THE EXPANSION IN THE NORTH

Skellefteå's success a national affair

Northvolt's decision to establish Europe's largest battery factory in Skellefteå has placed the municipality in a unique position. It has the highest per capita investment of any municipality in Sweden, and the investments will not only be socially, economically and environmentally sustainable - but also in a short period of time. This requires cooperation with stakeholders at national, regional and local level. Municipal director Kristina Sundin Jonsson explains how the municipality is preparing for the rapid and powerful expansion.

Even before Northvolt was established, Skellefteå had drawn up an investment plan to create an attractive community with the goal of reaching 80,000 inhabitants by 2030. To attract new people, investments in schools, infrastructure and housing had been initiated, among other things.

- This turned out to be crucial. We summed up the strengths of the place, which gave us new power, new confidence and made us much more offensive. Skellefteå has changed a lot recently, and the regeneration and investment that started a few years ago is imbued with an open and humble attitude of wanting to embrace new and sustainable influences," says Kristina Sundin Jonsson.

In October 2017, Northvolt announced the decision to establish its battery factory in Skellefteå. This followed an open inquiry that had put heavy pressure on the interested municipalities.

- Many of us worked extremely hard and it was like working during a crisis. But we had a clear goal and thanks to the dedicated work of many, we were chosen," says Kristina Sundin Jonsson and continues:

- We were able to show Northvolt our great natural and raw material resources and the place's tradition of a strong basic industry that has resulted in many driven entrepreneurs. In addition, we had for several years focused on working together with other actors, which now paid off. Both the business community and neighbouring municipalities were willing to contribute creative solutions to Northvolt's issues and the whole package probably made us stand out in the competition.

Huge investments

Northvolt's establishment will result in up to 3,000 new jobs at the Bergsbyn plant alone and at least as many recruitments to subcontractors and the commercial and public sectors.

- It's incredibly exciting to live and work here right now. Approximately SEK 60 billion will be invested in Skellefteå between now and 2030 by both the public and private sectors, and the Västerbotten Chamber of Commerce expects investments of SEK 300 billion in the entire northern region, which is an unimaginable amount of money," says Kristina Sundin Jonsson.

An establishment of this kind obviously requires a major change. Representatives from Skellefteå visited Reno in the USA in spring 2019, where the world's largest battery factory has been built. This was to learn from their experience.

- Among other things, they stressed the importance of providing housing, an insight we took home with us. We are planning for 5,000 new homes in the central parts of Skellefteå and 3,000 outside the city centre. We will build in line with expectations and the scaling up that Northvolt is doing, and we will need the business community on board. There is a lot of interest from private housing operators who see the uniqueness of our situation. They get to be part of something big, they meet short decision paths and get a warm welcome that shows that we really want them on this journey, says Kristina Sundin Jonsson.

How to market the site

Sustainability permeates the entire process of developing the new Skellefteå, and from an economic perspective, the municipality is doing well.

- We have a tradition of very good finances and a number of subsidiaries, of which Skellefteå Kraft is the largest. We have a strong solidity and ability to pay, which is a strength that creates credibility in an establishment like this and when a community is to be built in such a short time. Like all other municipalities, we face challenges, including demographics, but we have good and stable finances and will continue to do so in the future," says Kristina Sundin Jonsson.

Skills supply is a priority for most employers in the region. Skellefteå is working on several fronts to attract people to the area.

- We have a public sector and a broad business community with both traditional and new industries, all of which offer exciting and interesting jobs. We have an attractive community with proximity to both urban and rural areas, which creates the conditions for good leisure time and a good life. We work closely with companies to find out what training they need, and we cooperate with the universities, which also want to take advantage of all the investments being made and attract students and researchers here," says Kristina Sundin Jonsson.

All eyes on Skellefteå

An increasing number of ministerial visits and visits from other national players, such as research institutes and universities, are proof of the attractiveness of Skellefteå at the moment.

- It is understood from a national perspective that this establishment needs to succeed. This means that we can set a model for how to work elsewhere in Sweden in similar ventures and attract other major players to invest in the country," says Kristina Sundin Jonsson and continues:

- Everyone has understood what is happening in Skellefteå and in our region, which has resulted in a greater focus on the whole of northern Sweden. Infrastructure investments such as the Norrbotniabanan, the E4 motorway and the airport are incredibly important for people to be able to get here and away from here in a smooth way. Our talks with the regional and national partners are important here, and I hope for progress in those talks.

Porträttbild av kommundirektören Kristina Sundin Jonsson

IN SHORT: THE CITY MANAGER ON SKELLEFTEÅ'S RAPID EXPANSION

  • The establishment of Northvolt's battery factory requires a major transformation in Skellefteå. There are plans for 8,000 new homes in and outside the city centre and Skellefteå municipality is working on several fronts to attract people with the right skills to the area. "We have a public sector and a broad business community, all of which offer exciting and interesting jobs. We have an attractive community that creates the conditions for a good leisure time and a good life. We cooperate with universities and work closely with companies to find out what training they need," says Kristina Sundin Jonsson.

  • She has seen increased national interest in Skellefteå and a greater focus on the whole of northern Sweden following Northvolt's establishment. "It is understood from a national perspective that this establishment needs to succeed. This means that we can set a model for how to work elsewhere in Sweden in similar ventures and attract other major players to make investments in the country," says Kristina Sundin Jonsson.

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Senast uppdaterad:
2 March 2023