The Agnäs utility pole factory produces turned poles from high-quality pine. The raw material is specially selected from the best Norrland pine trees and is considered by many to be of superior quality. The production of utility poles in Sweden is limited - there are only three utility pole factories in the whole of Sweden. The Agnäs factory is the only one located in Norrland (northern Sweden).
“Our production and sales are very stable from year to year. There is a constant need for new poles, whether it is to produce new ones or replace old ones. In Sweden alone there are upwards of 10 million poles that need to be maintained and replaced”, says Johan Lundberg.
Despite the recession Agnäs utility post factory was able to maintain production levels throughout 2023 and achieve a record-breaking result.
“Going into 2023 we had very high stock levels. But we also sold an incredible amount, so there was a substantial reduction in stock. At Agnäs we export almost everything we manufacture, so we also benefited from currency exchange rates. As it turned out 2023 was a great year for us, and we set an all-time record”, says Johan Lundberg.
The factory’s single largest market is North Africa, followed by Morocco. Central Europe is also a prosperous market.
“The production of utility poles is quite niche and there aren't that many companies in the marketplace. Those of us producing them work together a lot. We supply poles to each other which are then exported, often to England and Ireland, which are huge markets”, says Johan Lundberg, and adds:
“During 2023 a quarter of our deliveries went to another Swedish pole factory, which in turn exported them. So collaborations are very important”.
Sweden and Finland are the largest markets in Europe for utility poles due to their demand for high-quality raw materials. The trees used must be straight and as free as possible from imperfections such as knots.
“We usually call the trees selected to become utility poles the ‘filets of the forest’. Forest owners get paid extra for them”, says Johan Lundberg.
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