It was in 2019 that the management of the Vestre furniture factory decided to build the world’s most environmentally friendly and climate-correct furniture factory – because it could trigger climate subsidies for construction and operation. Merely creating a production site for “climate-friendly furniture”, however, was not visionary enough: The new factory was also to become a tourist magnet, and everything was to grow into the sky. The only things that have grown are subsidies and loans, while the finances are not entirely in line with the visions.
On the road towards the construction of “The Plus”, the state’s “active industrial policy” has given Vestre’s family business guarantee schemes, loans and grants from all sides – because the company has applied for them. Only two and a half months after Støre praised party colleague Jan Christian Vestre’s furniture factory, the furniture factory received a total of NOK 148 million in state guarantees for two loans.
An obvious entanglement of interests
The government has consistently backed the company, both verbally, in action and with around NOK 226 million in state guarantees, loans and grants from the state and municipality. Today, however, the company is struggling to service this debt. And while Labour crown prince Vestre speaks of openness and transparency, the minister’s family business refuses to disclose the extent to which the state and Norwegian municipalities are customers of the furniture factory.
Vestre naturally had to withdraw from all positions in the family business when he was appointed Minister of Trade and Industry on 14 October 2021, and the company got a new chief executive officer. I wrote about this already in 2022. In that simple way, the Minister of Trade and Industry suddenly had “no ties” to the family business any longer, formally speaking, overnight. But as Minister of Trade and Industry, he simultaneously became head of the institutions that distribute climate support to Norwegian industry.
“The Plus” runs at a minus
The factory “The Plus” (owned by the subsidiary The Plus AS and the parent company Vestre AS) has had significant financial challenges: The company that owns the factory building had total debt of around NOK 259 million in 2025, which resulted in negative equity because the book value of the assets was lower.
“The Plus” has therefore been dependent on capital injections from the parent company, which posted a weakened result in 2025. And because of “challenging market conditions”, increased costs and market pressure, lay-off notices were sent out to around 60 per cent of the employees just before Christmas in 2025.
The building also cost around NOK 340 million to construct, but after a valuer reviewed the building (which is a requirement as a consequence of public guarantees), it was given a book value significantly lower than the construction cost – not least because it is located deep in the woods at Magnor, which is not the centre of the universe.
No reason for scepticism!
Jan Christian Vestre is good at talking. He promised not only bonanza and jobs. He also promised the municipal council in Eidskog that the new furniture factory “The Plus” would make Magnor one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Norway. Nothing less. Here there would be environment for all the money, spectacular architecture, a visitor centre and 300 decares of public recreational area.
The moment a Labour Party top figure is involved in receiving public money, the press ought to react. The PowerPoint Vestre delivered to the municipal council in Eidskog municipality in 2022, however, was so convincing that it enchanted the entire assembly of local politicians, who unanimously said yes to giving the limited company public tax money in support. Guttorm Kristiansen from the Conservative Party thought that no one could be negatively disposed after having seen the presentation.
– Having heard this, it is almost too good to be true. (Sic!) If this is carried out and everything falls into place, this is practically a gift from God to Eidskog municipality. We know that the municipalities around here are struggling with jobs. This will be “pure Disneyland”, or whatever I should call it, it will be absolutely unbelievably fine.
Questions are asked, but no one answers
The Progress Party has also been on this case, and has asked Vestre AS as well as Minister Vestre to disclose how much support the company has received from state actors in total, and whether any of these loans are in default. They also want to know how much money the state and municipalities have spent on purchases of goods from the Vestre group in the period 2021–2025.
Many also want to know whether Minister Jan Christian Vestre has declared himself, or been declared, disqualified from dealing with matters concerning state support or public procurement involving Vestre AS. But all that comes back is “good day, axe handle” from the PR wall.
There is, namely, a danger that “The Plus” not only lives off public subsidies, but also lives off public customers through “unclear” agreements. If a municipality is required to buy “climate-friendly outdoor furniture” by government policy, then not many competitors will be included in the tender round.
And Labour Party people are good at supporting one another.