FAQ

Frequently asked questions and answers

The industrial park initiative
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What is the mission of Torsboda Industrial Park?
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In short, our mission is to create conditions for the establishment of companies that generate at least 2,000 - 4,000 jobs on our industrial park.

Here is more information about our mission

Ownership guidelines

Why is a major industrial development important in the region?
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One of the biggest challenges in Västernorrland is the declining population trend with an ageing population and fewer taxpayers. We therefore need inward migration and more jobs. The green energy-intensive industry, including battery production, has proven to create increased regional attractiveness and strong growth. Greater establishment ultimately contributes to continued investment in strong welfare and good public services. If we are to be part of, or take the lead in, the green transition, we can benefit from a regional establishment of a world-leading company with developed cutting-edge technology.

How many new jobs will be created by a larger establishment?
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Generally speaking, an industrial job creates about 2-4 indirect jobs. This means that 2,000 new jobs at Torsboda could mean around 8,000 new jobs in the region.

A scenario analysis, produced by WSP for the municipality of Sundsvall, gives an idea of the regional economic effects that may arise in the wake of the establishment of an electricity-intensive establishment. It is not a forecast but various calculated scenarios that aim to contribute to a better understanding of the effects in the slightly longer term:

NEW ESTABLISHMENT AREA IN TORSBODA Calculations of labor market effects in the Sundsvall region

"The establishment is expected to employ 2 000-5 000 people from the time it becomes fully operational (2027-2030). In addition, there will be indirect employment effects corresponding to almost 1 200-3 300 people, depending on the scenario and the influx of people. Thus, an electricity-intensive establishment is estimated to generate almost 3 300-8 800 new jobs in the region. However, some employment effects already occur during the construction period.

The employment multiplier between 2024-2030 is estimated to be 1.65-1.75 depending on the scenario. This means that for every job created as a direct effect of the investment, an additional 0.65-0.75 jobs are created as an indirect effect."

What is the cost to residents?
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The initiative can be broken down into different parts. One part is investments we need to make for infrastructure and implementation. Torsboda Industrial Park is run according to an exploitation budget, a common procedure in municipal operations. The aim is for our investments at the industrial park to be repaid with the income we receive when we sell the land. In other words, in the long term, taxpayers will not have to pay for anything.

You can find out more in our investment budget and operational policy.

Another part is investments made in society to enable growth. It is important to remember why the investment in Torsboda Industrial Park is being made. We want to attract people to our region by creating jobs. We need the tax revenues to be able to develop welfare. Investments that the municipalities make in community building should be returned in the form of increased tax revenue.

A third part is the investments that establishing companies make together with Torsboda and the municipalities to attract more people to our region. Companies need employees and people need to be trained. This involves, for example, efforts to attract newcomers, to make it easier for immigrants to enter our society and targeted training courses.

What investments do municipalities need to make in connection with an establishment?
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Establishing the site will mean investments in our society. We need to improve water and sewage, we need more housing, preschools, cycle paths and smart traffic solutions. The cultural offer can grow and more companies will establish themselves. Some investments will be made by the municipalities, others by the state and authorities, and many will be made by private actors and companies. In practice, this may involve the construction of housing, schools and activity areas.

Who and what ultimately decides whether an establishment is suitable?
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It is the board of Torsboda Industrial Park AB that decides who can buy land and establish themselves. The board consists of leading politicians from the municipalities of Sundsvall and Timrå.

The evaluation work includes assessing the number of jobs, the company's willingness to contribute to our region and society, and the company's ambitions and participation in the green transition. We also conduct analyses and a due diligence (a review of the company) on establishing companies and we relate to Swedish foreign trade policy.

Will foreign companies comply with Swedish laws and regulations?
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Companies establishing themselves on the Swedish market must comply with Swedish law.

Varför kan ni inte berätta mer om era möjliga kunder?
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Basically, it is about the need for confidentiality of companies, which in turn is about trade secrets and competitive situations. For public companies, information about an upcoming establishment can also affect stock market prices. Therefore, if information is disclosed during the negotiations, there is a risk that dialogues and deals that have been initiated will be lost.

Which stakeholders do you engage with?
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Thanks to its location and access to green electricity, Torsboda is attractive to several stakeholders. "We are in talks with companies from Europe, North America and Asia. As a rule, we do not comment on who the companies are, but as soon as something is ready, we will tell you about it.

On June 19, 2024, we signed a Letter of Intent with the Lithuanian company Kaunas Metal. They will establish themselves in northern Sweden and Torsboda is one of two locations that the company is interested in for its new plant where recycled steel will be turned into rebar. The establishment in Sweden will mean between 200 and 300 jobs. You can read more about it here.

