Jens-Halvard Bratz

Jens-Halvard Bratz (born April 21, 1920 in Østre Aker , Oslo ; † January 19, 2005 in Oslo) was a Norwegian economic manager and politician from Høyre , who was Minister of Industry in the government of Prime Minister Kåre Willoch between 1981 and 1983 . He was president of the employers' association Norges Industriforbund and held numerous management positions in Norwegian industry.

Life

Business manager and managing director of A / S Grorud Jernvarefabrik

Bratz, son of the business manager and entrepreneur Ragnvald Bratz and his wife Oline Henriksen, completed his school education from 1933 to 1937 at the Østre Aker middle school and then between 1938 and 1940 at the commercial high school in Oslo. In 1941 he began a professional activity in the metal factory A / S Grorud Jernvarefabrik founded by his father and in the following years dealt with purchasing, contract negotiations, personnel matters and sales, and was finally the company's representative in negotiations with other companies and organizations.

During the Second World War Bratz was actively involved in the resistance against National Socialism and the occupation by the German Wehrmacht in the 13th district of the Milorg resistance group .

Between 1945 and 1946 he was a student trainee in the United Kingdom and in the USA for further training . His first marriage was Sissel Lie in 1946, a daughter of the politician and Secretary General of the United Nations Trygve Lie . He was married to her until her death in 1983.

In 1950 he was first dispatcher and in 1962 managing director of A / S Grorud Jernvarefabrik and remained in this position until 1981. At the beginning, the company, which manufactured fittings, door and window hinges, had 400 employees and grew to 600 employees as the factory succeeded the Second world war due to the growing housing expanded. On the other hand, he promoted the development and improvement of products to strengthen the company's position at home and abroad. This created production facilities in Czechoslovakia .

For its developments and innovations, the company was awarded the design prize for mechanical workshops (Mekaniske Verksteders Designpris) in 1972, the prize of the Czech building exhibition CONECO and the innovation prize of the Norwegian plastics industry (Norsk Plastforenings Innovasjonspris) in 1973. The world patents developed by the company secured the company's turnover and efficient production.

Furthermore, as managing director, Bratz expanded the range of manufactured articles by producing saw blades, hand saws and forestry tools, although there were initially difficulties because a large part of the craft businesses relied on the products of previous manufacturers. Due to the quality of the products, the company also gained a large market share in the USA and Europe . This development ultimately led to larger investments in land and factories in Norway, but also in Great Britain.

President of Norges Industriforbund and Minister of Industry

In addition to his own entrepreneurial activity, Bratz was committed to economic freedom and business cooperation and was involved in numerous public and private organizations such as vice-president and, between 1971 and 1973, president of the business association Norges Industriforbund .

In the mid-1970s he began his political engagement and was a member of the central board of Høyre between 1974 and 1983. In 1976 he was honored with the Officer's Cross of the Order of Saint Olav for his business achievements and was also commander of the Swedish Order of Vasa .

On October 14, 1981, Bratz was appointed by Prime Minister Kåre Willoch as Minister of Industry (Minister of Industry) in his government, to which he was a member until September 16, 1983. His successor as Minister of Industry was then Jan P. Syse .

After leaving the government, he was CEO of Den Norske Industribank from 1984 to 1988 . In 1985 he married Evelyn Heje Lorentzen, a daughter of the shipowner Jørgen Johannes Lorentzen.

Web links

• Biography in the Norsk biografisk leksikon
• Entry on the homepage of the Storting