong growth with a solid financial foundation. The company is approaching 60 employees, has established itself in both Stavanger and Bergen and plan to start a branch office in the Norwegian capital this year. Sysco also employs new ways to enhance the working environment and has invested heavily in Board expertise.

Gasnor on Karmøy make natural gas available to corporate and private customers and is a leader in its market in Norway. The company has 52 employees and is based on Karmøy, and, again in 2011, recorded a profit of 100 million. The company supplies gas through pipes – mainly in Karmøy and Haugesund (135 km) - CNG to the Bergen area and LNG (liquefied natural gas) to the rest of Norway and abroad. The company has invested over NOK 1.3 billion and has developed the expertise of local suppliers in an entirely new business area.

The prize will be awarded at this year's “Haugalandskonferanse” (Haugaland Conference). The jury members are Anne Merete Haugen, Caroline Stensland, Rolf Sjursen (Leader), Øyvind Bakkevig, Anne Kristin Jordbrekk, Helge Seglem og Egil Severeide.

The finalists last year were Marine Aluminium, Coop Haugaland og Bremnes Seashore. The Bømlo company came out on top...