Torsboda Industrial Park in final battle for billion-dollar establishment | News

2024-06-20

Torsboda Industrial Park in final battle for billion-euro establishment

Kaunas Metal is to establish itself 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. On June 19, Torsboda Industrial Park and Kaunas Metal signed a Letter of Intent and work towards an agreement on establishment is intensified.

- We are proud to be in the game and we have good opportunities to get the establishment here to us, says Stefan Dalin (S), chairman of the municipal board of Timrå and chairman of Torsboda Industrial Park. The fact that the company will use recycled steel and make the manufacturing process for rebar more sustainable means that they are a company we would like to see take place in our area.

Last week it became clear that Umeå is the second location the company is looking at and with them too the company has signed a Letter of Intent, LOI. This is a document that shows that the parties agree to negotiate, but does not guarantee a future agreement.

Up to 300 jobs

Kaunas Metal is a Lithuanian company that so far only has production in its home country. The establishment in Sweden means between 200 and 300 jobs in an industrial plant where recycled steel is melted down and turned into rebar.

Robertas Buckus, CEO of Kaunas Metal, sees that the Sundsvall region has the conditions the company is looking for. Electricity from water and wind power means that their end product can be produced in a more sustainable way, which the construction industry demands.

- We will look further at Torsboda and Umeå, which both look like very good options for us. Before the end of the year, we expect to have decided," says Robertas Buckus.

- "This is a further step towards a stronger Sundsvall region," says Niklas Säwén (S), Chairman of Sundvall Municipal Board and Vice Chairman of Torsboda Industrial Park. "I am convinced that the company sees the power that exists here in the form of people, assets and willingness to develop. Hopefully, further talks will show that the company and the site are right for each other.

Kaunas Metall is interested in buying between 13 and 16 hectares of land. Work is now starting to see where the most suitable site is for their operations. Cain Dotson is a business developer at Torsboda Industrial Park.

- With more stakeholders, we need to put the puzzle wisely on our ground. The contact with Kaunas Metal comes through Västernorrland's establishment function High Coast Invest and this is proof of the value of our long-term cooperation with them and Business Sweden. More international companies that contribute to the green transition have opened their eyes to our region," says Cain Dotson.

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In the picture: Robertas Buckus, CEO Kaunas Metal, Stefan Dalin, Chairman Torsboda Industrial Park, Niklas Säwén, Vice Chairman Torsboda Industrial Park, Vaidas Repečka, CFO Kaunas Metal

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SEK 165 675 000 for Torsboda Syd

Infrastructure investments, efforts to attract immigrants and training initiatives are some of the contents of the agreement between PTL and Torsboda Industrial Park. SEK 165 675 000 is the price for the industrial land. Torsboda Industrial Park AB has now reviewed the confidentiality of the agreement signed with PTL in the spring to establish a battery parts factory in Torsboda. Parts of the agreement are now being made public.

Parts of the agreement are classified

Torsboda Industrial Park has waited to show the agreement signed with PTL in May while waiting for PTL's permit processes to make the investment to be completed. The Administrative Court of Appeal ruled last week that there are no grounds for keeping the entire agreement secret and Torsboda is now working on a version of the agreement that can be made public.

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Hans-Erik Nilsson, Professor of Electronic Design at Mid Sweden University, answers some questions about the fuels of the future.

Stakeholders show the way for the traffic junction

In the Torsboda North area, below the information point, a number of wooden sticks have been placed in the clearing - the sticks are so-called stake sticks that mark how the temporary traffic junction will be built. The red sprayed sticks show how the 320 meter long roadway leads up to the bridge that will connect the North and South areas. The other sticks mark where the mass of the roadway meets the forest," explains Kent Lindeborg, Project Manager at Torsboda Industrial Park.

An award to be shared by many

Torsboda Industrial Park was yesterday awarded "Community Builder of the Year" at the Sundsvall Business Awards. The management of the company emphasizes that the honor should go to all the employees in the municipalities and partners who make community building possible.