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A 15-minute short film about Lundeby's history can be downloaded from
this page.
THE STORY OF LUNDEBY
We are in the typical village Hærland in Eidsberg-in
the early 30's. Helge Lundeby has just ended agronomist-education on Kalnes,
and want to make him a living. The times are not the best, but Lundeby
borrow money and buy a piece of land and buildt a combined chickens and pig
farm in 1932, with accommodation in one end.
Later he buils a large main building on the farm. The most lucrative was
chicken-operation with hatching of chickens and selling eggs. By the end of
the 30s, there were 3,000 chickens in the building. Helge Lundeby became the
largest manufacturer in the country, and included the sole supplier to the
Grand Hotel in Oslo. During the war it was not possible to provide food for
the chickens, and the stock was eventually slaughtered.
After the war, it would be major changes in the country. Because of
rationing and reconstruction, any producer of meat should not have have more
than 200 hens, and economies of scale was thus impossible. The chicken farm
was not restarted. |
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Helge Lundeby ca.1930
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Helge Lundeby was at this time also engaged in the lumber trade, which was
very lucrative in Norway characterized by reconstruction and
industrialization. He ran a sawmill in Hærland, while he rented capacity on
a number of other saws when necessary. Lundeby Sag was closed in the 60's
and the business was moved to Setskog. Bjørkenes Sag is still in operation
and in Lundeby-family ownership. Helge Lundeby did this even to far up in
the nineties. He passed away in 2000 at the age of 92 years. |
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During the war Helge Lundeby had accidentally become acquainted with Rolf
Kronkvist from Centrum Bookbinderi in Oslo, which was one of many
bookbindings in the capital at the time. The firm was established during the
war and ran well.
Path to the acquaintance, had a puncture on the road (now E-18) below the
chicken farm. Kronkvist was in the village to buy food, and had loads of
potatoes on the truck. He needed help, and Helge Lundeby came to the rescue.
This incident contributed directly to the future cooperation and the
establishment of Lundeby & Co. Bokbinderi.
Centrum bookbinder expanded greatly after the war, and contact with
Lundeby proved to be something they both could turn the coin on. Kronkvist
needed more capacity for the increased production, while Helge Lundeby had
empty premises at their disposal. A collaboration was initiated, and some
machines were located in the old chicken farm in 1949.
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| Helge Lundeby hjalp Rolf
Kronkvist som hadde punktert med bilen sin på vei gjennom Hærland |
EA staff member from Centrum Bokbinderi, Lars Øverby, was sent Hærland to help
with the relatively modest production that was at Lundeby in the beginning.
Lundeby & Co Bokbinderi was founded in August of that year. In the company name
Lundeby & Co., was "& Co" for Rolf Kronkvist.
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Lundeby & CO Bokbinderi ca
1960 |
It was in 1952 that one saw it necessary to have a production manager at
Lundeby. Arne Aas, also he transferred from Centrum Bokbinderi, occupied the
first chief position.
The first employees were often women from the village, and many were called
when it was work to do. Many were housewives, and enjoyed an extra income.
But it was hardly Helge Lundeby who called, when he had little with the
daily operation to do. He was more interested in running a sawmill, and had
professionals to take care of the bookbindery.
Centrum Bokbinderi went bankrupt in 1958, and part of the estate was acquired
by Lundeby & Co. In connection with the bankruptcy Lundeby & Co. Bokbinderi
continues cooperation with the famous writer, Fred A. Fredhøi in Fredhøis
Publishing (founded 1927). The cooperation was initiated at Centrum
Bokbinderi several years in advance. Fredhøi based on a new idea from
England with adhesive-bound books, which would become known as "pocket books".
This was an idea brought from England by Odd Fredhøi, who was the son of
Fred.
Odd Fredhøi was to work closely with Hærland-business over the next year, and
Lundeby & Co. should be first, next to the Centrum Bokbinderi, who
mass-produced books after the new principle in Norway.
When Arne Aas quit in 1955, came a new head of production that would come to
characterize the plant as a member of the leadership over three decades. In
his time Lundeby & Co. Bokbinderi was a large and modern company. Asbjørn
Bratli was very interested in music, and founded Hærland Boy Band in 1956,
later to become Hærland Skole og Ungdomskorps.
The next years marked by expansion and continuing expansion of buildings,
machinery and employees. Helge Lundeby left the post of manager to his son,
Knut Helge in 1974. |
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Lars Øverby (t.v.)
from Centrum Bokbinderi and Arne Aas Lundeby first production manager
1952-55
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