Our history

In 1609, Duke Johan of Östergötland, the son of Johan III and grandson of Gustav Vasa laid down the foundation for Holmens Bruk in Norrköping.

The first mills

The first mill was a weapons factory built on the tiny island of Kvarnholmen in the river Strömmen. Hence the name “Holmen”, which means small island in Swedish. Over more than four centuries, Holmen has changed several times and products have come and gone. In 1633 “the father of Swedish industry”, Louis de Geer, started a handmade-paper mill in Norrköping. Paper was a rare and costly product and the mill produced writing paper and cartridge paper used for loading cannons and muskets.

However, the paper mill burned to the ground after only ten years in business and was never rebuilt.

Instead brass was one of the main products from Holmens Bruk until the end of the 18^th century. Textiles in the form of woollen and cotton fabrics were also an important part of the business all the way until 1970.

the first paper machine

Papermaking becomes an industry

In the beginning of the 19^th century, demand for paper rose rapidly. The ability to read increased among the general population, creating a greater market for books and newspapers. As a consequence, paper manufacture was resumed at Holmen when a new hand paper mill was built in 1806. The mill produced writing and printing paper and the product range consisted of a whole 24 different types of paper.

In 1836, Holmen bought the first mechanical paper machine from the British machine company Bryan Donkin & Co. The mechanization of the production process had miraculous effects on efficiency. The production output tripled in the first year and after two more years production had increased more than fivefold.

The birth of Hallsta paper mill

The early 1900s was a dynamic time in Europe and the demand for newsprint was huge. Holmen was a leading manufacturer of newsprint but needed more capacity to keep growing. The industrial zone in Norrköping City had reached its limits so a new paper mill was built in Hallstavik, 100 km north of Stockholm.

Hallstavik offered ample access to fresh water and a deep- sea port that often was free from ice. Another important aspect was that timber could be transported by sea to Hallstavik from the north of Sweden. The new mill was ready in 1916. The added capacity made Holmen the biggest manufacturer of newsprint in Sweden and one of the biggest in Europe.

From Norrköping to Braviken

To create the conditions for increasing paper production, Holmen built a brand-new paper mill in 1977. Unlike the old mill, which was located in the middle of downtown Norrköping, this mill was constructed on virgin territory beside a bay of the Baltic sea called Bråviken. The location provided the mill with excellent logistics possibilities.

Braviken paper mill has its own deep-sea port. It also has a railway connecting to the Swedish mainline, and it is located just minutes away from a big freeway. The fresh water supply was solved by blasting a 9 km long tunnel 80 metres below the city. The water could then be lead from the stream Motala Ström in the city centre to the newly constructed mill.

The Holmen Group of today

The 1980s and 90s was a time for mergers and acquisitions for Holmen. In 1988 Holmen was acquired by MoDo, a large fine paper manufacturer. The new company group that was formed had nine independent business areas: Forest, wood products, pulp, fine paper, printing paper, hygiene, paperboard, lignin and finance.

Ten years later, in 1999, the decision was made to focus on wood-containing printing paper and paperboard. The business areas forest, wood products and energy were also deemed to be valuable operations and were kept in the group. All other divisions were sold off. The new constellation became the Holmen Group that we know today.

page from MoDo annual report

Our history

The first mills

Papermaking becomes an industry

The birth of Hallsta paper mill

From Norrköping to Braviken

The Holmen Group of today

About Holmen Board and Paper

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