Since then, he has held several roles with us including mechanical engineer, engineering manager, and for a period even managing director.
Today, Åge works broadly across Kystdesign as our Chief Commercial Officer. He is involved in engineering and concept development for new products, while also contributing with long-term perspective and historical insight.
Development that makes a difference
What has always motivated him most is progress and seeing ideas evolve into real, working ROVs and equipment that customers value.
The biggest driver for me has always been development. Seeing something you’ve designed take shape, become real, and actually make a difference for customers. That’s the motivation. To make something good.
Åge Holsbrekken
CCO
The way Åge sees it, Kystdesign has never been about growth for growth’s sake. For the first two decades, growth happened organically, driven by a passion for creating high-quality and useful ROVs rather than by ambition to become large.
As the customer base expanded, growth became a necessity to continue supporting customers properly.
Double the double
Åge points to the numbers to highlight how incredibly fast things have moved over the years. He likes the fast pace, although he never could have imagined this kind of increase 27 years ago.
In ten years, from 2006 to 2016 Kystdesign grew from 10 to 20 employees.
In five years, from 2017 to 2022, it doubled again to around 40.
In three years, from 2023 to 2026, the team has grown to nearly 90.
«When we completed this building in 2016, it was hard to imagine that only a decade later we’d be growing into something twice its size.»
Highlights & milestones
Despite rapid growth, one thing has remained constant in Kystdesign: the culture that was established in the early years and which was so important to our founder Erik Kold Bakkevig.
The pride in delivering quality solutions is still rooted across the organization. It’s something Åge sees in the workshops and offices in Aksdal every day.
Even though we’ve grown a lot, I still see the same culture and craftsmanship that was there from the start. Our employees care about delivering something that’s genuinely good, user-friendly and useful. That is good to see.
Åge Holsbrekken, CCO
He also reflects on several other career highlights so far. Like when selling an ROV system to a potential customer in China, a rare reversal of the usual dynamic, even though export restrictions eventually stopped the deal.
«Contact with a large number of customers and suppliers has also been important in making the days meaningful. Having good partners where the foundation is mutual trust makes everything so much easier and has been an important factor in our success», Åge says.
Today, inquiries come to Kystdesign from all corners of the world, a testament to the reputation the company has built over time.
Another major milestone came last year with Chouest’s new ownership of Kystdesign.
The CCO finds that it was a natural step in the journey with an owner willing to invest, support continued growth, and help take Kystdesign into its next chapter.
Slowing the pace
Away from work, Åge enjoys slowing the pace. Much of his time is spent in the mountains whether he is hiking locally, skiing cross-country, or visiting his cabin.
It’s a contrast to the fast-moving workdays, still, the philosophy remains the same both on and off the clock:
«Focus on having a good time. What you do should be enjoyable.»
