Fifty years have gone by since the founders Erik Jølberg and Olav Nygaard quit their steady jobs to follow their dream. Jølberg is still CO at TESS and maneuvers over 135 service centers a collective revenue of 3 billion NOK.
TESS is an international supplier of services and products for operations and maintenance. The global commitment is developing through their service centers in Denmark, Great Britain, Spain, Brazil, USA, and Singapore. The core products are hoses for all purposes, with a wide selection of services for the same markets. Their THM (TESS Hose Management) program is well reputable among offshore-related companies.
The 2nd of September 1968 TESS opened for business in Aabyesgate 8 in Drammen for the first time – under the name Teknisk Service. Their first sale is still vivid in Jølberg’s memory. A month before opening, they tried selling hoses through mail order – without a single sale. – We thought we knew sales and marketing, but we were wrong. Doing this taught us a lot, and we quickly learned that the only thing that worked was being in touch with customers face to face. We needed to be proactive, to show our products and our know-how, says Erik Jølberg.
The same is valid today, 50 years later. Customer contact will always remain as the single most crucial element to offer excellent service and competence.
maintenance. The global commitment is developing through their service centers in Denmark, Great Britain, Spain, Brazil, USA, and Singapore. The core products are hoses for all purposes, with a wide selection of services for the same markets. Their THM (TESS Hose Management) program is well reputable among offshore-related companies.
The 2nd of September 1968 TESS opened for business in Aabyesgate 8 in Drammen for the first time – under the name Teknisk Service. Their first sale is still vivid in Jølberg’s memory. A month before opening, they tried selling hoses through mail order – without a single sale. – We thought we knew sales and marketing, but we were wrong. Doing this taught us a lot, and we quickly learned that the only thing that worked was being in touch with customers face to face. We needed to be proactive, to show our products and our know-how, says Erik Jølberg.
The same is valid today, 50 years later. Customer contact will always remain as the single most crucial element to offer excellent service and competence.
Devoted and Dedicated
Jølberg is still as dedicated and devoted as he was 50 years ago – at the least.
– It is incredible to look back at everything you helped build, and looking ahead at the joys awaiting you in the future, says a provident 75-year young Jølberg.
Jølberg has no plan of stepping down.
– I said that I would work until I am 104 years old, then I plan to take a year off to decide on what to the next. D
National and International Commitment
With more than 1 000 employees, 135 service centers and yearly revenue of almost 3 billion NOK TESS has grown larger and stronger than the competition.
To strengthen their competence and gain strategic positions in the Norwegian marked, TESS has acquired eight businesses in 2018. Four of these came from former independent retailers in the Tools-group. The main reason behind these acquirements is to develop TESS as a supplier and to strengthen their position with already existing and potential partners.
Anniversary Celebration
The 29th of September marked a grand celebration for over 1000 employees and partners at Telenor Arena in Oslo, following the Industrial Fashion Fair hosted by TESS 27th – 29th of September. The fair celebrated its 20th anniversary and had a record of 124 exhibitors and 2 500 visitors.
