our Story
Story of Entrepreneurship, Growth and Legacy
In 2002, Einar Ólafsson took the first step on the journey that would later become Sólar. Having completed an MBA with a focus on human resources, he developed a deep interest in working with those who often held the most undervalued and invisible roles in the labor market. He believed that employee satisfaction could make all the difference for Sólar to flourish and that this required building respect, good working conditions, a positive workplace culture, and constructive feedback.
Einar passed away far too young in 2007, but the company remained in the family. To this day, his widow Daiva Leliené, together with their sons Gunnar and Ólafur, are the owners of Sólar. Shortly before Einar’s passing, Þórsteinn Ágústsson became the company’s CEO, leading Sólar’s growth and development until early 2023.
In its early days, Sólar operated out of Þverholt, where Einar also ran the Egilsborg guesthouse. The company’s very first project was cleaning Nettó supermarket in Mjódd, a task Einar himself undertook together with Daiva and Þórsteinn. Sólar grew quickly, and in 2004 the company moved into larger premises in Askalind, Kópavogur, taking another step forward by opening its own laundry facility.
The year 2007 was a landmark for Sólar: it became the first cleaning company in Iceland to earn the prestigious Nordic Ecolabel "Svanurinn". That same year, the Ministry for the Environment awarded Sólar the environmental prize “Kuðungurinn”, confirming that the company was not only operating a business but also taking a leadership role in environmental responsibility. With the implementation of ISO14001 in 2024, sustainability and social responsibility became central to its operations.
A major step in Sólar’s expansion came in 2018 with the acquisition of Táhreint, which brought specialized services under Sólar’s umbrella to handle more complex projects. Continued growth called for even larger facilities and in 2021 Sólar moved its operations to Dalshraun 6 in Hafnarfjörður.
In 2024, the acquisition of Mánar further strengthened Sólar’s position, expanding its operations and success even more.
The values instilled by the late Einar have remained guiding principles throughout Sólar’s journey. They have fostered high employee satisfaction and a strong, positive work culture — the very foundation of Sólar’s continued success.
Einar passed away far too young in 2007, but the company remained in the family. To this day, his widow Daiva Leliené, together with their sons Gunnar and Ólafur, are the owners of Sólar. Shortly before Einar’s passing, Þórsteinn Ágústsson became the company’s CEO, leading Sólar’s growth and development until early 2023.
In its early days, Sólar operated out of Þverholt, where Einar also ran the Egilsborg guesthouse. The company’s very first project was cleaning Nettó supermarket in Mjódd, a task Einar himself undertook together with Daiva and Þórsteinn. Sólar grew quickly, and in 2004 the company moved into larger premises in Askalind, Kópavogur, taking another step forward by opening its own laundry facility.
The year 2007 was a landmark for Sólar: it became the first cleaning company in Iceland to earn the prestigious Nordic Ecolabel "Svanurinn". That same year, the Ministry for the Environment awarded Sólar the environmental prize “Kuðungurinn”, confirming that the company was not only operating a business but also taking a leadership role in environmental responsibility. With the implementation of ISO14001 in 2024, sustainability and social responsibility became central to its operations.
A major step in Sólar’s expansion came in 2018 with the acquisition of Táhreint, which brought specialized services under Sólar’s umbrella to handle more complex projects. Continued growth called for even larger facilities and in 2021 Sólar moved its operations to Dalshraun 6 in Hafnarfjörður.
In 2024, the acquisition of Mánar further strengthened Sólar’s position, expanding its operations and success even more.
The values instilled by the late Einar have remained guiding principles throughout Sólar’s journey. They have fostered high employee satisfaction and a strong, positive work culture — the very foundation of Sólar’s continued success.
