Towards a greener future in Aalborg - Svanehøj
Interview with Søren Kringelholt Nielsen, CEO - Svanehøj
Embracing a Greener Future
At the forefront in Svenstrup, the towering structures of Svanehøj stand with industry on one side and beautiful nature on the other. A company that first saw the light of day near Vesterå in the heart of Aalborg in 1928, and now, almost 100 years later, continues to keep pace with the times.
With CEO Søren Kringelholt Nielsen at the helm, Svanehøj is constantly striving to move in a greener direction.
- Our current success is largely due to the energy transition from fossil fuels to green energy happening around the world.
Over the past 100 years, Svanehøj has specialized and excelled in handling dangerous liquids and gases, as well as in producing the pumps needed for this purpose.
- We produce systems that allow liquid gases to be transported around Europe and the whole world, which require specialized pumps.
Green Transition as a Growth Driver
The company, headquartered in Svenstrup just outside Aalborg, reached a turnover of just under a billion DKK last year – even though the company has had to continuously adapt to the green transition.
- It might sound a bit odd when we talk about gas, but the green transition is a huge growth driver for Svanehøj. We see a huge market in working with greener alternatives, which pollute significantly less. Gas is cleaner because it doesn't emit particles and sulfur when burned, and therefore it's an important part of the green transition. Many ships today are built so that one tank can hold gas, making gas an important part of the green transition.
Central Location
Despite being an internationally oriented company, it makes much sense for a company like Svanehøj to have its headquarters in Svenstrup.
- Many skilled people are gathered here in North Denmark, and our location is good for recruitment. There are several maritime companies in North Denmark, and we also have Aalborg University for education. In addition, we have many marine engineers employed. Just in the last 3-4 years, we have hired 130 people. We also collaborate well with many local suppliers in North Denmark.
“...it does not make sense for us to move anywhere else than Aalborg Municipality. We are quite perfect right here.”
Airport is a Major Asset
Both hands and knowledge are needed in a company like Svanehøj. Therefore, Aalborg Airport is also a major attraction for the company.
- It's easy to get to and from Aalborg, and it's a huge asset for a global company. Therefore, it also makes sense for us to keep a large part of our production and our headquarters here and optimize it with the good framework and many competencies that we have available.
Specialized Skill in CO2 Transport
There's no doubt that it requires technical competencies and knowledge to transport dangerous gases around the world – and especially to make them green despite high CO2 emissions.
- We have sold pumps for the first three ships that are part of the Northern Light project, where the plan is to sail around and collect CO2, for example, from Aalborg Portland, and then it is sailed to Norway and pumped into some tanks, and from those tanks a pipeline goes out to an empty natural gas field where the CO2 can be pumped down.
Important with a Green Profile
- A lot of people tell me that they apply here because we have a green profile. In addition, we have good opportunities to go out into the world, so they can use the competencies they have acquired within the green transition.
Although Svanehøj has activities from Japan and China to France and England, there is no doubt that the company, as a starting point, remains in the flat fields of Svenstrup, where the company has been located since the 1960s.
- For us, development and production are closely connected, and we have an entire maritime hub here in North Denmark with extremely good cooperation. Therefore, it does not make sense for us to move anywhere else than Aalborg Municipality. We are quite perfect right here.
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Meet Søren Kuch Svenningsen
Investment Manager, Invest in Aalborg
Søren is your green point of contact and he can help you build a solid sustainable business case - utilizing the strong green forces within the North Danish region. Søren has an engineering background, which will secure you a solid technical foundation and understanding.
