In 1818, Helseth founded a cotton-spinning firm in
Drammen (
Drammens Bomuldsspinderi) along with local
Haugean (
haugianere) businessmen;
Hans Nielsen Hauge was an initial investor. In 1821, the company was moved to
Solbergelva in
Nedre Eiker. The Solberg spinning mill (
Solberg Spinderi) harnessed the power of Solberg watercourse (
Solbergvassdraget) and became Norway's first producer of mechanically spun yarn. In 1833, Helseth, the sole owner of Solberg Spinderi, made efforts to improve operations. He toured similar operations in
Sweden,
Belgium and the
Netherlands. To finance new machines for the mill, he found it necessary to sell two-thirds of the company. In 1844, along with the new owners, he acquired new machines from
Manchester, England, beginning a period of increasing production and profits. In 1857 he sold his interest in the mill and bought a farm in Eiker, where he moved five years later. He was a deputy to the
Norwegian Parliament in 1821, a member of the city council for
Drammen (1818–1822), and the deputy mayor of
Nedre Eiker Municipality (1837–1841). He died in 1865 and was buried in the churchyard of
Nedre Eiker Church (
Nedre Eiker kirke). ==References==