Stronger relationships and new insights at Nor-Shipping
For more than three decades, JETS has been a regular exhibitor at Nor-Shipping, and this year was no exception. With over 30 years behind us at the exhibition, it has become a natural arena to meet both long-time contacts and new partners.
Nor-Shipping is one of the world’s leading maritime meeting places, held every other year in Lillestrøm, Norway. The exhibition brings together over 30,000 participants and nearly 1,000 exhibitors from more than 80 countries. It serves as a key arena where stakeholders from shipping, technology, energy and finance come together to discuss and shape the future of the maritime industry – with a strong focus on sustainability, digitalisation and international collaboration.
Each year, we are represented by a strong team from different parts of the organisation, and this year both experienced employees and new faces were on site to engage with visitors on behalf of JETS.
Among those attending was Ingegjerd Eidesvik, newly appointed VP Innovation & R&D and Deputy CEO, who participated at Nor-Shipping for the first time.
– For me, it was especially important to attend, as I had the opportunity to meet our sales representatives for the first time. Being here strengthens our relationships, offers valuable insight for further development, and highlights JETS as a visible player in the maritime sector. This is a valuable arena for both innovation and sales, she says.
At the other end of the scale, we have Jan Tore Leikanger, Business Director Cruise, who has taken part in every Nor-Shipping exhibition since 1991.
– I’ve attended many times, but I always learn something new. It’s about staying in motion and keeping up with developments. And of course, it’s always a pleasure to reconnect with familiar faces from the industry, he says.
Bjørn Halfdan Leine, VP Maritime at JETS, agrees.
– Nor-Shipping is one of the most important exhibitions for JETS. This is our home market, where many from the maritime industry gather. As a key player in the Norwegian maritime cluster, we focus on having a stand located close to other industry partners we collaborate with. That way, we can collectively create an engaging area that attracts both existing and future customers. Participating at Nor-Shipping helps position JETS as a solid and trusted industry partner, and allows us to strengthen relationships together with our representatives at the exhibition.
Internal gathering as a starting point
The day before the exhibition, we gathered representatives from across our network for an internal conference. We presented new developments, shared insights, and discussed future plans, an important step in anchoring strategy and strengthening collaboration.
– The conference builds relationships between our representatives and JETS employees, which is essential for our day-to-day work throughout the year. Strong collaboration, open exchange of information, and a shared understanding of marketing activities help ensure a seamless customer journey. With this as a foundation, customers connect with both the representatives and JETS as a company, often by being invited to our stand for in-depth technical and commercial discussions, says Leine.
– The internal gathering not only helped set the tone for a great exhibition week, but also proved vital for knowledge sharing and team spirit, notes Eidesvik.
– Having met the day before made the conversations at the stand more productive and focused, adds Audun Giske Eiksund, Business Director Sales Aftermarket.
– The conference laid the groundwork for valuable technical discussions and relationship building, both during breaks and evening events. It even led us to invite new contacts to the stand the next day for deeper conversations about our products, services, and upcoming launches. Topics included market-specific experiences, growth strategies, and how JETS technology contributes to reducing environmental impact globally, Eiksund continues.
A stand that brings people together
Our stand has become something of a trademark at Nor-Shipping – open, welcoming and designed to serve as a hub for our representatives, customers and partners.
– We focus on creating comfortable and meeting-friendly zones. That means we have to be selective about what we display, but we always include our demo unit that shows how the vacuum system works “behind the scenes”, a real eye-catcher that draws a lot of attention. The stand serves as an important meeting place throughout the week, explains Kristin Linge, Project Manager in the Marketing Department.
In addition to product displays and meetings, the stand also functioned as a base for ongoing dialogue after the conference – a natural extension of the networking that began the day before. It offered a calm and welcoming space for meaningful conversations with both customers and representatives.
A space for professional and social exchange
Nor-Shipping is not just about exhibitions and scheduled meetings, it’s also about relationships. Social events like “After Work”, arranged in collaboration with other companies from the Sunnmøre region, created informal meeting points that opened the door to both professional exchange and new partnerships.
– Nor-Shipping is one of the most important exhibitions for us, and it was great to see so many colleagues taking part, both long-time team members and those who are new to JETS, summarises Bjørn Halfdan Leine, VP Maritime at JETS.
A week of insight and professional enrichment
With more than 80% of our revenue coming from exports, Nor-Shipping is a key arena for strengthening JETS’ international presence. It’s where we meet stakeholders from across the global maritime industry, gain insight into new technologies and build relationships across borders.
We look back on a week full of insight and inspiration. And even though we were busy at our own stand, we still found time to visit other exhibitors and draw inspiration from the rest of the industry.
We’re already looking forward to the next one!