JETS welcomes the local community in Hareid
For 40 years, technology developed in Hareid has found its way to ships, buildings, hospitals, stores, festivals and other installations around the world. When JETS opened its doors to mark the anniversary, it was the local community’s turn to see what goes on inside. The result was a full house – from start to finish!
For four decades, our people have developed trusted and eco-efficient sanitation solutions used around the world. We believe technology can make a positive difference – and that dedication and competence are key to making it happen.
On Saturday 22 August, the JETS premises in Hareid were far busier than usual. Children with balloons and face paint mingled with adults on guided tours, hot dogs, cakes, coffee and slush drinks were served, and both the production areas and exhibitions were filled with curious visitors.
The occasion was JETS’ 40th anniversary, which is being celebrated throughout 2026. After four decades of development in Hareid, the company wanted to open its doors and invite the local community in to see what happens behind the scenes – and where the technology developed and produced here ultimately ends up.
For many visitors, the day offered a glimpse of a side of JETS they may not have known before.
More than toilets
- We wanted to offer guided tours to show the full breadth of what we do at JETS, says Aslaug Veddegjerde, Marketing Manager at JETS.
During the tour, visitors were able to follow the production process and meet employees who shared insights into their areas of expertise. Haakon Riise, Business Director Yacht, started with the bigger picture – what JETS is really all about.
- It’s easy to think of JETS as a toilet supplier from Hareid. And yes, that is part of what we do. But for us, it’s about much more than that, Riise explains.
He described how vacuum technology makes it possible to transport waste using minimal amounts of water, and how a JETS toilet can reduce water consumption by up to 90% compared with a conventional toilet.
The same core technology is now used across a wide range of markets, and more than 80 per cent of what JETS produces and sells goes to customers outside Norway.
- You’ll find JETS in modern buildings, hospitals and at festivals, in cabins in remote locations, on cruise ships, offshore installations and some of the world’s finest yachts. The needs are very different, but many of these solutions are built around the same core technology developed here in Hareid, says Riise.
Behind the scenes in production
As the tour continued, visitors were able to see how the products are actually made.
Malene Liavaag, Industrial Designer at JETS, guided the groups through production and explained, among other things, how a typical working day begins with a short morning meeting. The team reviews the previous day’s production, any quality issues and challenges, before planning capacity and production targets for the day ahead.
- The aim is to keep production running smoothly and make sure products are completed on time. If one area is particularly busy, we can move resources around and support where it is needed most, Liavaag explained.
But one topic always comes first: safety.
The open day also coincided with an important milestone for the production team – four years without a lost-time injury at Hareid.
- We need to produce efficiently and deliver high quality, but the most important thing is that everyone who comes to work can go home safely again. Four years without a lost-time injury doesn’t happen by itself. It requires focus every single day, and everyone has a part to play in identifying risks, speaking up and looking out for one another, said Liavaag.
The technology in practice
Along the way, visitors also had the opportunity to get a closer look at both the products and the technology behind them.
Edvard Kjellevold showed visitors the service cell, where vacuum pumps are overhauled and given a new lease of life. Ellen Stene Bakke demonstrated how the vacuum pump works and presented the condensate drainage solution used to transport condensate from refrigerated and freezer display cases in stores. Both are Service Project Engineers at JETS.
Visitors also met Remi Kvalsvik, Team Leader at JETS, who showed them the toilet assembly line – the area where toilets are fully assembled, inspected and tested before being packed and shipped to customers.
Together, the different stops gave visitors an insight into everything that goes into a JETS product – from technology and production planning to assembly, testing and service, as well as solutions adapted to a wide variety of applications.
And there were plenty of questions. For the employees hosting the different stations, the day was also an opportunity to share their work with family, friends, neighbours and others from the local community.
A day for the whole family
The open day was intended to be more than just a tour of the production facilities – it was designed as a day the whole family could enjoy. For the youngest visitors, there was a bouncy castle, face painting and balloons, as well as quizzes with prizes and a dedicated drawing area. Here, children could browse through and colour in booklets inspired by the many markets and locations where JETS technology is used.
Hot dogs, cakes, slush drinks and coffee were also served, and there was plenty of activity both indoors and outdoors throughout the day. For Linn Urke Osnes, Training Manager at JETS and responsible for the event, it was important to create an event that both adults and children could enjoy.
- We wanted this to be a day for everyone, not just for those who already know JETS or have a particular interest in technology. It was great to see so many families come along, and to see the children having fun while also getting a small glimpse of what we do, says Osnes.
The response was overwhelming. Visitors began arriving even before the doors opened, and the premises remained bustling with people throughout the event.
40 years in Hareid
A great deal has changed since JETS was established 40 years ago.
The company has grown, expanded into new markets, and technology developed in Hareid is now used by customers around the world. But Hareid is still home, and much of the company’s development and production continues to take place here.
The open day was therefore a great opportunity to show more of what goes on behind the doors at JETS – and the people, expertise and work behind the products.
- We’re very proud of what we do here in Hareid, and it was particularly rewarding to be able to share it with so many people from the local community. Seeing so many people of all ages come along made the 40th anniversary celebration exactly the kind of day we had hoped for, Osnes concludes.