05/06/2026
Horizon Europe: Opportunities for Greenland’s Business Community
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In Maniitsoq, Sukkertoppen Rør has been a member of the Greenland Business Association for more than 40 years. For the company’s owner, the membership is about both legal security and support in a day-to-day business where specialized expertise can quickly become necessary.
By Rasmus Barud Thomsen
When Jesper Thyregod Baarsgaard Jensen took over Sukkertoppen Rør a year and a half ago, the company’s membership with the Greenland Business Association came with it.
The company, which was founded in 1982, has been a member from the very beginning, and Jesper never doubted that he wanted to continue the membership.
Alongside Sukkertoppen Rør, he also runs Maniitsoq El Service, which he has headed since 2010. Together, the two companies employ 20–25 people — and both are members of the Greenland Business Association.
“We’ve always been members. In the past, it was necessary in order to bid on projects, but today it’s about collective agreements and common rules of the game, as well as having GE as back-up if something comes up where we need help,” he says.
For Jesper Thyregod Baarsgaard Jensen, it is especially the legal guidance that makes the difference.
He describes himself as a craftsman without any particular knowledge of legal matters or employment law — and for that very reason, it is crucial to be able to get help quickly.
“If a large developer comes charging in with an army of lawyers, I need someone I can call who is on my side,” he says.
The same applies in smaller cases, where it is reassuring to have access to legal and labor law advice.
In one specific case, he had to dismiss a newly hired employee who quickly turned out not to be suited for the job.
And according to Jesper, it did not happen quietly.
“He threatened me with lawyers, and I was completely overwhelmed and close to panicking. But then I called GE, and they quickly and clearly explained what I was allowed to do and what rights he had. I passed that on — and that was the end of the case.”
For Jesper Thyregod Baarsgaard Jensen, this is exactly the kind of situation that makes the membership valuable.
“It’s worth its weight in gold to be able to call an expert and get a clear answer. Then I could sleep peacefully at night — and if anything else came up, I could just call again.”
In addition to legal advice, he also highlights the more practical benefits of the membership.
Among other things, there is the option to receive financial support for transportation if an employee needs to travel home for a funeral — a scheme that can be purchased as part of the membership.
“We really appreciate that option. It can quickly become expensive when an employee has to fly back and forth,” he says.
However, the biggest challenge facing the two companies is something entirely different.
According to Jesper Thyregod Baarsgaard Jensen, the lack of qualified labor is a “huge problem.”
This applies to both Greenlandic and foreign electricians, and the educational pathway is particularly challenging.
“Many Greenlandic students drop out because part of the training takes place in Denmark. And it also requires that you can read and speak Danish — at least with us,” he says.
Education is precisely one of the areas where the Greenland Business Association is working to improve conditions, and Jesper hopes those efforts will have an effect. Because while he is short on workers, he is not short on assignments.
“Business is going well — including at Sukkertoppen Rør. So I can’t really complain. And yet I can, because as mentioned, we need more trained employees,” he says.
