History

A sulphite pulp mill was built on a property called Billerud outside the town of Säffle in central Sweden in 1883. Through the expansion and acquisition of other mills in the surrounding county of Värmland the company expanded steadily at the start of the 20th century. The Billerud name grew strongly and was kept in various forms despite changes of ownership up to 1996.

When the modern Billerud was formed in 2001, the name Billerud was resurrected. The company was formed through a merger of Stora Enso's Gruvön paper mill and AssiDomän's Skärblacka and Karlsborg paper mills. For the Gruvön mill in Grums the name was very familiar since it previously belonged to the Billerud company that was listed on the stock exhange until 1984.

After the merger, Stora Enso and AssiDomän each owned 50% of the shares in Billerud AB. The company was listed on the Opcon-list of Stockholmsbörsen on 20 November 2001. Today, AssiDomän and Stora Enso have left Billerud as owners and is now partly owned by approximately 170 000 Swedish private individuals and partly by Swedish and foreign financial institutions.

Specific applications include grease-resistant paper for the fast-food industry and paper that can be sterilised for medical applications.

Beetham is a pioneer in quality and environmental work. The mill was among the first in Europe to gain certification according to ISO 9001, ISO 9002, ISO 14001 and IPPC.

As early as 1964 a computer system was installed to control PM4, which is regarded as a pioneering moment in the process industry. In 1972 Gruvön was among the first mills to use oxygen for bleaching, which cut the use of chlorine by half. The mill stopped using chlorine fully in production in 1991.

Gruvön is also well known for its innovation. The mill was the first in the world to produce White Top Liner and is still the first to introduce white liner for applications where appearance and good printing results are important. Gruvön produces sack and kraft paper, fluting and white liner for containerboard, and market pulp.

1931
Billerud AB, led by the internationally famous businessman, Christian Storjohann, opens the Gruvön mill.

1937
Mill capacity has been increased through rebuilding. This is reflected in the statistics and this year is the most productive year of the decade.

1964
A computer system for control and reporting is installed on PM4. The project represents an important stage in the development of a completely computer controlled factory and is regarded as a pioneering moment in the process industry. A central screening plant is opened.

1972
Gruvön is among the first mills to use oxygen for bleaching, which cut the use of chlorine by half.

1978
Billerud AB merges with Uddeholm to form Billerud Uddeholm AB

1984
STORA acquires the Billerud Group, which includes Gruvön.

1991
Gruvön stops using chlorine in production.

The first paper machine was built in 1953 and is still used today for coating paper. The second machine was started up in 1957. After many extensive rebuilds it is still the base for today's paper production.

Today the mill is one of Europe's leading suppliers of white sack paper. White kraft paper and bleached long fibre sulphate pulp for sale on the open market are also produced at Karlsborg.

1912
The sulphate pulp mill is built but cannot make a profit and the mill is closed down six years later.

1929
With strong support from local people the sulphate pulp mill is put back into operation under the name of Kalix Träindustri AB.

1937
Domänverket, the Swedish Forest Service, took over the company to safeguard supplies of raw materials. Five years later a new company, ASSI, was formed, which took over the mill.

1953
PM1, the mill's first paper machine, is started up, followed four years later by PM2.

1979
Extensive modernisation of the mill starts. A new fibre line, evaporation plant, recovery boiler and bark boiler are installed. Six years later a new wood department is opened.

1991
Chlorine gas bleaching is ended as part of efforts to reduce environmental impact.

1994
ASSI and Domänverket merge and the new company is launched on the stock exchange during the spring.

This was one of the largest ever industrial investments in Sweden at the time. Further large investments have made Skärblacka one of Sweden's most modern pulp and paper mills.

Production is focused on brown sack paper, white MG paper and fluting. Important end-products for Skärblacka's paper are sacks, carrier bags, wrappers and pharmaceutical packaging.

1872
Skärblacka mill constructed, owned by Skärblacka AB.

1903
A fire breaks out and the mill is completely destroyed. A new mill is opened two years later.

1917
Fiskeby Fabriks AB acquires Skärblacka AB. One of the main reasons for the acquisition is the large power supply at the mill, only half of which is used in production.

1931
Fiskeby Fabriks AB is merged with Munksjö AB.

1942
Another new owner. Fiskeby Fabriks AB is acquired by KF, the co-operative group.

1953
Activities at Skärblacka are co-ordinated with adjacent Ljusfors. Eventually the two plants are fully merged and named Skärblacka mill.

1985
Holmens bruk acquires Fiskeby AB. Three years later MoDo acquires Holmens bruk.

1994
AssiDomän buys Skärblacka from MoDo.