ASAP Norway was established in 2007 by founder Astrid Skreosen. She worked as an assistant nurse at the maternity ward at the hospital in Telemark, and saw the need for a specially adapted maternity sheet that could protect the mattress, reduce the need for cleaning and produce less waste. The requirements for a good product were, among other things, that it should sit firmly in the bed, that it was strong but thin, and that it effectively collected liquid.
Skreosen got several people involved in the development process, including Sintef, Tronerud Engineering Hønefoss, Oseberg Engineering Sandefjord and Purenviro. She developed a highly absorbent sheet with high lifting strength. This product contributed to less spillage, less resource use and better hygiene for those giving birth.
ASAP Norway has gradually developed next-generation recovery equipment for bedposts, tables and stretchers where there are special needs related to spills and liquids. The sheets are available in different qualities that meet different needs, and all products are Swan Ecolabelled. Product development and production takes place at ASAP's own factory in Telemark.
International market
ASAP Norway has been in the market since 2012 and has established an international network of distribution partners in the Nordics and Northern Europe. They have expanded their business beyond the health sector, and sell to, among other things, the funeral industry, the Armed Forces and industry. They now work with various branches and industries in 26 countries.
– The patents were important from the start in order to secure us against competing businesses and at the same time make the level of innovation visible to the stakeholders.
Astrid Skreosen
Astrid Skreosen
Secured rights in the most important markets
The company first checked whether they could find similar products nationally, which they did not. As part of the patent application, it was later investigated whether there were similar or overlapping patents internationally.
The product's combination of various properties, structure and manufacturing method proved to be unique, and could thus be patented. This was important as part of a long-term strategy to help secure the values in the company and provide some protection in a selection of the most important international markets. Lakenet is patented in the USA, Canada and in large parts of Europe. They have so far chosen to keep the production technology a secret.
The company name and some of the product names are registered as trademarks. For ASAP Norway, it has been important to protect the value of the goods and the brand that the company stands for. They have experienced that other actors have used the same terms in competition with the company without themselves meeting the same requirements. Then the patent and the trademark have been important.
ASAP Norway received help from Plougman and Vingtoft for the patent process, and they also assist them with administration and payment to maintain the rights.
Support schemes and investors
ASAP has received some public funding in the start-up phase, including through the Ofu project from Innovation Norway and Klosterøyafondet.
The patents and rights in the company have been important to external investors in order to highlight the level of innovation and underpin the risk of investing in the company.
Innovation for the future
- The future demands that new products embrace multiple needs in one and the same product and make everyday life easier, safer and more environmentally friendly. The product should also free up resources that can be used for other and more important things. We call it sustainable innovation, and it makes us glow, says Astrid Skreosen, founder and sales manager of ASAP Norway.
Advice to others
- The importance of the patent and trademark of an idea should be assessed in the context of the company's strategy and the resources available. The application process itself has a great value in itself. It ensures the quality of the uniqueness and the level of innovation at the same time as it can help the company to focus on different market areas, concludes Skreosen.
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