Good relationships built a fishing empire
From Svolvær in Lofoten, Svolvær Seafood delivers 250 types of seafood to customers throughout Norway and Europe. For founder and principal owner Steinar Dahl, the key to success has always been good service and strong relationships.
With a large network and good local reputation, there are few people who don't know Steinar Dahl in Lofoten in northern Norway. His seafood is served in the finest restaurants in Svolvær and delivered to major customers all over Norway and Europe.
– We have sales of NOK 450 million but don't spend a penny on marketing. For me, it’s always been important to create lasting relationships and go the extra mile for the customer. Even in tough times, there is light at the end of the tunnel – that's my philosophy. The reason the company has done so well is because I’ve worked hard and I’ve always tried to find solutions together with the customers, says Steinar Dahl.
It all started at the age of six, when Steinar Dahl accompanied his grandfather, a fisherman, out to sea. This was the start of a long and cherished relationship with the sea. A few years later, he bicycled around delivering fish to customers after school. When he later started his company, he not only had a keen interest in fishing, but also an established local network. The company initially focused on pollock fillets, but the business grew, and the range expanded to include cod, halibut, monkfish and shellfish. In the first year, the company had sales of NOK 60 million. Today, a decade later, Svolvær Seafood supplies 250 types of seafood and has sales of NOK 450 million.
– We’ve been a customer of Norion Bank since 2018, and it has worked very well. Since our cooperation started, we’ve experienced strong growth. The bank has been flexible and understood our business. Our good relationship with the bank provides us with a great sense of security, and the cooperation has been crucial for our strong progress in recent years, says Steinar Dahl.
Norion Bank specializes in financing solutions for medium-sized companies and real estate agencies. The bank has extensive experience in the customer segment and offers corporate credit and factoring with a particular focus on companies that want to grow and develop.
– Since our sales are seasonal, invoice factoring has allowed us to expand and grow as we have. In other words, the collaboration with Norion Bank has allowed us to focus even more on our core business, and the way the bank has done so is fully in line with how we work, which is about creating sustainable relationships, says Steinar Dahl.
With offices in Sweden, Norway and Finland, Norion Bank is a secure financing partner for companies throughout the Nordic market. The goal is to always work closely with the customer's business, in order to create long-term partnerships.
Pål Mitsem, Norion Bank and Steinar Dahl, Svolvær Seafood.
– Norion Bank values strong relationships. Our size enables us to get to know all our customers and their businesses, as we have done with Svolvær Seafood. We also maintain frequent internal dialogues, both between departments and between our offices in the Nordic region. This allows us to create efficient decision-making processes, says Pål Mitsem, Senior Client Executive, Norion Bank.