Conferences

As the Norwegian Minister of Defense, Tore O. Sandvik, stated on the stage in Stjørdal this week: “To avoid war, you have to prepare for war.”

The conference gathered more than 800 participants, making it one of the largest defense events in the Nordic region.
GCE NODE and the Future Defense Industry South (FFS) project were present, represented by project manager Tina McDougall, who followed the discussions closely and engaged with key stakeholders.

“Bringing together Nordic defense staffs, academia, policymakers and industry, the conference is an essential place to build relations, share insights and learn from each other. The Trøndelag region takes a proactive and inspiring approach to its defense-related work,” says McDougall.

Speakers at the conference repeatedly emphasized that ambition and technological development are accelerating, while the supply chain struggles to keep pace. “Speed is of the essence. We need to cooperate,” was a recurring message from industry and defense leaders.

Professor Katarzyna Zysk from the Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies highlighted four essential requirements for modern security: speed, resilience, endurance and cohesion. “We must be able to adapt quickly, sustain operations over time and stand together with clear collective resilience,” she said.

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Conservative Party leader Ine Eriksen Søreide reflected on NATO’s long-term posture. “For years, NATO policy has been shaped as a reaction to Russia rather than by our own strategic choices,” she said. She also warned of the danger if war begins to feel like a new normal.

State Secretary Eivind Vad Petersson stressed that preparedness can no longer rely solely on stockpiles. “Conflicts evolve quickly, and time must increasingly be measured in weeks rather than months or years,” he said. While ammunition requires large reserves, he noted that front-line drone capabilities depend on rapid development and adaptation.

Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency reinforced the importance of tempo, industrial capacity and early cooperation. “Industrial strategy is also security strategy,” they stated, pointing to the growing relevance of dual-use technologies.

Kenneth Ruud, Director General at Norwegian Defense Research Establishment, summarized the challenge: “Technology alone does not create defense capability. The winner will be the one who can most rapidly convert technology into operational effects.”

“The Norwegian offshore wind industry is a highly capable and impressive industry that already delivers globally,” says Arne Thomassen, Mayor of Agder County.

He continued: “It is unfortunate that Norway has not come further. The feedback from industry is clear: politicians must unite behind broad, long term support and predictable framework conditions.”

GCE NODE and the Fremtidens Havvind project hosted the political delegation from Agder to strengthen dialogue between industry and decision makers. The delegation met with major industrial actors across the offshore wind value chain.
The message from companies was consistent: the sector needs predictability, stable political frameworks and a realistic development pace to scale effectively.

Torunn Høyum-Eriksen, Member of Agder County Council, noted that the industry already plays a significant role in Southern Norway.

“This is a sector that is already important for Agder. We must continue supporting industry and work together politically, regionally and nationally to find good solutions,” says Høyum-Eriksen.

WindEnergy Hamburg brought together thousands of companies, policymakers and technology leaders. Thomassen pointed to the scale of the event as evidence of the opportunity.

“This is the biggest wind industry event in Europe. It shows that Norway has a unique chance to build entirely new industrial capacity as part of the green transition. The opportunities are enormous. I wish more national politicians had come here to meet the companies shaping this future,” says Thomassen.

GCE NODE and Fremtidens Havvind plan to continue inviting local and national politicians to future delegations, ensuring that policy development remains closely connected to industry needs.

“We appreciate the time and effort put in by some of our leading politicians. It is important for policymakers and industry to work well together to further develop the industry,” says Knut Mjåland, CEO of GCE NODE, and Kristian Johnsen, Project Manager at Fremtidens Havvind.

They credit Innovation Norway and NORWEP with organizing a strong Team Norway presence and well executed events during the exhibition.

The 18 month initiative aims to build a coordinated supplier structure that strengthens both regional and national industry participation in Norway’s first large scale bottom fixed offshore wind development.

“It’s crucial to establish the supplier network now. Decisions made in the next years will shape the supply chain for decades. This network provides Norway and Agder a chance to help set the terms,” says Knut Mjåland, CEO of GCE NODE.

The project aims to secure at least 40% Norwegian content in Sørlige Nordsjø II.

“Sørlige Nordsjø II represents a historic industrial opportunity with significant needs for competence and capacity across the entire value chain. Our pre study shows a clear need for better coordination, earlier access to information, meeting arenas, and support for supplier qualification. Without a structured approach, Norwegian and regional companies risk falling outside key contract opportunities,” says Kristian Johnsen, Project Manager at GCE NODE.

The project will establish an operational supplier network led by GCE NODE, with broad participation from companies in Agder and across Norway. The network will serve as a neutral collaboration arena connecting suppliers with developers and Tier 1 actors, while facilitating competence development, knowledge sharing, and early market positioning.

Through systematic activities, including dialogue meetings, workshops, B2B arenas, and visibility efforts, the initiative aims to increase supplier readiness and strengthen the competitiveness of Norway’s offshore wind industry.

“Agder hosts some of Norway’s strongest industrial environments. Decades of expertise in oil, gas and offshore are not obstacles to be phased out, but competitive advantages to build on. New green jobs are emerging on the shoulders of the industry already in place,” says Torunn Høyum-Eriksen, Head of the Committee for Business, Culture and Environment at Agder County.