Download an overview of our mills and see how they compare

Holmen subscribes to the FisherSolve database to access data collected by a supplier-independent, third-party organisation. It helps us compare our own development with that of other mills over time and understand the industry’s progress. It also enables us to be transparent and share the carbon benchmarks that FisherSolve reports for all our mills: Braviken, Hallsta, Iggesund, and Workington.

Here you can download our free material and learn more about how Holmen’s mills compare with other paper and paperboard mills worldwide. We are proud that all of Holmen’s mills are positioned among the world’s top performers in low CO₂e emissions. We share our mills’ data and some of the explanations behind it together with an overview of the benchmarks and averages for comparison.

Some facts about Holmen’s mills

  • Holmen’s containerboard production has an emission benchmark that is 550 kg lower per tonne compared with the average containerboard-producing mill.
  • Braviken and Hallsta Paper Mills are top performers globally in graphical paper production. Their emission benchmarks are 800 kg lower than the European average per tonne of paper produced, and 1.3 tonnes lower than the global average.
  • Workington Mill has an emission benchmark more than 1.1 tonnes lower per tonne produced than the average FBB paperboard‑producing mill worldwide.
  • Iggesund Mill has the world’s lowest emission benchmark among SBB paperboard producers, around 800 kg lower than the average SBB paperboard-producing mill.

Source: FisherSolve®, carbon benchmark cradle to gate 2025 Q2.
©2025 Fisher International, a ResourceWise company.  

Why look at the mill emission benchmarks?

The emission benchmark for each mill is calculated by FisherSolve using data from official sources and model‑based algorithms.

The benchmarks are used because the industry benefits from comparing mills based on the same parameters. They also make it easier to identify potential industry leaders so that you can follow up on data directly with selected companies.

Mill emission benchmarks help you steer away from suppliers with avoidably high emissions. When you prioritise suppliers with a low carbon footprint, minimal environmental impact, and strong transparency, you will help reduce the industry’s overall carbon emissions by increasing demand for sustainable products.

What is FisherSolve?

FisherSolve is a supplier-independent database from Fisher International, which, since 2022 is part of ResourceWise. ResourceWise is a globally operating company providing data, analytics, and consulting services to facilitate sustainable decision making, with a focus on forest products, pulp & paper, and chemicals.

The FisherSolve database collects detailed information on all pulp and paper mills in the world that produce more than 45+ tonnes of paper per day. The database has collected data through official sources since it was first established in 1985. The information is available to subscribers and updated quarterly. 

FAQ about GHG and carbon dioxide reporting

In the FisherSolve database, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are reported as “mass of carbon dioxide equivalents”, CO2e. Common units are kilograms or metric tonnes. Read our Q&A to learn more about the definitions behind the mill carbon benchmark.

Which greenhouse gases are included in the CO2e?

CO2e emissions include emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), which are those that can be related to pulp and paper production. A transformation factor is used for methane and nitrous oxide based on their climate change potential compared to carbon dioxide.

Why are methane and nitrous oxide counted?

Methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) are greenhouse gases generated during combustion of fossil and biomass fuels. The climate change potential of methane is 21 times that of carbon dioxide, and for nitrous oxide, 310 times that of carbon dioxide. That’s why their emissions are counted with a transformation factor and added to the carbon dioxide emissions for the mill.

 

How are fossil and biogenic carbon emissions calculated?

Most fossil and biomass fuels cause CO2 emissions, but not all CO2 emissions are considered GHG emissions. Biomass absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere while growing and releases it when it decomposes or burns. Bioenergy carbon sources therefore count as carbon neutral in a circular system, and the emissions are called biogenic CO2 in line with the IPCC recommendations because they don’t add carbon to the natural cycle.

Fossil fuel combustion, on the other hand, increases the total carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, and the emissions are called fossil CO2. The fossil CO2 has been captured in the ground for thousands of years, and when released, it adds carbon that cannot be recaptured within the foreseeable future.

Methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) are released during combustion of both fossil and biomass fuels and count as GHG emissions. This explains why the FisherSolve database reports CO2e emissions also from mills that only use biomass fuels in their production.

What is the scope of the GHG emission benchmark?

  • Fuel combustion during the pulp & paper manufacturing process (Scope 1 emissions).
  • GHG emissions associated with purchased electricity (Scope 2 emissions).
  • GHG Emissions associated with production and transportation of raw materials purchased (Scope 3 upstream emissions).
  • Transportation of products to customer destination (Scope 3 downstream emissions)

In the database, detailed data from all the above scopes are calculated, so that comparisons can be made at all levels. Learn more about how to calculate emissions in scopes in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

 

What does a calculation “cradle to gate” mean?

When mill emissions are reported “cradle to gate”, they include emissions generated from the raw material all the way until the paper leaves the mill, which is Scope 1, 2 and Scope 3 upstream emissions, in accordance with GHG Protocol reporting. As Scope 3 downstream varies greatly with distance and the chosen mode of transport, as well as with the end use of the products, we recommend calculating those parts case by case.