Hi! This is Värmland. Hello! This is Värmland. Hello! My name is ..., and I come from ... . I wanted to share with you some stories and images from Värmland. Wilderness experiences and magnificent countryside are things that many people associate with Värmland. And this is of course a true and proper picture, but there is so much more here. Hi! This is Värmland.

This is Värmland as well. This is also Värmland Take the Arvika Festival, for example. This festival of music has developed into one of Sweden’s best and biggest festivals, thanks to youthful enthusiasm and an entrepreneurial spirit. We like having guests in Värmland, and the experience industry is growing fast. This is Värmland as well.

Värmland By Lake Vänern, Europe's largest inland sea 16 municipalities – 273,000 inhabitants Stockholm – Karlstad 308 km Gothenburg – Karlstad 248 km Oslo – Karlstad 230 km Värmland By Lake Vänern, Europe’s biggest lake Stockholm – Karlstad 308 km Gothenburg – Karlstad 248 km Oslo – Karlstad 230 km 16 municipalities – 274,000 inhabitants

As well as water, Värmland is also rich in:

Creative entrepreneurs Forests Elks Story-tellers Artists Musicians Experiences Creative entrepreneurs Apart from water, Värmland is rich in: Forests Elks Story-tellers Artists Musicians Experiences Creative entrepreneurs Värmland is rich in natural assets such as iron ore, forests and water. There is a strong story-telling tradition here, including author Selma Lagerlöf and poets such as Nils Ferlin, Gustaf Fröding and Göran Tunström. Music, culture and experiences contribute towards the development of our economy, and entrepreneurship in Värmland is creative and successful.

Our successful clusters

The Paper Province Unique expertise in paper and pulp technology Around 90 member companies with a total of 8,400 or so employees Total turnover SEK 18 billion One of Europe's most successful and innovative clusters The Paper Province Unique expertise in the field of paper and pulp technology Around 90 member companies with a total of around 8,400 employees Combined turnover of SEK 18 billion One of Europe’s most successful and innovative clusters Nowhere else in the world is there so much expertise in and experience of paper and pulp technology as in the Värmland region. The companies in this cluster collaborate in the fields of packaging development, soft‑paper manufacture and energy rationalisation. The Paper Province has been declared one of Europe’s most innovative and successful clusters, and has attracted great attention internationally. Something else associated with the cluster is The Packaging Greenhouse. This is an independent industrial-research environment in the field of paper and pulp technology, in which companies can try out various paper materials in a pilot machine or hone their skills with the aid of customised, process‑related training measures.

The Packaging Arena An interest body in the graphics industry Its mission is to create the packaging solutions of the future Focus on function, design, user-friendliness and environmental consideration Approx. 50 member companies with a total of 7 000 or so employees Total turnover SEK 22,5 billion The Packaging Arena Interest group within the graphics industry Works on developing future packaging solutions Focus on function, design, user‑friendliness and environmental considerations The Packaging Arena is an interest group for companies, organisations and researchers in the graphics industry. Within this cluster work is in progress on creating future packaging solutions on the basis of consumer needs and sustainability considerations. The emphasis is on developing functional, smart, neat, user-friendly packaging solutions that are also environmentally friendly. One of the most exciting recent innovations comes from Stora Enso, who have developed a new technology that makes it easier to open awkward plastic packaging. This technology is called CDM (Controlled Delamination Material), and it resolves the problem using electric current and a special adhesive. The CDM project is a good example of how to interlink research and industry and benefit from The Packaging Arena’s basic concept of bringing together several different players with packaging-related expertise. Interestingly, CDM technology has its origins in the field of defence, the objective being to attach objects to the outside of fighter planes and then easily be able to detach them at a given signal. Around 50 member companies with a total of 7 000 or so employees Total turnover SEK 22,5 billion

Compare Competence Area – a cluster in IT and Telecoms (ICT) Drives business and competence development Approx. 100 member companies with a total of 2,700 or so employees Total turnover SEK 3 billion Compare Testlab, a centre for software testing Compare Competence Area – a cluster in the field of IT and Telecom (ICT) Carries out business and skills development Around 100 member companies with a total of 2,700 or so employees Total turnover SEK 3 billion Compare Testlab, a centre for software testing Compare stands for ‘Competence Area’, i.e. skills area, and this cluster carries out business and skills development in the field of IT and telecom (ICT). The 100 or so interested companies are collaborating so as to increase the region’s competitiveness on a global market – and very successfully. An excellent example of what can be achieved through collaboration between the Compare companies, Karlstad University and the local community is Compare Testlab – a high-tech centre for independent software testing. The objective is to turn this into a European centre for development of complex products and services.

