BAMBLE, Norway — Norner, a provider of industrial research and development services in polymers, has hired 16 new researchers and engineers in 2020. Currently based in Bamble, Norway, the company plans to move to a new Polymer Exploration Center in Porsgrunn, Norway, this fall. The facility will be a state-of-the-art international research and technology centre for the plastics industry and will offer research services throughout the plastics value chain.

The laboratory capacity and capability of the company has increased in fields like polymer analysis, mechanical testing and plastic processing. In addition, the company has increased its research capacity in several critical areas, such as polymer production, additives and characterization, as well as plastic applications and the circular economy.

“This week, Norner celebrates 13 years as a company. The result for the first half of 2020 is the best in Norner's history, and we have a solid project portfolio. We are impressed by our large number of customers who continue to focus on development and innovation even in a pandemic situation. This has given us an opportunity to strengthen our organization over the past years, and I am especially pleased that we have brought in very talented new employees who I am sure will contribute positively both professionally and socially in Norner,", said Kjetil Larsen, CEO of Norner.

In 2019, Norner became part owner of the new catapult center, Future Materials, which is a national development and pilot test center for materials. The center will facilitate and help companies with new products from idea phase to pilot phase so that they can be more easily scaled up to industrial production and market.