Vestre plans to build the world’s most environmentally friendly furniture factory in Norway

Vestre is proud to present its latest project, The Plus. We plan to build the world’s most environmentally friendly furniture factory at Magnor in Norway. This is the largest single investment in the Norwegian furniture industry for decades. The factory, which has been designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), the world-famous Danish firm of architects, will be a global showcase for sustainable and highly efficient production.

“Vestre aims to be the world’s most sustainable furniture manufacturer, and construction of The Plus is an important step towards achieving this goal. Through state-of-the-art technology and Scandinavian industrial collaboration, we will be able to produce faster and greener than ever before. In the process, we will also safeguard our global competitiveness,” says Vestre CEO Jan Christian Vestre.

Inspiring the ‘green shift’
The Plus will be the Nordic region's first industrial building to achieve the highest environmental classification, BREEAM Outstanding, partly through the use of solid wood and an emission-free construction site. Fully electric Tesla trucks will carry components between Vestre’s existing factory in Torsby, Sweden, and the new factory at Magnor in Norway.

“Human-made climate change is the biggest challenge of our age. I strongly believe that we can all save the world – a little. How sustainable we are depends on the choices we make,” says Jan Christian.

At Vestre, we hope we can inspire others to take part in the ‘green shift’. The Plus will make use of several Industry 4.0 solutions, such as smart industrial robots, self-driving trucks and the ability to operate the entire factory from a tablet device. Underpinning the move towards more environmentally friendly solutions is the fact that everything is based on clean and renewable energy. The factory is intended to be ‘Paris Proof’, which means that its emission levels will be 50 per cent lower than for similar conventional projects.

Factory designed by world-famous firm of architects
What drives us is the desire to create social meeting places where people can come together in outdoor spaces – transcending social, cultural and economic differences. When people come together, trust and community spirit arise. This has also been a guiding principle for the architects at the globally renowned Bjarke Ingels Group, who designed The Plus.

“The Plus has a simple x-shaped geometry, whose four wings deftly distribute the building’s bulk and constantly reinforce the sense of being immersed in the forest. It also ensures a highly effective flow of work through the factory. The centre of the cross forms an effective logistics hub and a meeting place for employees and visitors, which provides maximum transparency,” says Bjarke Ingels.

A passion for Scandinavian industrial collaboration
Spectacular architecture, a visitor centre and a 30-hectare (74 acre) park will also help to develop Magnor as an attractive destination for visitors from all over the world. Strategically situated between Oslo and our factory in Torsby, Sweden, it will be a natural nexus, with excellent road and rail connection to Europe and on to the USA.

“We are passionate about Scandinavian industrial collaboration, and we believe that the Scandinavian countries should join forces more often to compete in global markets. For Vestre, basing production in both Norway and Sweden is therefore a strategic goal which rests on historical, industrial and cultural advantages,” says Jan Christian.

In 2013, Vestre opened a factory in Torsby, Sweden, which had been designed by Snøhetta, the internationally acclaimed Norwegian firm of architects. When we open the Vestre factory at Magnor, the Torsby facility will focus on the production of steel and aluminium components, which will be forwarded to Magnor for coating and assembly.

“This investment therefore strengthens Norwegian and Swedish industry at the same time,” concludes Jan Christian Vestre.

The factory is scheduled for completion in 2021/2022. At that time, we hope to be able to welcome visitors interested in furniture, manufacturing and industry, as well as those with a passion for architecture, sustainability and nature.

You can read more about our vision for the factory at www.theplus.no.

See you at Magnor!

theplus.no

Facts about The Plus:
The world’s most environmentally friendly furniture factory, located at Magnor in the Norwegian county of Innlandet.

  • The factory is scheduled for completion in 2021/2022.
  • This is the largest single investment in the Norwegian furniture industry for decades.
  • Includes a visitor centre and a 30-hectare (74 acre) public park.
  • The Plus will cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent compared with similar conventional factories, and is therefore ‘Paris Proof’.
  • The Plus will be the Nordic region's first industrial building to achieve the highest environmental classification, BREEAM Outstanding, partly through the use of solid wood and an emission-free construction site.
  • The Plus will generate 250,000 kWh of renewable energy and reuse 90–95 % of the water used in production.
  • Vestre Experience Center will cater for school visits and inspire more people to engage in the ‘green shift’.
  • Vestre Forest Camp – a 30-hectare (74 acre) park filled with culture and adventure.
  • The Plus will create 30–70 new jobs and will be a model for workplace inclusivity.
  • The project is supported by Innovation Norway, the green energy agency Enova and Eidskog municipal council.