Hunton, a Norwegian company, sees growing demand for bio-based building materials and a strengthened position – despite the challenges posed by a weak construction market.
“Meeting both new and existing customers at Nordbygg is important for us and helps further solidify our position in the Nordic market”, says Thomas Vaarlund, Marketing Director.
April 15, 2025
Hunton, a Norwegian company, sees growing demand for bio-based building materials and a strengthened position – despite the challenges posed by a weak construction market.
“Meeting both new and existing customers at Nordbygg is important for us and helps further solidify our position in the Nordic market”, says Thomas Vaarlund, Marketing Director.
Hunton is the leading manufacturer of wood fiber-based building materials in the Nordics – a by-product of the forestry industry. Since 2018, the company has focused on wood fiber insulation, a relatively new market entry that has quickly gained popularity due to its lifecycle perspective and low environmental impact.
“As a manufacturer of wood fiber-based products, we have strong confidence in the future. We are pleased to see that the end customer increasingly demands bio-based materials even in the actual building construction; they appreciate that it’s wood and that the structure can breathe. Previously, the focus was perhaps more on visible parts like kitchens and bathrooms”, says Thomas Vaarlund, Marketing Director at Norwegian Hunton.
Nordic Market Overview
Hunton is an international player, and Thomas has a broad perspective on the Nordic markets, where he sees both similarities and differences:
“Norway, Sweden, and Finland share a common building tradition, and our wood fiber-based system solutions are received very positively in all three markets. We had a strong year in 2022, but since then, it has been more difficult. Finland has had a particularly tough time, and in Norway, we haven’t seen such low housing starts since the 1940s. At the same time, renovations are increasing, while new builds are declining” says Thomas.
Sweden is somewhere in between but has the clearest demand for sustainable products.
“Despite the challenges posed by a weak construction market, we are satisfied with our results for 2024. Hunton had very good growth in Sweden last year, especially for our new product, Nativo wood fiber insulation. Swedes are ahead of the curve when it comes to CO₂ reduction and are more open to bio-based alternatives than our other markets”, says Thomas.
Trade Shows as Part of the Strategy
Against this backdrop, trade shows like Nordbygg become even more important.
“Nordbygg, Bygg Reis Deg in Oslo, and FinnBuild in Helsinki are key parts of Hunton’s market strategy, especially now in such a tough market. Exhibiting at major trade shows is an investment in both time and money, but it is well worth the effort”, says Thomas, continuing:
“It’s important to reach both existing customers and those who still don’t know about us. That way, they can learn about our knowledge and solutions. At Nordbygg, we meet a broad mix of end-users, industry professionals, architects, building material chains, and house manufacturers”.
In Norway, most sales go through building trade, while in Sweden and Finland, Hunton sells more directly to the industry. This includes both the prefabricated house industry and construction chains building on-site.
Reused stand
At the last Nordbygg, Hunton received great attention for its “sound house,” where wall solutions exceeding the Swedish building code’s sound requirements were demonstrated. Experts such as designers and acousticians were on hand to answer questions and provide advice.
“The qualitative meeting with the right target audience, along with the opportunity to showcase our products and have time for conversations, is the whole point. We plan to further develop the concept for Nordbygg 2026, which we’ve already signed up for. But before then, we have Bygg Reis Deg in October. The booth from there will be reused at Nordbygg, reducing waste and enhancing Hunton’s sustainable overall image”, concludes Thomas Vaarlund.
