Born in Norway and educated in Denmark, the founder of Perma Press Egil Norheim, went on to start his professional career in Iceland. After seven years in Iceland, Egil moved to Sweden where he believed he would find good business opportunities. At this time, he worked in advertising as a draftsman, making signs and decorations for display windows. He ran the business out of a caravan, touring the country.
The demand for prints on textiles was growing and Egil became involved. He eventually became a supplier to the big wharfs in Gothenburg who wanted the company name printed on their working clothes. Initially Egil used screen printing directly onto the garment but realized after some time that there must be a better solution. The work to create heat transfers for clothing began after a discussion when somebody stated “It will never work.” Egil, being a genuine entrepreneur and inventor, was not discouraged but became all the more determined to create a heat transfer product.
Egil Norheim founded Perma Press in 1980 in Gothenburg and the company was incorporated in 1987.
The passion for color and design was always at the center of his work and he felt that work was a “necessary joy”. His own explanation for the success was the need for constant innovation and improvements. “You have to be curious”. Egil was constantly developing new ink recipe and was happiest when doing this, or welding and constructing new machines.
An advertising sign from the Icelandic period, then Egil had an “Icelandic” surname, but later he changed to Norheim.