Bornholm’s business community is on the right course
Chairman of Bornholm’s Business Council, Karen Bladt, and head of business at Business Center Bornholm, Christa Lodahl, are optimistic about the future of Bornholm’s business community, but point out that labour will be a decisive challenge. Photo: Kristoffer Linus
Most industries on Bornholm are doing very well. And with Rønne Harbour's expansion and an energy island on the horizon, the island's business community will receive even more wind in its sails. However, it is absolutely crucial that we can attract and retain good labour if the business opportunities of the future are to be realised, according to both the Bornholm Regional Business Council and Business Center Bornholm.
There is currently plenty to keep Bornholm businesses busy across most sectors. The electrical installation and construction industries are booming, dragging a sea of subcontractors along in the positive development. There is likewise plenty of steam in the boilers at most of the island's large industrial companies, while agriculture is also busily engaged in the major task posed by the green tripartite agreement.
Bornholm's business community is therefore experiencing a tailwind at present, according to the assessment of Karen Bladt, chair of the Bornholm Business Council and director and owner of HASLE Refractories A/S.
– Despite the fact that there is a lot of turmoil out in the world, it is my assessment that things are actually going very well on Bornholm. You can also hear that from the Danish economy in general, that even though it is storming around us, things are going okay, says Karen Bladt, who nonetheless adds that the island's retail trade is challenged.
– But we are also seeing new initiatives about strengthening the customer experience, and here overall physical urban development also plays a part, she says.
Bornholm's business community has a special strength in that we know each other. We stick together. If we set our minds to something and have an agenda, we are pretty good at pulling in the same direction.
Huge potential for development
The chairman attributes this positive development particularly to businesses' ability to adapt to new demands within areas such as digitalisation and the green transition. And regarding the green transition, Bornholm's business community is looking towards major development potential with the expansion of Rønne Harbour and an energy island on the horizon, according to the chairman of the business council.
– The major projects such as the energy island and the port expansion with the load-out of wind turbines are locomotives for our business development that we can be proud of, she says, adding that it is equally important to look at the entire value chain.
– When the big players attract growth to the island, it opens up opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises – and that is something Bornholm is good at exploiting. It is equally important that we focus on developing more industries and also cultivating new business areas that can become part of our business mix in the future, such as drone and robotics companies as well as the tech sector.
How do we best ensure development and growth on the island?
– By standing together to ensure that the opportunities available are also successful. For example, the energy island and the energy business park. Bornholm's business community has a particular strength in that we know one another. We stick together. If we set our minds to something and have an agenda, we are pretty good at pulling in the same direction, says Karen Bladt.
BCB provides access to new knowledge
However, businesses cannot shoulder the task alone, according to Christa Lodahl, Head of Business at Business Center Bornholm (BCB).
– As an island, we need to be good at creating the common spaces where businesses, the municipality and educational institutions can meet and act on the opportunities that exist.
Here, it's about each stakeholder playing to their strengths for the benefit of the Bornholm community, she elaborates.
– That very sense of community is one of Bornholm's greatest strengths – and something we work purposefully with at Business Center Bornholm. Our role is both to give businesses access to new knowledge and to help them turn major agendas such as the green transition, digitalisation and labour shortages into concrete actions. Thus, we see ourselves as an important focal point for business development, says Christa Lodahl.
The role of the business council
Karen Bladt completely agrees that BCB plays an important role in promoting the development of the island's business community, and she also sees the Business Council under BCB as an active player in that context.
– We have three roles. For one, we are a forum where we bring people together across industries and sectors, and through that we can get a sense of how things are going. In addition, we also have a business policy role where we focus on the specific agendas in the island's business community that are in need of a boost.
Finally, the role of the Business Council is also to inform BCB's board of directors of any special circumstances they should be aware of in relation to BCB and Bornholm's business promotion system, explains Karen Bladt.
Overall, she sees a strong business community as absolutely crucial for the island's development and future.
– Business creates both jobs and a tax base. But it is also about attractiveness – a strong business community provides a basis for people wanting to live and thrive here.
The opportunities must be seized
Karen Bladt therefore hopes that all the island's industries will be in a strong position in the future business landscape of Bornholm.
– We have tourism. We also have a strong and growing food sector, which helps to brand Bornholm nationally and internationally. But we also need industry, and we also need retail. It is also important that we have a certain number of businesses of a certain size, says Karen Bladt.
That view is shared by Christa Lodahl, who believes that good variation in job opportunities is a crucial factor for an island like Bornholm. Because variation provides resilience, she explains.
– It is important on an island that will always be affected by economic cycles and the outside world, says Christa Lodahl.
Which trends and opportunities should business owners keep up to date with?
– Green transition, digitalisation, artificial intelligence and automation are obvious paths, is the response from the head of business, who adds that it is about making it operational – figuring out how it can create value in the individual company.
– For us at BCB, it is about making these major agendas relevant to Bornholm businesses. We see that those who seize and work with the opportunities early on will also be the ones who are in the strongest position in the future.
A great place to work
Finally we are going to armour ourselves against the ripples coming from the outside world, Karen Bladt believes.
– For many years we have shown that we can navigate various external circumstances and challenges. Regardless of whether it has been the financial crisis, corona, supply chain crisis or inflation, I think we have managed to land on our feet every time. And when I look around the businesses on Bornholm, they are standing pretty solidly on their feet, and they need to stay robust. And you only do that if you develop, she points out and adds:
– That is why we must continue to stay on our toes and ensure that we maintain high productivity and do not fall behind, just as it is important that we are also keen to export off the island. We must not turn inwards. We cannot make a living from that.
However, if the visions and opportunities that lie ahead for Bornholm's business community are to succeed, it is absolutely essential that we can attract the necessary labour, emphasises the chair of the business council, backed by the head of business development.
– The workforce will be the biggest challenge – both in terms of attracting and retaining staff. Therefore, it is crucial that Bornholm continues to develop as an attractive place to live and work. We must offer good job opportunities, but also quality of life and communities, stresses Karen Bladt.
BY JOAN ØHRSTRØM