Norra Timber’s utility pole factory upbeat despite recession

Norra Timber’s utility pole factory in Agnäs had a financially successful 2024 – despite the recession.
“As strange as it sounds, recessions are usually good for us. It’s when large infrastructure projects are carried out globally, which boosts the sales of electricity and telecommunications poles,” says Agnäs’s Site Manager, Johan Lundberg.

Heating local communities with by-products from the forest

Did you know that heat from Norra Timber’s sawmills in Kåge, Sävar and Hissmofors helps warm as many as 1,700 houses in nearby communities every year? By burning by- products such as bark, wood chips and shavings in our furnaces, Norra Timber delivers district heating that creates benefits for both the environment and our local communities.

Digitized check-ins and check-outs at Norra Timber's sawmill

In 2024 Norra Timber, in collaboration with Datapolarna in Skellefteå, developed a unique system that fully digitizes check-ins and check-outs. We are proud to be the first sawmill to offer this innovative service to our transport partners.

Greetings from the Marketing Manager

I would like to share with you a brief insight into what awaits the timber products market in the coming six months. We anticipate both new opportunities and some challenges.

Durable and eye-catching pre-painted exterior cladding from Norra Timber

In an age where sustainable construction and aesthetic design are in sharp focus, Norra Timber offers a solution that combines the best of both worlds. Our pre-painted exterior cladding is not just a sustainable choice, but also an aesthetically pleasing option for modern construction projects.

Norra Timber's Johan Oja appointed member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences

Johan Oja, a Docent in wood technology at Luleå University of Technology and Technical Director at Norra Timber, which is owned by Norra Skog, has become one of the newest members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA).

His membership was approved at an academy meeting on Tuesday, December 3. Oja will work within the department for Forestry Technology, where he hopes to contribute with his extensive research and industry experience.

With power to make a difference

As part of the Swedish forest industry, Norra Timber is a part of underpinning the Swedish economy, as well as Sweden’s climate policy. As one of the world’s largest exporters of pulp, paper, and sawn timber, we are making an important contribution to employment all throughout Sweden and to the global climate benefit. This is how we have the power to make a difference.

Efficient sea transport – vital for successful timber exports

Efficient sea transport is a key factor for everyone working in the sawmill industry. For Norra Timber, world-leading Norlat Shipping plays a pivotal role in its business – especially when it comes to the export of its products to the Middle East and North Africa.

“What started out with the transportation of sawn logs and pulpwood within the Baltic Sea region has now developed into an extensive network of shipping routes that covers the entire Baltic Sea, Egypt and North America”, says Patrik Patriksson, Senior Chartering Manager at Norlat.

Norra Timber reaches new milestone – sends millionth cubic meter to Egypt

Norra Timber reached an important milestone in its export operations in August of this year when the millionth cubic meter of timber was loaded in Umeå Harbour and sent to our single largest customer in Egypt.

Norra Timber’s technology – labeled “unique in the world”

Norra Timber continues to invest heavily in its sawmill in Kåge, with the commissioning of a brand new 300 meter long timber sorting facility and a computer tomograph that provides a detailed insight into the internal properties of every log.

First in the world to X-ray logs – changed the industry forever

Anders Grönlund, a Professor Emeritus in wood technology, was one of the first people in the world to consider using X-ray technology on logs to maximize extraction. He first started X-raying pieces of timber at Skellefteå Hospital back in the 1980 – using the same X-ray machine that was being used on patients.

High interest rates continue to create problems

High interest rates and global unrest are still creating problems for the Swedish and global timber markets – resulting in higher timber prices, reduced sawmill production and larger stockpiles of timber products.

The economy will no doubt turn around when the construction industry eventually picks up speed again – but this probably won’t be until next fall.

Norra Timber investing SEK 150 million in Hissmofors Sawmill to increase production

Norra Timber continues to invest in its sawmill in Hissmofors, with up to SEK 150 million being spent in three separate stages. First up are updates in post-saw processing to enable planned updates to the saw line.

“Despite challenging times for the industry, we continue to make investments in our industries to keep them at the technological forefront of our sector. Such investments are necessary to cope with competition. We look positively to the future and are delighted about our investments in Hissmofors, says Henrik Jönsson, Industry Manager at Norra Timber.

International CEO: "Norra Timber delivers exceptional quality"

One of Norra Timber's largest export customers is Swefl based in Egypt. In May of this year the company’s CEO Nagy Mubasher and his sons visited Norra Timber's headquarters in Sweden, when we took the opportunity to ask him about our collaboration.

Norra Timber makes huge investment in Kåge Sawmill to maximize use of forest resources

Norra Timber is investing heavily in its sawmill in Kåge. A brand new 300 meter-long log sorting facility is now up and running, while a new CT scanner providing full reconstructions of the internal features of every log has recently been installed and is undergoing testing.

Norra Timber invests SEK 400 million in advanced X-ray technology

New X-ray technology at Norra Timber's sawmills in Sävar and Kåge will be able to identify the internal properties of logs, such as knots and other imperfections.

