What does 2025 look like for businesses in Lolland-Falster and South Zealand? What opportunities and challenges await companies in the region in the coming year? We posed this question to a number of key figures with insight into the business world. First, Allan Aaskov, director of Lollands Bank, gave his perspective. Now it's Helene Urth's turn, director of Business Vordingborg.
Her response particularly highlights the green transition, investments in the defense sector, and the growing labor shortage as central factors in 2025.
What trends do you see for businesses in Lolland, Falster, and South Zealand in 2025?
In Vordingborg Municipality, we have an ambition to become Eastern Denmark's powerhouse for green energy, and several of our neighboring municipalities also wish to benefit from the growth that the green transition brings. There is an increased focus on sustainability in the region, and therefore we are actively working to attract companies within that sector.
We have several green projects underway. European Energy plans to establish the world's largest test center, where solar cells and agricultural operations are combined, and Green2x is working on securing financing for a biogas test facility on Møn. I hope and expect to see more green innovation in Power-to-X, sector coupling, cleantech, as well as green energy production and storage.
Which sectors do you think will experience growth in the coming year - and why?
The green energy sector will grow, even though 2024 was a challenging year for the industry. There are still solid projects in the pipeline that can drive growth in the coming years.
Helene Urth
Position:
Director at
Business Vordingborg
Start date:
October 1,
2023
Role:
As
director of a company primarily tasked with attracting green businesses to
Vordingborg Municipality, Helene Urth is responsible for developing a strategy for
business attraction together with the board of Business Vordingborg.
Additionally, the state investment in defense will create growth in the defense industry and related service sectors. This will likely also lead to increased activity at the ports in our area. The defense sector will need production and service capacity at selected ports, and at the same time, port areas are in high demand due to the expansion and servicing of offshore wind farms in Europe.
Which sectors will struggle?
In 2025, manufacturing companies and subcontractors that do not prioritize sustainability will struggle. Those who do not invest in green transition may lose access to financing and be deselected as suppliers. Consumers and investors are increasingly demanding responsibility, and it can become a hindrance if companies do not meet these demands. 2025 may prove to be a fateful year for those who once again postpone sustainability efforts - as it will soon become an official requirement.
What are the biggest challenges for companies in the area in 2025 - and how can they be solved?
Lack of labor. It's as simple as that. But just as simple as it is to identify the problem, it is equally complex to solve it. It requires a broad effort across business, politicians, and the administrative forces in the municipalities.
As simple as it is to identify the biggest challenge, it is equally complicated to manage and solve it
Helene Urth on labor shortage
As part of the effort to attract labor, we need to make the area attractive. It's about good schools, an exciting leisure life, strong local communities - and of course attractive workplaces. More efforts are necessary to ensure qualified labor. In Vordingborg Municipality, I see signs that we are beginning to work more holistically with this challenge. We will hopefully soon be favored by the upcoming Fehmarn connection, which makes it easier to attract candidates from Europe.
How can companies prepare to take advantage of new opportunities in the region?
There will be better opportunities to attract foreign labor, and companies can already participate in upskilling programs. So they are not left on the platform when the first train runs through the Fehmarn tunnel, while the well-prepared companies win the competition.
From a tourism perspective, businesses can also prepare for the new guests from the south and enhance their offerings to fully exploit the potential.
The new connection to Germany and Europe opens up entirely new collaboration opportunities, and I would again recommend that businesses sharpen their sustainability profile. Large companies already require their subcontractors to document their sustainability, and a strong green profile can provide businesses with a competitive advantage.
