Record-breaking year for NorrPlant

SCA has never cultivated and delivered as many seedlings as in 2021.

“We’ve cultivated 125 million seedlings and delivered 112 million of them during 2021, approximately 60% of which have gone to external customers and the remainder to SCA’s own forests in Sweden and the Baltic states,” says Thomas, adding:

“We set a new record last year, with 103.5 million seedlings delivered. We thought that would be tough to beat, but we managed to do it, which is very exciting.”

Pine seedlings in majority

Of the 112 million seedlings that were delivered, the majority were pine seedlings and around one third were spruce. NorrPlant also delivered a small volume of contorta pine seedlings and around one million larch seedlings.

“Pine dominates the forests owned by SCA. Deliveries of pine seedlings are also increasing among our external customers,” says Thomas. “Our seedlings are of exceptionally high quality, which means external demand for them is rising. We can now deliver seedlings to all of Sweden.”

Protection against pine weevils

Interest in choosing SCA’s Hylosafe treatment for seedlings, which protects against pine weevils, remains strong.
“In 2021 we treated close to 20 million seedlings with Hylosafe. More forest owners want to protect their forest, since climate change means an increased risk of insect damage,” explains Thomas.

Frozen seedlings in demand

Demand for SCA’s frozen seedlings, delivered in boxes, also increased significantly during the year.
“This year, we had four million frozen seedlings and they sold out quickly. Ahead of 2022, we expanded our freezing facility and can now offer more frozen seedlings. Many customers appreciate receiving the seedlings in boxes, since that makes handling easier,” says Thomas, adding:

“We launched our online plant store, SCA Plantor, in the spring and it’s been popular. It allows forest owners to easily order the seedlings they want, suited for their land. We offer frozen seedlings until midsummer, at which point we once again offer seedlings in our usual pot trays.”

Oil-free heating

During the year, NorrPlant also continued its work with launching a pellet boiler system at Bogrundet.

“In 2022, all of our plant cultivation will be fossil-free. One boiler is already up and running, and the other will go into operation in March 2022. Thanks to this investment, we’ll finally have a climate-friendly and effective technical solution to heat our 14 greenhouses at Bogrundet and avoid the use of oil. The facility at Bogrundet is fueled with pellets from SCA BioNorr, while Wifstamon nursery is heated through district heating from Östrand pulp mill. This way we can take advantage of SCA’s value chain and contribute to a sustainable society,” concludes Thomas.

Photo: Michael Engman