Steel & Engineering Värmland is one of Europe's leading regions for steel and engineering Enterprise, business development, research and development The aim is to strengthen competitiveness through forward-looking renewal 73 member companies with a total of 5,000 or so employees Total turnover SEK 13,3 billion Steel and Engineering Värmland is one of Europe’s leading steel and engineering regions Entrepreneurship, business development, research & development The objective is greater competitiveness through far-sighted regeneration work For many hundreds of years iron ore has been an important natural resource for Värmland, and we have developed into one of Europe’s leading steel and engineering regions. Uddeholm Tooling in Hagfors, for example, is world-famous for its tool steel. In the Steel & Engineering Skills Centre the focus is entirely on the future, the emphases including entrepreneurship, business development, research & development and skills development in collaboration with the companies and public bodies. The objective is greater competitiveness through far-sighted regeneration work. Around 70 member companies with a total of 5,000 or so employees Total turnover SEK 13,3 billion

The Värmland Model – A successful model for profitable co-operation

The Värmland model – a successful model for profitable collaboration The Värmland model is based on active collaboration between the public sector, academia and industry – what is usually known as the Triple Helix. The great advantage for us in Värmland is that thanks to our successful clusters we can achieve concrete results. Investment in Värmland is quite simply good business. The Värmland model focuses on business development, research, entrepreneurship and provision of skilled labour. The objective is creation of innovations and growth in order to strengthen Värmland in the long term.

Some of the benefits of the Värmland Model More jobs created Better product development Better competence sourcing Increased sales Some of the advantages of the Värmland model Job creation Improved product development Improved provision of skilled labour Increased sales

Examples of major employers in Värmland Stora Enso Karlstad University Billerud Volvo Construction Equipment Uddeholm Tooling Tieto Rolls-Royce Metso Wasabröd Examples of big employers in Värmland Stora Enso Karlstad University Billerud Volvo Construction Equipment Uddeholm Tooling Tieto Rolls-Royce Metso Wasabröd

We like entrepreneurs and we’d love to see more We like entrepreneurs, and want to see more Inova: incubator for ideas for new companies Idéjakten i Värmland [‘Värmland Ideas Quest’]: annual business-plan competition Almi Företagsutveckling [‘Almi Company Development’]: advice and financing This picture shows Dick and Andreas Johansson from the linen weavers Klässbols Linneväveri – one of many examples of Värmland entrepreneurship. Värmland is bursting with business concepts, and there are many exciting ideas for tourism and the experience industry. Thanks to its personal commitment, the sports hotel Långbergets Sporthotell has developed into one of Sweden’s foremost skiing centres. The company Corner Vending in Karlstad is responsible for a really exciting innovation: their unique food machine Entibi serves hot food at any time and wherever you like. (The speaker can of course add other examples of creative entrepreneurship at this juncture.) We encourage entrepreneurship in many different ways. Inova i Wermland, Idéjakten i Värmland and Almi Företagspartner are examples of springboards that help entrepreneurs take their ideas further. By the way, did you know that Ericsson’s founder Lars Magnus Ericsson came from Värmland? He was born in 1856 at Nordtomta Farm in Värmskog, which is located between Grums and Arvika. We like entrepreneurs and we’d love to see more Inova, incubator for new business ideas Idéjakten i Värmland, annual business plan competition Almi Företagsutveckling, consulting and financing

Karlstad University Modern, open and innovative A creative meeting-place and an engine in the region's industrial development 12,000 students 80 degree programmes 900 courses Karlstad University A modern and open-minded university Creative meeting place and engine of the region’s economic development 12,000 students 80 educational programmes 900 courses Karlstad University is a young university with a fresh approach, and around 10,000 students. There are about 50 educational programmes, 20 supplementary programmes and 800 courses in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, technology, teaching and healthcare. This picture shows the new multimedia studio and the meeting place at the university. The Ljungberg Hall, popularly known as The Egg, appears to float in the air. The university is an important engine in the region’s development work, and it collaborates closely with industry & commerce in Värmland – not least through the various cluster organisations. Research takes place at the university in both traditional academic subjects and multidisciplinary areas of knowledge. An exciting recent venture is Barnens Universitet [University for Children], an exciting and novel concept whereby professors and researchers lecture to 8- to 12‑year‑olds. The aim is to increase interest in science and technology, and the venture has been a great success.

