🇸🇪 New research: The Boden model as a benchmark in the green transition

153
Porträtt av en man i kostym och ljusblå skjorta. Han har kort, ljusbrunt hår och ett vänligt uttryck. Bakgrunden är suddig och föreställer en ljus kontorsmiljö.

Stegra’s decision to establish its large-scale green steel initiative in Boden was no coincidence. Researcher Viktor Salenius from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School has spent three years investigating the factors that have positioned Boden and Luleå as pivotal actors in the global industrial transition.

As the global shift towards sustainable industry accelerates, Boden once again emerges as a focal point for international interest. Viktor Salenius, a researcher at Oxford University’s business school, has been studying Stegra in Boden and Hybrit in Luleå since 2021 as part of his research on corporate models for energy-intensive industrial transformation. His work provides deep insights into the structural and strategic factors underpinning their operations.

The research is based on extensive empirical data, including site visits and more than 100 formal interviews. By analyzing success factors and innovation strategies, Salenius compares the business models of these two pioneering companies in green steel production and highlights the critical role played by the local community and national policy frameworks in facilitating industrial transformation.

Key success factors

A defining element in the success of Boden and Luleå is their proactive and strategic approach to industrial development. Long before large-scale projects materialized, the municipalities had taken preparatory steps to create favorable conditions for new industrial establishments. Previous experience with smaller initiatives, such as data centers, laid the groundwork for the major investments currently taking place.

“The fundamental reason these projects are being realized here lies within the local community. There has been a foresighted and long-term commitment that has made this possible—not only in Boden and Luleå but across several locations in northern Sweden,” says Viktor Salenius.

A distinguishing feature of the region’s industrial transformation is the close collaboration between businesses and public institutions. In Boden, the municipality, Stegra, and its partners have worked together to address critical challenges, including regulatory processes, talent attraction, infrastructure expansion, and housing development. According to Salenius, these coordinated efforts are essential to maintaining momentum in the transition.

“This collaborative model stands out when compared to similar industrial transformations globally. The companies themselves recognize it as a key driver of success,” he notes.

Two people are standing in a snowy landscape at sunset. They are wearing warm blue jackets and black gloves. Behind them is a vast winter landscape with a forest in the background and power lines stretching across the sky.
Aerial view of a snow-covered landscape at sunset. Long shadows are cast over vast fields and woodland, with a road winding through the area. The sky is golden with the sun low over the horizon.
Aerial view of a large construction site in a winter landscape at sunset. Snow-covered roads wind through the area, where several structures and industrial buildings are being erected. In the background, forest and open spaces stretch towards the horizon.
Previous experience from smaller projects, such as data centers, has laid the foundation for the large-scale development that is now taking place. For Boden, this meant the creation of Boden Industrial Park, which then became crucial when Stegra chose the site.

Challenges and opportunities

Despite notable successes, Salenius also identifies significant challenges, particularly regarding the role of the state. He argues that government support for local communities has not been sufficiently proactive or comprehensive to address the complex demands of rapidly growing industrial regions. A lack of early-stage investments in infrastructure and resources has, for example, made it more difficult to meet the evolving needs associated with large-scale industrial establishments.

However, Salenius also sees long-term opportunities emerging from the ongoing transition. By fostering a regional labor market where Luleå and Boden complement one another, the area can reduce its dependency on a single industry and build a more resilient economic ecosystem.

“This transition has the potential to create a dynamic innovation system where industry and society evolve together. It is a model from which other regions can draw valuable lessons,” he states.

Salenius describes northern Sweden’s industrial transformation as unique in a global context. The extent to which societal involvement is prioritized in the transition is particularly notable when compared to international benchmarks.

“If there is a Nordic model for industrial transformation, this is where it is most clearly articulated. The cooperation between industry, local government, and regional stakeholders is a distinguishing factor,” he concludes.

Two men are standing at a round table outside, laughing. One man is wearing a black jacket and has a relaxed posture, while the other man, dressed in a suit and red tie, is holding a microphone and appears to be laughing in embarrassment. The background shows an industrial setting with stairs and a machine labeled 'Atlas Copco' and 'JIAB'.
The close cooperation between companies, local communities and the region is a success factor that stands out. Viktor Salenius believes that it is a model that others will want to learn more about and follow.

Implications for Boden

Salenius’ research underscores the importance of continued investment in collaboration and sustainable development—both to support current industrial establishments and to address future challenges.

His findings clearly indicate that Boden is not merely a site for green industrial development; it also serves as a model for how future societies can be shaped through strategic cooperation between industry and local governance structures.

“The strength of collaboration is evident. Even between Stegra and Hybrit, there are multiple areas of cooperation on shared challenges such as infrastructure and talent attraction. While they are business competitors, their coexistence and parallel timelines have fostered positive developments for both the companies and the broader region.”

Fact box: Conclusions from the research

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Share on social media

 

Facebook

 

Twitter

 

LinkedIn

You may also like

Sign up to our newsletter

We are the green heart of northern Sweden, where industry and commerce interact in a unique ecosystem which attracts talent from all over the world.

Youtube Twitter

Navigation

Contact us

+46 921 620 00
bo*****@bo***.se

Newsletter

©BODENXT

Privacy policy

 

Originally published on 18 March by BodenNXT.

Announcements are published as a service to readers. The sender is responsible for all content.

Announcements for publication can be submitted to in**@ar*********.com.