GÄVLEBORG REGION

Gävle

Gävle municipality is situated in southern Gävleborg by the Baltic coast. The municipality has good transportation networks, which provide excellent access to the surrounding regions: Stockholm-Mälardalen, Västmanland, Dalarna and the rest of Gävleborg. The north-south E4 and the east-west E16 intersect in Gävle municipality, as do several rail lines. The Port of Gävle is the busiest container port on the Swedish east coast with regular freight routes to Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. Gävle Airport is a small commercial airport around 20 km southwest of Gävle, and the Stockholm-Arlanda International Airport is 60 minutes to the south.

Key facts

Sandviken

The municipality is situated in southern Gävleborg and has strong steel and engineering industries, including considerable Sandvik facilities and offices. Other significant industries include Information and Communications Technology (ICT), the construction industry, and manufacturing industries. The municipality also has an established supply chain network.

Sandviken municipality has good transport infrastructure and accessibility to the Mälardalen/central Sweden region. The municipality is close to Stockholm-Arlanda and the Port of Gävle, and has a well-developed fiber optic net.

Sandviken municipality gladly develops a tailor-made establishment proposal for companies that are interested in establishing in the area. The authorities are on hand to facilitate every step of the way of the establishment process.

Key facts

Hudiksvall

Hudiksvall municipality is situated in northeast Gävleborg by the Baltic coast. The municipality has 1,700 companies, including several world-leading companies in the paper, hydraulics and fiber optics industries, and a large number of exciting small companies.

The forest has historically played an important role in Hudiksvall’s economy, and it continues to serve as a vital resource for the local paper and packaging industry. Local innovation has also played an important role in developing world-leading industries, and the development of the Hudiksvall hydraulics cluster. Hudiksvall has been a center for fiber optics since the 1970s and it today is a center for fiber optics manufacturing, research, development and education.

Key facts

Bollnäs

Bollnäs municipality is situated in central Gävleborg and has a strong culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Key industries and examples of companies include:
ICT: Fortum Markets, UPS
Creative Industries: Alteco AB, People in the park AB
Tourism: Orbaden Konferens och Spa AB, Kungsholmen Restaurang och Konferens, Växbo lin AB
Life Sciences: Aleris, PassTeam, Neuropsyk Bollnäs
Advanced manufacturing: WTJ, Kesam Industrilackering AB, AQ Mekatronik, SNA Europe, Kilafors Industri AB, Parator Industri AB.

Bollnäs municipality offers good access to qualified personnel, and there is close cooperation between the municipality, academia and industry to ensure that labor requirements are met.

The municipality has a diverse economy with plenty of qualified subcontractors and customers in most industries. There is a strong sense of entrepreneurship and several business networks exist, which allow experiences and services to be shared.

The municipality has good highway infrastructure with the east-west R50 and north-south R83. The Northern mainline railway crosses the municipality with four stations: Vallsta, Arbrå, Kilafors och Bollnäs. A well-established fiber optic network exists in the municipality and the municipally owned company, Bollnäs Energi, continues to develop the network.

Bollnäs has the lowest municipal tax in northern Sweden, relative low rental costs for industry and office space, and low energy costs due to well developed district heating.

The Enterprise office in Bollnäs works closely with various municipal, regional and national organizations. There is good access to venture capital from organizations such as Norrlandsfonden and ALMI Invest, and the Enterprise office in Bollnäs works together with local banks.

Key facts

Söderhamn

Söderhamn municipality, situated in central Gävleborg, has a long tradition of wood-related industries, such as sawmills and pulp, and more recently the production of crude tall oil. The wind industry is also a developing sector.

Söderhamn has a business and trade department, which acts as a support organization for potential investors. Söderhamn is a Support Area B.

Key facts

Ljusdal

“Welcome to Ljusdal municipality! Ljusdal has an excellent business climate and was recognized as Gävleborg’s economic growth municipality in 2013. We work actively to promote and support businesses and entrepreneurship, and 19 percent of people aged between 20 and 77 years run their own business. Our municipality also offers a high quality of life with closeness to modern services and amenities, and areas of outstanding natural beauty.”
- Stefan Wennerstrand, Managing Director, Närljus

Ljusdal’s Key advantages

• Comprehensive business support provided by Närljus
• Good business climate and entrepreneurial spirit
• Ljusdal municipality is within regional development area A, which is eligible for regional incentives
• Among the lowest electricity prices in Europe
• High quality of life and attractive natural environments

Key investment opportunities

• Forestry and related industries
• Biofuels (forest-based)
• Wind energy
• Tourism
• Contact centers

Ljusdal has extensive forests that produce high quality timber. Forestry and forest-based biofuel industries have developed, and there are further opportunities to utilize or process this high-quality and renewable natural resource within the municipality. Ljusdal also benefits from good wind conditions and several wind parks are being developed in the municipality.

