Our history

Kjell Steinsvik founded the company Hustad Kalk og Marmor AS in 1948. The company produced calcite marble for agricultural use for the neutralisation of acidic soil in relation to the development of marshlands into cultivable land in Tverfjell in Fræna.

After running the company with his father Kjell Steinsvik since 1959, Sturla Steinsvik (23) takes over as General Manager in 1965.

Hustad Kalk og Marmor’s production was expanded to include fillers for asphalt, plaster and paint. The construction industry became more important and production of agricultural calcite marble diminished.

In 1977 a close cooperation with the family-owned company Omya AG began. Omya AG was a global market leader in processing of calcite marble fillers and pigments. Hustad Kalk og Marmor AS was subsequently split into two companies: the raw material supplier company Hustadkalk AS, owned by the Steinsvik family, and the processing plant Hustadmarmor AS whose ownership was shared 50/50 between Hustadkalk and Omya.

1979 saw the first investment in Hydrocarb M, a calcite marble-based pigment developed by Omya for use as filler and coating in the paper industry. The use of Hydrocarb M required the paper mills to change their production from acid to neutral. The change also helped save a considerable amount of electricity in paper production.

In 1996, Hustadkalk AS purchased Minnor AS, a bankrupt company, from Norcem and Elkem in Drag in Tysfjord, and founded Norwegian Crystallites AS to process local quartz and hydropower for use in high-purity quartz products.

Hustadkalk AS establishes Brønnøy Kalk AS for extraction of calcite marble in Akselberg in Velfjord, Brønnøy municipality.

Norsk Mineral acquired PartnerPlast AS in Åndalsnes. PartnerPlast is a market leader in the design, construction and rotational casting of plastic for the seismic, offshore & subsea, and aquaculture industries.

A milestone for Hustadmarmor, which had developed into the largest producer of pigments for the paper industry, with more than three million tonnes of Hydrocarb M sold.

Sturla Steinsvik was honoured with the St Olav’s Medal for his years of service to Norwegian business. He was also awarded Doctor Honoris Cause by Molde University College in 2006, and in 1995 he received “Bergmannstaven”, an honorary award from Norsk Bergforening, the trade association for the Norwegian mineral and mining industry.

Omya AG bought Hustadkalk’s remaining shares in Hustadmarmor. The business partnership continues with sale of raw material from Hustadkalk to Hustadmarmor. Norsk Mineral AS was established.

Norsk Mineral purchased Strandveien 50 in Lysaker, the main offices of Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA.

Norsk Mineral bought part of Akershus Invest AS, a company conducting housing development in Berlin.

The QUARTZ Corp was established as a joint venture between Norsk Mineral and the French company Imerys by merging Norwegian Crystallites in Drag and The Feldspar Corporation in the US.

Norsk Mineral purchased 50% of Henrik Ibsensgate 100 in Oslo – “Indekshuset”.

Norsk Mineral ventured into renewable energy by purchasing shares in Clean Energy Invest AS.

NM Florida AS was established and bought apartment buildings in Pineapple Grove, Delray Beach, Florida, USA.