Värmland is vibrant From musicians' rallies to Arvikafestivalen From folk music to the Arvika Festival Värmland has a very rich musical and cultural life. At Värmland Opera in Karlstad there have been theatre productions since 1893, and both opera and musicals are now on offer. At Berättarladan in Sunne there is Västanå Theatre, which is inspired by folk music, dance and story‑telling. At Ransäter the accordion is played 24 hours a day during an intensive summer weekend, which every year attracts 10,000 visitors. The sounds of rock are to be heard at the Arvika Festival, which has developed into one of Sweden’s biggest and best music festivals. And Nöjesfabriken and Arena in Karlstad put on the hottest Swedish bands, plus some internationally renowned artists. Another arena worthy of note is Löfbergs Lila Arena in Karlstad. Not only do hockey players appear here but also artists such as Bob Dylan, Elton John and Dolly Parton. Värmland is vibrant From musicians' rallies to Arvikafestivalen

find culture in Värmland You don’t need to be lucky to find culture in Värmland Four art museums Mårbacka, home of Selma Lagerlöf Gustaf Fröding’s memorial manor Värmland Opera Västanå Theatre Culture is important in Värmland, and there is an artist pretty much everywhere you turn. The old wire works at Laxholmen in Munkfors puts on exhibitions of Lars Lerin, one of the Nordic countries’ foremost water‑colourists. There is more art at Rackstad Museum in Arvika, home to a well-known artists’ colony at the beginning of the twentieth century. Kristinehamn Museum of Art and the Alma Löv Museum near Östra Ämtervik are well worth a visit. The world’s first female Nobel Prize winner was the author Selma Lagerlöf. Her home, Mårbacka receives around 50,000 visitors a year. Our art galleries include the Museum of Värmland, Rackstad Museum, Kristinehamn Museum of Art and Laxholmen (Lars Lerin). You don't need luck to find culture in Värmland Five art museums Mårbacka, home of author Selma Lagerlöf Memorial to poet Gustaf Fröding Värmland Opera Västanå Theatre

An attractive tourist region Tourism all year round: wilderness, water, skiing, culture and trade Turnover from tourism is increasing fast, much faster than for the country as a whole. The experience industry is a prioritised area Tourism is important to Värmland, and it contributes towards creating growth and new jobs. This is without doubt an industry for the future, and Värmland has much to offer all year round. Branäs attracts around 250,000 skiers every year to its winter-sports resort, which is undergoing great expansion. Around 500,000 visitors a year visit Karlstad’s Mariebergsskogen forest, and Glaskogen forest, with its walking and canoe trails, is a popular tourist destination in Värmland. Many tourists come from Norway, Holland and Germany, and an astonishing 95% say they will probably return. An attractive tourist region The great outdoors, water, skiing, culture and commerce Turnover from tourism increasing strongly Experience industry a high-priority area

Värmland offers many great events and activities:

Färjestads BK, 9 times Swedish ice-hockey champions Swedish stage of the World Rally Championship Fortum Ski Tunnel in Torsby, one of the world's longest 15 alpine ski centres 17 golf courses Värmland offers ‘speedy’ leisure time Färjestads BK, 9 Swedish Championship Golds in ice hockey Swedish World Championship Rally Fortum Ski Tunnel in Torsby, one of the world’s longest ski tunnels 15 alpine skiing resorts 17 golf courses Lots of cross-country skiing tracks There are a host of sporting and leisure activities in Värmland – for both public and active participation. As well as all the skiing resorts and cross-country tracks there are lots of great walking trails. The proximity to the Klarälven river and Lake Vänern makes it easy to enjoy boating and bathing, and allows you to go on calm fishing trips or to shoot wild rapids. There is great interest in ice hockey in Värmland. Färjestads BK has for many years dominated Swedish ice hockey, but there are many other successful ice-hockey teams in Värmland. Over the years IF Göta in Karlstad has produced many excellent athletes, of whom Stefan Holm is maybe the best-known. Anders Olsson from Hagfors is a major sporting figure. He holds many world records, and is held to be one of the world’s foremost figures in handicapped swimming. A good example of nothing being impossible in this life – or in Värmland.

Thank you very much for your attention.