Tourism is another growing industry, which is based on Ljusdal’s natural beauty, wildlife, rivers and lakes, and skiing possibilities. One nationally renowned tourist destination in Ljusdal is Destination Järvsö, which includes a Nordic animal park, skiing facilities and downhill biking trails.

The municipality has access to a competent workforce within contact center customer service, support and sales. Infrastructure projects currently under development in the municipality include a business park in central Ljusdal and a rail logistics terminal.

Ljusdal is situated in northern Gävleborg and forests, mountains and river valleys characterize its landscape. These areas of outstanding natural beauty combined with closeness to services and amenities promote a high quality of life in the municipality.

Key facts

Nordanstig

Nordanstig municipality is situated in the northeast of Gävleborg. The municipality’s beautiful location with mountains to the west and the Baltic Sea to the east is quite unique. Here you’ll find a high quality of life close to the forest and the sea, combined with good access to larger towns such as Sundsvall and Hudiksvall.

Nordanstig is today home to around 500 companies. Many of our manufacturing companies use forestry products, such as Iggesund paperboard and Plyfa AB that are primarily active within the paper and wood industry. Two of our leading companies, SMP Parts and Gränsfors Bruk AB, are leading manufacturers of excavator accessories as well as handcrafted axes with worldwide exports.

Key facts

Ovanåker

Ovanåker municipality is situated in central Gävleborg and has a strong industrial and small company tradition, and a strong culture of company networking. There is also abundant available land ready for construction – for either businesses or housing.

Examples of local companies are:
Edsbyverken AB (www.edsbyn.com)
SP Fönster AB (www.spfonster.se)
NEFAB (www.nefab.se)
ACAB (Alfta Component AB) (www.pars.se)
Alfta Kvalitetslego AB (www.alfta-kvalitetslego.se)
Alfta Frakt AB (www.alftafrakt.se)
G-Man Tools AB (www.g-mantools.se)
CrossControl AB (www.crosscontrol.com)
Edsbyns Industri AB (www.snaeurope.com)

Ovanåker municipality works actively to improve the local business environment together with the business community. Free and confidential advice is given at all stages of business development, such as start-up support.

Ovanåker is very family-friendly with abundant natural environments and good schools. There are also good opportunities for adult education at local colleges. Ovanåker also has many activity associations and a rich cultural life.

Key facts

Ockelbo

Ockelbo is a municipality in central Gävleborg with a diverse economy. The municipality is home to several foodstuff companies and has a strong tradition of manufacturing and plastic products.

Tourism is a growing industry in the municipality. Wij Trädgårdar (Wij gardens) is the municipality’s most visited tourist attraction, which was voted as Sweden’s most beautiful park in 2007.

Several wind parks are under development in Ockelbo, including the largest on-shore wind park in northern Europe to date with 66 turbines. Several more wind parks are expected to be constructed in the next few years.

Ockelbo municipality has good transport infrastructure and accessibility to the Mälardalen/central Sweden region. The municipality is close to Stockholm-Arlanda and the Port of Gävle, and has a well-developed fiber optic network.

Ockelbo municipality’s Business Center is the first port of call for investment establishments in the municipality.

Key facts

Hofors

Hofors municipality is situated in southern Gävleborg and has a long industrial history. The Ovako steelworks is Hofors' largest employer. Other companies include SKF Coupling Systems AB, Bäckström Mekaniska i Hofors AB, Coor Service Management AB, Hofors Energi AB, Arc Metal AB, Scan Arc Plasma Technologies AB and Midroc AB.

The municipality has excellent road and rail infrastructure. For example, there is large potential for companies to establish close to the E16 highway, which runs between Gävle-Falun-Oslo.

The municipality supports foreign investment projects with information, advice, support, etc through Entré Hofors.

Key facts