Inin Group AS’ subsidiary Nordic Inspekt Group AB has decided to expand its operations within testing, inspection and certification (TIC) through the establishment of Inspekt Norway AS. Highly experienced inspection industry professional Bjørnar Meland has agreed to head up the business.
“Inspekt Norway will be our platform to offer innovative and cost-efficient TIC services in Norway,” says Niklas Persson, CEO of Nordic Inspekt Group AB, which aims to become a challenger within the rapidly growing Nordic market for testing inspection and certification of infrastructure and industrial assets.
Inspekt Norway AS
Inspekt Norway will be headquartered in the Oslo region. The company will provide a complete TIC offering including non-destructive testing, concrete inspection, remote inspection and consulting services within quality assurance and control.
Bjørnar Meland, who starts in his new role in July, has been appointed as managing director of Inspekt Norway AS. Meland has close to 20 years’ operational experience from the Norwegian TIC market and a broad customer network all over Norway.
Meland joins from a former role as director of inspection at global inspection group Kiwa’s Norwegian operation. Prior to this, he worked for non-destructive testing company Nordisk Sveiseinspeksjon AS, which his father founded.
“Bjørnar has literally grown up in the TIC industry as he began his career cleaning the offices of his father’s inspection company! He is a highly experienced leader and NDT operator, and well liked among both clients and colleagues. We are delighted that Bjørnar has agreed to head up Inspekt Norway, and look forward to building this company together with Bjørnar,” adds Niklas Persson.
Capitalising on group synergies
Under Meland’s leadership, Inspekt Norway has the necessary certifications to provide TIC services to companies operating in the oil and gas industry, including oil services companies, offshore yards, manufacturers of subsea equipment, and EPC contractors.
Inspekt Norway will also provide TIC and NDT services to other infrastructure segments. For example, Nordic Inspekt Group’s sister companies in Inin Group delivers construction and maintenance services to the rail industry and other industry niches. Further, by utilising sister company Elop Technology’s ultrasound scanner technologies, Inspekt Norway plans to target the market for inspection of concrete infrastructure.
“The plan is to capitalise on synergies with other Inin Group companies to maximise our total addressable market here in Norway,” says Bjørnar Meland.
Recruitment drive
To start with, Nordic Inspect Group AB will own 70 percent of the Norwegian business. Newly appointed managing director of Inspekt Norway AS, Bjørnar Meland, will own 30 percent.
Inspekt Norway will immediately start to recruit competent employees to ensure capacity and drive growth. Use of M&A as growth strategy may also be an option going forward.
“We aim to recruit several TIC experts in Norway during the coming months. Offering employees the opportunity to co-own the company is an important part of our recruitment strategy. We want to attract people who are excited about building up a TIC challenger here in Norway,” says Bjørnar Meland.
Testing, Inspection & Certification is currently one of Inin Group’s four investment platforms. Nordic Inspekt Group AB heads up the platform. Through an active M&A strategy, Nordic Inspekt Group has already acquired Swedish non-destructive testing (NDT) company Trygg Inspection AB and has announced plans to acquire NDT specialist AlfaTest AB in Sweden.