I own land/property in the local area and wonder how this affects me.
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We have bought some properties in the immediate vicinity of the industrial park because there is uncertainty about how they will be affected. We see it as reasonable that we own them and take responsibility for them until we have an answer to that question. We do not know today how they will be used in the future. Maybe during the construction period they will be used as project offices. We have not drawn any specific limit on which properties may or may not be relevant for acquisition, but we examine it on a case-by-case basis.

If you own land in the immediate vicinity of the industrial park and are interested in selling, please contact us at: support@torsboda.se for a dialog.

The first establishment - PTL
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Why does PTL want to establish itself in Sweden?
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It has been a long process where PTL has evaluated different locations in Europe and finally concluded that Sweden and Torsboda is the best place for this investment. Factors that play a role in the choice of production site are proximity to customers, access to suitable industrial land, access to green electricity and access to a skilled workforce. In a European context, Sweden stands strong when weighing these factors together.

Why Torsboda?
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Our region has large areas of land and access to 100% green and renewable energy. Torsboda Industrial Park therefore has excellent conditions to attract green industry. Our area, of over 150 hectares, has access to 450 MW of green energy at one of the lowest costs in Europe. With three cities and a university within 30 minutes of the site, we can provide companies with a workforce. With an airport, railway, European highway and three ports close to the area, we offer excellent communications and good logistics. In addition, Sundsvall Logistics Park is an important transportation hub. Our politically stable region, our favorable climate and our good communications make Torsboda an optimal choice for energy-intensive industry.

Hur ser avtalet mellan PTL och Torsboda Industrial Park ut?
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You can read about the content of the agreement here.

If you would like to read the full agreement after the confidentiality check, you can request it by emailing: contact@torsboda.com.

What happens if the deal between PTL and Torsboda Industrial Park is cancelled?
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In the agreement signed between PTL and Torsboda, we have jointly regulated the process. We have ensured the continued development of Torsboda Industrial Park if the deal is canceled.

Torsboda Industrial Park's mission is to attract more green industry companies to the site. We will continue this work.  

Does the company operate elsewhere in the world?
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PTL has several thousand employees worldwide and three anode production facilities in China. The factory in Torsboda will be the company's first in Europe.
Their wholly owned subsidiary Zichen is the world's second largest producer of anode materials. Customers include Samsung, Tesla, LG Chem, TDK, Panasonic and ATL. https://www.ptlsverige.se/

Har PTL de tillstånd som krävs för sin etablering?
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PTL har ansökt om miljötillstånd för sin verksamhet hos mark- och miljödomstolen. De har inte tagit beslut ännu.

PTL har fått nej till sin investering från myndigheten ISP, Inspektionen för strategiska produkter. PTL meddelade 7 januari 2025 att de överklagat beslutet till regeringen. Hur lång tid överklagandeprocessen tar vet vi inte.

You are selling the land in the form of a company, why?
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It is packaged in companies because we have ensured that we get the land back if the customer's establishment does not take place. A promise (option) to sell back a property, i.e. the land itself, is not legally binding, but a promise (option) to sell back shares is.

Construction process
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Will there be guest workers during the construction of industries?
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Just as, for example, when SCA expanded Östrand in 2015-2018, we can expect temporary guest workers during the actual construction periods. In addition to Swedish labor, we believe that people from our neighboring countries and Central Europe will come here and work on factory construction. Specialists from Asia and the USA are also likely.

How to ensure good working conditions and health and safety during construction?
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A foreign actor wishing to establish itself in Sweden is subject to the Swedish model with its laws and regulations. In addition to this, good working conditions and a good working environment will be competitive factors to ensure access to skilled labor.

Who will build the factories?
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Establishing companies are responsible for building their factories themselves and managing tenders and construction contracts.

Companies, consultants, suppliers, property owners
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I have products/services that may be of interest to PTL, how do I get in touch with them?

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Companies can contact PTL by emailing: business@zichen.se

More information can be found here on the PTL website

I want to rent accommodation to migrants or temporary workers. How do I do this?
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We refer both landlords and tenants to the digital platform Housing Portal, so they can meet there.

How will the situation of local entrepreneurs be affected by the establishment of Torsboda?
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In places where other major developments have taken place, increased growth has contributed to a boost for local entrepreneurs. We believe this will be a positive journey for the region and its businesses and residents.

Work
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What types of work will be available at the PTL factory?
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The factory will need different professional groups with varying skills such as engineers, logistics, cleaning, technicians and management. It is estimated that 1900 employees are needed in the factory.

How do I apply for a job with PTL?
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PTL manages its own recruitment and has information about it on its own website.

