Sterner ended 2025 with a deficit but now signals a new growth phase
After a year of losses and extensive restructuring, the Norwegian aquaculture supplier reports a strong order backlog and expects a positive operating result in 2026
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Sterner had a turnover of NOK 260.7 million (£20.4m) in 2025, but ended the year with a loss of NOK 35.8m (£2.8m). The Norwegian company, which supplies water treatment technology to the aquaculture industry, said in a press release that the results reflect a year marked by extensive restructuring.
Towards the end of 2025, founder Bjarne E. Pettersen acquired majority ownership and rejoined as chief executive. Together with a new management team, the company implemented a strategic and operational restructuring with the goal of reducing risk, strengthening project execution, improving profitability and refining the water treatment business.
Built up order reserve
At the beginning of 2026, equity was strengthened through a share issue in which both Pettersen and several employees participated.
According to the company, the measures have already had an impact. After the first half of 2026, Sterner says it will have strong equity, good liquidity and a positive operating result.
The company expects revenue of approximately NOK 250m and an operating profit before depreciation (DG1) of around NOK 20m in 2026.
At the same time, Sterner stated that it has built up a significant order backlog that will ensure high activity well into 2027, including through contracts within aquaculture, municipal water treatment, and industry.
“We have spent the past year building a new Sterner. We have significantly reduced risk, strengthened the organisation and created a culture with a clear focus on profitability, quality and execution. The results after the first half of the year show that the strategy is working,” said Pettersen.
Looking towards profitable growth
The Sterner boss highlighted the employees as an important part of the restructuring.
“I would like to extend a big thank you to all the fantastic people at Sterner. They have shown impressive effort, great loyalty, and strong commitment throughout a demanding period of restructuring. Together we have built a company that is significantly stronger than it was a year ago,” said Pettersen.
The company is now turning its attention to further development.
“2025 was the year in which we took the necessary steps to secure Sterner for the future. Now it’s about profitable growth. With a stronger organisation, good liquidity, and a significant order backlog, we enter the rest of 2026 and further into 2027 with great optimism,” concluded Pettersen.
