Thanks to a systematic and structured effort and a strong commitment from the customer, Coor was able to reduce heat consumption by 16,000 MWh at Alleima in Sandviken in just three years.

Alleima, formerly Sandvik Materials Technology, develops and manufactures advanced products in stainless steel and special alloys as well as industrial heating products. Around 5,500 people work in the company globally, which exports to over 90 markets around the world.

Alleima’s facilities are located in Sandviken’s industrial park and include everything from large production plants of varying ages to office buildings. Here, Coor’s energy specialists work systematically to reduce energy use in the company’s buildings, comprising a total floor space of 700,000 square metres.

When the project entered a new phase in autumn 2018, the goal was to reduce annual heat use by 2 to 3 per cent, but so far the annual reduction has been somewhere between 4 and 5 per cent. Since 2019, heat consumption has been reduced by 16,000 MWh, or 13 per cent, according to Robin Kairis, Coor’s Site Manager.

“The key to success has been a systematic approach with frequent monitoring and a committed customer,” he adds.

Coor and Alleima meet at regular intervals. At the meetings, the goals for energy use are reviewed, the savings rate is presented, specific buildings are addressed and the reasons for any increases in energy use are analysed, and new proposals for energy savings are put forward.

Alleima and Coor agree that it is the structured approach and strategic management that are the key parameters.

“We have been working together for a long time, but it was when we found this new approach that we really achieved results. This site is 160 years old and there are many challenges,” says Glenn Johansson, Head of Facility Management at Alleima.

In concrete terms, efficiencies are achieved by fixing heat recovery systems that are not efficient enough and adjusting ventilation systems and radiators, and by adjusting temperatures and operating times to the operations. If a space is empty, it is possible to save up to 1,000 MWh a year by simply adjusting the ventilation.

Electricity has also surfaced as a hot topic recently, although Alleima has already had a focus on this area for a couple of years.

“The whole energy issue is a key part of our sustainability goals,” says Glenn Johansson.

He adds that the uncertain situation in the world has also led to Alleima and Coor drawing up contingency plans as part of the collaboration between Coor and Alleima Facility Management. In addition to energy efficiency, Alleima has engaged Coor to handle maintenance of properties and outdoor environments.

“Our successful efforts to create energy efficiencies have made a good contribution to reducing Alleima’s maintenance costs,” notes Per Stinessen, Coor’s Contract Manager.

Few companies know what emissions are generated by their office operations, and this can hamper the effort to raise awareness. In a pilot project, Coor has therefore helped Deloitte as well as other customers to calculate the climate impact of their service delivery.

Nordic companies are keen to improve their sustainability performance, but few are aware of what impact their office operations are having on the climate. In a pilot project during the year, Coor measured the climate impact of the services it provides at a few selected client companies around the Nordic region. One of them is Deloitte in Norway:

“At Deloitte, we are keen to make a difference,” says Tone Indrebø Næs, Director Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability.

“Our goal is to make a positive contribution to society and promote sustainable development.”

She therefore did not hesitate when Coor contacted her and asked if Deloitte wanted to participate in the pilot.

“For Deloitte, this has been an important addition to our own efforts to combat climate change, and we have taken measures to reduce the carbon footprint of our office as a direct response to Coor’s calculations,” says Tone Indrebø Næs.

One of these measures is that Deloitte now has significantly fewer meat dishes on the menu in the staff restaurant, and when meat is served the portions are almost halved compared with previously. The rest of the plate is filled with vegetables, which is good for health as well as the environment.

Nikolai Utheim, President Coor in Norway, points out that keeping track of your company’s emissions has become a competitive advantage.

“So far, we have run the pilot for three customers in Norway and today we can say exactly where the climate emissions from their office operations come from, which helps to raise awareness. They now know what changes are required.”

He is convinced that in the future climate reporting will be as natural as reporting a company’s financial figures and is calling for a greater degree of public governance.

“The authorities need to come up with clear guidelines for climate reporting. We need public standards that we can relate to,” says Nikolai Utheim.

