The new factory

A unique investment in the Swedish textile industry

When we decided to build a new factory in Östersund, it was the largest investment in Woolpower’s history. At the same time, it was a clear statement in support of Swedish textile production.

We wanted to show that clothing does not have to be produced in low-wage countries. It is possible to run a successful textile manufacturing company here in Sweden. Despite our size, we are the only Swedish brand that knits and sews all our garments in Sweden, in Östersund. We have done so since the company was founded in 1969, and we are proud to continue keeping our production here.

Swedish manufacturing with a strong focus on high quality has always been the foundation of our business. Garments that are produced under fair conditions and built to last are something more and more customers are asking for. To meet the growing demand for our products, we needed to expand. Our previous facilities could not be extended, which led us to make the biggest investment we had ever made and build an entirely new factory in Östersund.

With the new factory, we doubled our production space and expected that, over time, we would also be able to double the number of employees. It was a unique investment in the textile industry, and we wanted to demonstrate that clothing can be manufactured in Sweden under fair working conditions.

Construction of the new factory began in April, and the plan was for production in the new facilities to be up and running during 2022—a goal we successfully achieved. During the construction period, we followed the progress closely, and in this diary we have collected a few snapshots from the journey.

Our diary from the factory construction

2022: Stronger together

Every day, everyone working at Woolpower does their very best and contributes to our ability to continue producing high-quality products in a sustainable way in Sweden. To keep doing that in the future, we need to take care of one another.

Here you can get a small glimpse of some of our staff facilities.

With a new factory comes a new store

In connection with the factory relocation, the Factory Store will also move—and grow.
The current store is 100 square meters, and with the move it will become three times larger.

2022 is here – and a lot will happen this year

Just like everywhere else around us, the pandemic has also affected the construction of our factory. We are a few weeks behind schedule, but we believe—and hope—that we will soon be back on track. Right now, the focus is on heating and ventilation.

The district heating system is in place and connected, and all the glass sections in the façade have been installed. As you can see in the video below, interior walls have started to be built and the ventilation system is being installed.

Winter has arrived – and so have the walls

What has happened since last time, you might wonder? Things are now moving quickly and the outer walls of the factory are in place. Some sections have intentionally been left open so that equipment can be moved in and out as needed. Work currently taking place on the construction site includes installing the roof, which is now about 50% complete. Windows and doors are also being installed. Christian was on site and spoke with one of the window installers—watch the video below!

Goal for November – A weatherproof building

Winter comes every year—we know that. Here in Östersund it can arrive suddenly, going from bare ground to several decimeters of snow overnight. That is why having a weatherproof building by November has been a guiding mantra throughout the entire construction process of our new factory.

At the beginning of September, the structure of the building was fully in place and the interior roof had begun to be installed in our new factory. The next step was to complete the rest of the interior roof. At the same time, the weather brought several weeks of rain and strong winds, but the roof was successfully installed and progress moved quickly after that.

The first snow fell in mid-October. Fortunately, it was only a light snowfall, but it also marked the arrival of colder temperatures. During this period, with freezing conditions, the factory floor needed to be poured. It was a bit nerve-racking. How would the cold affect the concrete? Would more snow fall before the roof was finished?

Everything went well. We didn’t quite reach the goal of having a fully weatherproof building by November, but the entire factory now has a roof and the floor has been poured.

September 2021 – Christian checks in with Site Manager Fredrik

Managing a large construction project is not without its challenges. There are many factors you need to keep track of, and many you cannot control—such as the weather. Christian checked in with Site Manager Fredrik Svedare.

August 2021 – A building begins to take shape

In August, the casting of the foundation pillars for the factory structure began. Once that work was completed, the framework of the new factory could start to rise. The first part to be built was our future warehouse, which we will now be able to have under the same roof as our production.

Summer 2021 – Laying the foundation for the future of the Swedish textile industry

The swelling shale has been handled and the groundwork continues. One of the first things being put in place is the road leading to the future staff parking areas. Curious about what the work looks like at the construction site?
In the video below, you can see the progress from week 27 to week 35.

May 2021 – Preparing the ground and discovering challenges

At the end of May, groundwork began for our new factory, which is now being built in Verksmon. Shortly after the work started, it was discovered that swelling shale was present in the ground.

Swelling shale is quite common in Jämtland, especially around Lake Storsjön. As the name suggests, it expands when it comes into contact with oxygen. This can cause structures built on untreated swelling shale to crack over time. For that reason, it was very important to handle the swelling shale properly before the construction process could continue.

Selection of articles about Woolpower’s new factory (in Swedish):

June 2022

Woolpower på plats under Järvaveckan – hoppas rekryter 60 nya medarbetare, Habit

March 2022

Woolpower levererar till försvarsmakten – kompetensbrist en utmaning, Habit
De ska klä försvaret – “Skulle önska mer hjälp från arbetsförmedlingen”, Tidningen Näringslivet
Woolpower söker personal till nya fabriken: ”Svårt att rekrytera”, Länstidningen Östersund

February 2022

60 nya jobb hos Woolpower – ska sy nordiska uniformer: ”Vår roll är att skydda mot kyla”, Östersunds Posten

December 2021

Rashid från Afghanistan räddar Woolpowers produktion, Tidningen Näringslivet

August 2021

Woolpowers fabriksbygge går som på räls – Linus Flodin: “Det har blivit trendigare med välanvända och noppiga kläder”, Länstidningen Östersund, Plus artikel

July 2021

Nysvenskar fyller Woolpowers dubblade fabriksyta, Dagens Industri
Utlandsfödda förstärker Woolpowers personalstyrka, Tidningen Näringslivet

June 2021

Östersundsbaserade Woolpower expanderar: “Vi ser en ökad efterfrågan”, Expressen
Woolpower: “Svårt att hitta rätt kompetens i Östersund”, Sveriges Radio

April 2021

Woolpower investerar i ny stor fabrik – Vdn: “Vi går mot strömmen” , Länstidningen Östersund,
Woolpower gör sin största satsning någonsin – Öppnar ny fabrik i Östersund, Östersunds Posten
Woolpower trotsar textildöden – bygger ny fabrik i Östersund, Sportfack
Woolpower bygger ny fabrik – kan ge 200 nya jobb, SVT
Woolpower bygger ny fabrik i Östersund, Dagens Arbete
Woolpower bygger ny fabrik i Östersund, Sveriges Radio
Så mycket personal behöver Woolpower till nya fabriken: “Vi har annonser ute”, Länstidningen Östersund