We will help them with contact details when it is time for them to hire. We will post information about this on our website when it becomes available.

How many jobs will be created in the PTL factory?
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PTL expects 1 900 people to work in the factory. They have based their calculations for the number of employees on their existing factories. PTL will be able to make a more precise calculation once the full planning of the factory design is completed.

When Torsboda Industrial Park compares its establishment with other plants and industries of this kind, we see PTL's calculation as entirely reasonable. The factory will be very large and a lot of goods and materials will go in and products will come out.

Will PTL bring its own workforce?
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The ambition is for at least 75% of PTL employees to live and pay taxes here in our region by 2027. During the start-up and construction period, we can expect a larger number of employees from outside.

Will foreign workers need to learn about Swedish society and laws?
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All people living in Sweden have a responsibility to comply with Swedish law.

The municipalities are working together to create an International House to make the transition to Swedish society smoother for immigrants from other countries: https://sundsvall.se/nyheter/nyhetsarkiv/2023-10-17-sundsvall-allt-narmare-ett-international-house

Will an establishment create local jobs?
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Our mission is to work for an establishment that creates at least 2,000 new direct jobs at the industrial park. We want the majority of these to be local. In places where other major establishments have taken place, many more jobs have been created in nearby industries, or in service industries, as a side effect. In general, one industrial job creates about 2-4 indirect jobs. This means that 2 000 new jobs at Torsboda could create as many as 8 000 new jobs in the region.

I want to move here to work, is there accommodation for me?
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We refer both landlords and tenants to the digital platform Housing Portal, so they can meet there.

Environment
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Blir det miljöfarliga utsläpp från fabriker på industriparken?
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Industriell verksamhet är tillståndspliktig. De företag som etablerar sig på Torsboda Industrial Park ansvarar för att skaffa de tillstånd som krävs för deras verksamheter, inklusive miljötillstånd. Där regleras saker som utsläpp och buller till exempel.

I PTL:s miljötillståndsansökan som de lämnade in 18 mars 2024 presenteras beräknad miljöpåverkan. Den prövas hos Mark- och miljödomstolen och det är upp till domstolen att ge tillstånd.  

Are batteries an industry of the future?
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A key argument for battery production is the EU directive. By 2035, no new cars with carbon dioxide emissions may be sold. Here you can read what Professor Hans-Erik Nilsson answers to some questions about this.

Societal impact
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How will traffic around the site be affected?
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Entrances and exits from the E4 are being built so that traffic in both directions can easily reach the industrial area. The work is being done together with the Swedish Transport Administration. We are first building a temporary traffic junction that will be used before the permanent traffic junction is completed.

How will the real estate market be affected by a major establishment?
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Housing prices are likely to increase due to increased demand. We can assume this on the basis of developments in Skellefteå, for example, since it became clear that Northvolt is establishing itself there. New housing is being built and planned in Sundsvall, Timrå and Härnösand.

Establishments in other locations have brought crime, how do you work to prevent it?
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We are in contact with the police, for example, and we also have the advantage of being able to see the effects of establishments in other places so that we can learn from them.

We also participate in the network "Avbrott Västernorrland", which was formed to counteract crime and maintain security in society. The municipalities of Sundsvall, Timrå and Härnösand, the police and the Västernorrland County Administrative Board are involved, for example to share ideas, knowledge and working methods with each other.

News text about Interruption Västernorrland.

Skills supply is already difficult today, what will it be like with a new major player?
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Relocation is necessary for us to manage the supply of skills in both the private and public sectors in the future. We expect that establishments in Torsboda, in addition to direct job opportunities, will give ripples that mean growth for the Sundsvall region. In order to attract new residents, we need jobs and the conditions to live a good life here. A lot is connected, leisure opportunities, housing, cultural life and public services. Here, the whole community has a joint responsibility and work to do to make the investment successful.

Can health services and schools cope with an increased population?
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In-migration will certainly present challenges, but in order to be able to maintain and develop healthcare, schools and other tax-funded activities, we need more residents of working age who pay taxes. Västernorrland has long had a population curve pointing downwards, and the proportion of older people in relation to younger people is also increasing. In-migration creates opportunities to develop healthcare, schools and other tax-funded activities.

How can society meet the needs of migrants of different nationalities?
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How does it affect me as a private individual when energy-intensive companies need a lot of electricity?
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When a new customer, whether a private individual or a large industry, connects to the grid, they pay for the parts that need to be reinforced or expanded. Existing customers are not adversely affected by such connections.

Here you can read more about what Lena Berglund, Regional Manager Nord E.ON, answers to questions about electricity supply and price.