The Franzefoss Group provides crushed stone and recycling services across 32 facilities in Norway, employing nearly 480 people nationwide.

 Two of these facilities, located in Eide just outside of Bergen and on Husøya off the coast of Kristiansund, process mud, sludge, and oil-contaminated water from the oil industry, as well as other polluted water.

 Mivanor will now supply two MivaMag units at a total value of 6 million Norwegian Krone.

 

 Highly Satisfied
At the Franzefoss facilities, water undergoes chemical precipitation and biological treatment. Mivanor's technology will now be applied as a final step after primary treatment to ensure the water is as clean as possible before it is returned to nature.

 – We have been very satisfied with the tests that Mivanor has conducted, and the technology shows excellent capabilities. This applies to the parameters for which we have concession requirements, as well as the overall picture, from the amount of suspended matter to efficiency, says Odd Willy Sakshaug, site manager at Franzefoss Husøya.

 The two facilities are nearly identical, with the Eide facility being twice as large. The latter will receive an upscaled solution with double the capacity.

 

Ahead of the Requirements
Sakshaug has been the site manager at Franzefoss Husøya for nearly 10 years, with over 20 years of experience in the process industry.

 He explains that it is increasingly important to stay ahead of the requirements.

 – At Franzefoss, we are very focused on meeting all requirements and having the least possible impact on the environment. This means we cannot rest on our laurels; we must always be a little ahead of the requirements. For example, purifying the water more than strictly required.

 The site manager further mentions that in August, they will face stricter requirements through waste regulations. Over his 35 years in the industry, he has seen how the requirements have continually increased and that it is not always easy to meet them.

 – If you continue to operate as you have for several decades, you won't survive long in the face of new requirements. It's fundamentally a good thing, but at the same time, it's challenging for many companies because they may feel they are on the edge of meeting new requirements and their ability to meet them, says Sakshaug, adding:

 – You can't continuously experiment with or develop new technologies, and it's nice to be able to rely on actors who provide a substantial safety margin regarding the requirements. Our vision is 'the best choice for society,' and it requires us to take extra responsibility to be just that, in addition to the work we do.

 

Looking Forward to the Collaboration
Robert Tarasz, the CEO of Mivanor, is very pleased with the trust shown by Franzefoss and is looking forward to getting to work.

 – Franzefoss is a very environmentally conscious company with clear ambitions for the environment and its own sustainability efforts. We are delighted to contribute by ensuring that they meet existing requirements and are ahead of future ones.

 "Our operations affect the external environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, nature interference, and the release of polluting components into water and air, and we continually work to minimize the environmental impact of our operations."
 – Franzefoss's Sustainability Report 2021

 

The installation at Husøya and Eide will begin after the summer. Tarasz says they have good experience with similar work but are also looking forward to the challenge.

 – We are delivering two similar solutions, but to two different facilities of different sizes. In our view, this demonstrates the adaptability and flexibility of the solution, and we are very pleased with Franzefoss's positive feedback on the technology itself. We look forward to the collaboration and assisting Franzefoss in providing a cleaner environment and greater sustainability in the recycling industry.