Earlier this week, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre paid a special visit to Paxster, Norway’s only vehicle manufacturer, located at Kampenes in Sarpsborg. The visit was part of his official tour of Østfold County, which also included stops at Kalnes Hospital and Østfold University College. Accompanied by Minister of Transport Jon-Ivar Nygård, the Prime Minister was introduced to Paxster’s world of electric utility vehicles, autonomous technology, and inclusive workforce initiatives.

We were proud to open our doors and show him what we’re working on—and even more pleased to see how genuinely engaged and curious he was throughout the visit.

A hands-on look at autonomous vehicle technology

After a brief introduction by Cathrine Lund, our CEO Aleksander Säfvenbom led the tour through our production facilities. One of the key moments came when Arild Brudeli, Head of Innovation, demonstrated Paxster’s upcoming autonomous delivery vehicle, which will soon begin transporting parts between our main supplier, our sister company Loyds, and the Paxster production line.

The Prime Minister expressed clear interest and seemed impressed by how we are applying cutting-edge technology to create real-world solutions for industrial logistics.

Recognizing social responsibility in practice

Another highlight of the visit was our Paxster 2ndChance initiative—a close collaboration with NAV (the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration). The program offers meaningful work experience to young people who have fallen outside the traditional workforce, providing them with a new opportunity to gain skills, confidence, and potentially a path to permanent employment.

The Prime Minister took time to speak directly with employees, safety representatives, and union members—something we truly appreciated.

Prime Minister took Paxster for a spin

No visit to Paxster is complete without a ride—and the Prime Minister didn’t miss the chance to test drive one of our electric utility vehicles inside the factory. Judging by the big smile on his face, we’d say he enjoyed it.