With the help of sensors, Coor reduced GN Store Nord’s energy consumption by 40 per cent in 2022 and thus helped the company move towards its vision of creating the technology of the future with a focus on sustainability.

GN Store Nord is one of the world’s largest producers of hearing aids and headsets. Sustainability is a central aspect of the company’s business strategy. One of the company’s goals is to make the business CO₂-neutral by 2025, and Coor has been able to contribute to this in several ways.

“Coor’s focus on technology is crucial to our ability to achieve this goal,” says Hannah Smith, Sustainability Specialist at GN Store Nord.

Sensors reduce GN Store Nord’s energy
Coor has installed sensors at two facilities, which has made it possible to monitor and optimise energy consumption and detect any deviations before problems arise. Coor has also optimised timed lighting control, flow temperature and other systems. This creates both climate and economic benefits, according to Metta Andreasen, FM Manager at GN Store Nord:

“Already in 2021, the sensors helped us to reduce our energy use by the equivalent of 70 single-family houses, or 60 tonnes of carbon dioxide. In 2022, we reduced our energy use by a further 40 per cent, and our electricity use by 20 per cent. It is fantastic to see how we are realising our ambition for more sustainable buildings.”

But it is not only in the area of energy use that Coor is making a contribution. Coor’s FM contract as a whole has a clear focus on sustainability. One example of this is that all waste is fractionated – that is, separated at source – based on the products’ life cycles and recyclability. But you also need to buy products that are highly recyclable to begin with.

“When a company implements new sustainability initiatives, it is important to have a professional partner. Coor’s waste management experts have helped us with purchasing, fractionation and CO2 measurements for waste,” says Metta Andreasen.
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Electric cars are the future
‍Given GN Store Nord’s strong focus on creating tomorrow’s sustainable technology, it is natural that the company should also want to inspire its employees to choose sustainable cars. In 2023, Coor will therefore be installing 70 electric car chargers that will make it easier for the employees to charge their electric cars while they are at work.

In a partnership stretching back more than ten years, Coor has been providing property maintenance services to SSAB’s unique Raahe factory area in Finland.

SSAB is a steelmaker with global operations and a leading supplier of high-strength steel. In addition to the factory in Raahe in Finland, which is the largest, the company has production facilities in Sweden and the US. The factory area in Raahe covers a significant section of the town and extends over a vast area. Covering over 500 hectares, it includes 40 kilometres of roads and 30 kilometres of railways as well as a port, fire station, power plant and one of Finland’s largest laboratories.

Coor started providing property maintenance services at SSAB’s factory in Raahe in 2012, and different business models have been developed in collaboration with the customer since the start. Coor is responsible for preventive property maintenance and provides FM services as well as moving services.
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“We do a lot of preventive maintenance: we inspect the buildings, repair minor faults immediately and submit reports on other problems,” says Tero Översti, Coor’s Service Manager.

In the factory area, there are 278 buildings with 8,000 doors, so there is no shortage of work. The tasks vary considerably, from welding doors to cleaning gutters and doing various installations.

“We appreciate Coor’s knowledge and experience. As the buildings are located in a factory area, there are many risk factors and the work is quite different from traditional property management,” says Pertti Viholainen, Real Estate Manager at SSAB.

Like Coor, SSAB has a strong focus on sustainability. SSAB’s goal is to largely eliminate CO2 emissions from its production by 2030. This will require major changes as steelmaking is very energy-intensive.

“Steelmaking is currently undergoing the biggest revolution since the invention of the melting furnace,” says Pertti Viholainen.

A safe working environment is a fundamental requirement for everything SSAB does and the company has a strong focus on safety. The company’s continuous efforts to ensure safety through patrols, observations, communications about safety and training have paid off. The LTI ratio – the number of lost time injuries per million hours worked – has decreased continuously since the 1970s and reached an all-time low of 0.51 in 2021.

“External service providers such as Coor are also increasingly involved in our efforts to ensure safety,” says Pertti Viholainen.