Emballator invests in major energy upgrade – preparing the Hjo site for the future

Many Swedish factories have been running for decades. While production lines are often updated, the surrounding infrastructure can fall behind. Emballator’s facility in Hjo is no exception—but that is now changing. In close collaboration with energy specialists at Siemens, Emballator has launched a major energy‑saving project.

Jonas Strålman, Production Manager at Emballator Tectubes, explains:

“Like many others, our property’s systems haven’t been updated for a long time. Some equipment—including parts of the ventilation system—dates back to when the factory was built in 1968. Our control system is no longer available on the market. That creates risks: if something fails, troubleshooting becomes difficult and we may not find spare parts. That can lead to quick fixes that aren’t sustainable in the long run. We need to avoid that, and at the same time there are great opportunities to save energy.”

A structured plan for modernisation

Siemens has carried out an extensive energy survey of the site, mapping the current status and identifying opportunities for efficiency improvements. Based on the results, a two‑stage project is now planned. It includes replacing the ventilation system, the cooling machine, the fan room heater and the supply air unit, as well as upgrading the building’s control systems and outdated electronics.

“We will also optimise property management through a new building automation system,” says Jonas.

As part of the project, new solutions have also been developed to sell excess heat to Hjo Energi.

Building a foundation for the future

This upgrade is an important step toward Emballator’s long‑term ambition to create a climate‑neutral tube production facility.

“This is the first step towards our ambitious goal of building a climate‑neutral factory. With this foundation, we can develop and future‑proof our operations,” Jonas concludes.