Skellefteå municipality comments on Northvolt bankruptcy announcement

Today’s announcement from Northvolt is very sad news for Skellefteå. Our expectations now are that it is more crucial than ever for national actors to take crucial actions to ensure that talent and battery production stays in Sweden, that new owners are in place as soon as possible and for production to be upheld during this time.

- This is a hard day for Skellefteå. After today’s annoucentment my thoughts are first and foremost with the people who are affected, directly or indirectly. My thoughts are of course also on what a tremendous loss it would be on a local, national and European level if we lose the critical talent that is amassed here. Because it’s important to underscore that what affects Skellefteå in the short run affects Sweden and Europe a lot harder. In the end, it’s about Europe’s competitiveness. In this situation, we expect the government and national actors to increase their commitment to ensure talent retention and European battery production. This is not something a municipal government can or should do on their own, says Lorents Burman (S), chairman of the municipal board.

Northvolt’s bankruptcy annoucentment affects many in Skellefteå and has direct effects to local business and trade, but also to Skellefteå municipality. Exactly how big the effects will be is too early to say.

Skellefteå municipality has a crisis organisation that is now activated. The main focus for the organisation is to coordinate the work within the municipality and with other actors, and to ensure a current overall view of the situation.

- Today’s annoucentment is very sad, and we know it will have a negative effect on our municipality in the short run. At the same time, we need to remember that Skellefteås development journey started long before Northvolt and that many important investments and business set-ups are taking place here. With our unique assets, Skellefteå is a key player in the green transition. What’s important now is that new owners can be in place as soon as possible and that production can be upheld during that time. We all need to gather strength on a local, regional and national level, says Kristina Sundin Jonsson, municipal manager.

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