“Our investment amounts to a substantial total of SEK 400 million”, says Norra Timber’s Industry Manager, Henrik Jönsson.

Forests must be used to create greatest climate benefit

Forests are fundamental to addressing the urgent challenges facing our climate. Unfortunately too many people misunderstand how forests can best contribute to solving our climate problems. Many believe leaving old forests untouched to act as carbon ‘sinks’ is a good solution - but the truth is it’s probably the worst thing we can do.

How Nordic forests are helping in the battle against climate change

Sweden, Norway and Finland all have extremely active forestry industries. A report compiled by the Swedish University of Agriculture, SLU, reveals that the carbon sink in these three countries together has tripled in just under 60 years, while felling has increased by 40 percent.

“Forestry benefits our climate in many ways. Around 3.95 million tonnes of carbon dioxide is sequestered via photosynthesis in our members' forests alone each year”, says Patrik Jonsson, Head of Forestry & Wood supply at Norra Skog.

Norra Timber's utility pole factory posts record sales despite recession

Norra Timber's utility pole factory in Agnäs set a new financial record in 2023 as sales soared despite the recession.
 
“Strange as it may sound, a recession is usually good for us. That’s because large infrastructure projects are often carried out globally, which favors the sale of electricity and telecommunication poles”, says the factory’s Site Manager Johan Lundberg.

Save time by building fences with pre-painted cladding panels

Using factory-painted exterior cladding to build fences has several advantages. You can, of course, save a lot of time, but the boards and paint finish are quality guaranteed (CMP), which means you’ll also get quality wood materials and a consistent paint color that has been applied by a controlled moisture and surface treatment process. In other words, you’ll get a guaranteed and sustainable product every time.

More environmentally friendly transport booking system

There are increasing demands from the construction industry and customers for better and more environmentally friendly transport solutions. Since the turn of the year, all Norra Timber’s sites have implemented a new transport booking system that identifies more sustainable freight solutions and makes it easier to follow them up. 

Norra Timber reduces annual carbon dioxide emissions with new electric forklifts

Norra Timber has invested in two electric forklift trucks and a newly-built charging station at its sawmill in Sävar. The investment is part of a modernization of the company’s vehicle fleet and has slashed the sawmill’s carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 144 tons per year.

Turnaround in sight for the sawmill industry

I believe this year will end better than it started for the forestry industry.

“Important to understand the culture and people”

Daniel Färdeman is an export salesperson at Norra Timber and sells sawn timber into markets such as the USA, Europe and Asia. 

“There’s always a lot going on”, he says and laughs. 

New digital check-in and check-out system

A new digital system that makes it easier for drivers to pick up their loads is being beta-tested at Norra Timber’s sawmills. Whereas previously registration of a driver’s load and route had to be manually entered, the process is now fully automated.
“We are leading innovation in our industry in Sweden”, says Per Boman, System Manager at Norra Timber. 

They took a shortcut to their dream house

Renovating an old timbered farmhouse from the inside out is a labor of love that takes time.

New 300-meter-long timber sorting facility being built at Kåge Sawmill

”The installation represents a technological advancement that will allow every log to be traced and documented throughout the entire sawing process”, says Industry Manager Henrik Jönsson.

Premiums that reward timber felling

It is important for the entire forestry industry that timber can be felled and delivered whatever the season - even during wet and rainy periods of the year. That’s why Norra Skog has raised its premiums to encourage, among other things, ​​fellings during the snow-free season. 

An ‘Inbetween Year’ for Norra Skog

Despite this result, the company’s board has proposed increasing profit-sharing to its members as part of its long-term view that the value of its members' timber supplied over generations of forest management should not be affected by short-term fluctuations in the forest economy.

Norra Timber invests in sustainable packaging

Norra Timber aims to reduce the use of new plastic materials and promote a more circular economy by using a combination of recycled plastic and fully recyclable packaging material.

“Sweden has high-quality timber”

Zahid Rasheed from Lahore in Pakistan visited Norra Timber last December and was shown around two of our sawmills.

From plant to plank - A holistic approach matters to Hanna Ostman

Having previously worked in both the forestry and sawmill industries, Hanna Östman is taking the next step in the value chain as she assumes her new role within international sales at Norra Timber.

Mending a bad reputation

Impregnated wood has an undeservedly bad reputation and has in fact been a safe material choice for years, believes Fredrik Westin, CEO of the Swedish Wood Preserving Association, which is behind the publication ‘An Environmental Handbook for Treated Timber.

TEXT: KAROLINA EDSTEDT
PHOTO: ÖRJAN KARLSSON & DANIEL STRÖM

Ai plays matchmaker at Sävar Sawmill

The industrial boom in northern Sweden continues at pace, with substantial investments taking place at Norra Skog's Norra Timber sawmill in Sävar. Rather than slowing down through the current tough recession, the sawmill owned by Norra Skog's forestry owner’s association has opted to invest heavily to the amount of half a billion SEK. Cutting-edge technology upgrades are strengthening the sawmill’s reputation as one of the most modern facilities of its kind anywhere in the world.