Surahammar Municipality
Encyclopedia
Surahammar Municipality is a municipality
in Västmanland County
in central Sweden
. Its seat is located in the town of Surahammar
.
The municipality is located some 100 km west of Stockholm
in the southern part of the mineral-rich Bergslagen
region.
The municipality was formed in 1963 through the amalgamation of Ramnäs and Sura.
in this municipality was started in larger scale in the 16th and 17th centuries when forge
s where built here. Is was a new phenomena to run forge mills separate from mining and pig iron production sites in Bergslagen
. The mills were located in Virsbo, Ramnäs and Surahammar and Pig iron
was transported from mills further north, initially by horse-sledges in the winter. There was ample local supply of hydropower
to run the forge hammers and timber to make charcoal. Later, when Strömsholm Canal
was finished, it was used to ship finished products to Västerås
and Stockholm
for export. This restructuring
process appears to have been driven by the need to secure access to hydropower and timber for the forges since both the mines
and blast furnaces used up considerable amounts of resources in the production of pig iron.
Over time the mills specialised and in Ramnäs the key product became iron chains - in modern days for the off-shore industry - and in Surahammar wheel-sets for the rail road industry and electro steels, both with ASEA as a major customer.
In Surahammar, Gustaf Eriksson developed the first combustion-engine automobile built i Sweden in 1897. It formed the basis for a new Swedish industry that was located in Södertälje
under the name of Vagnfabriks-Aktiebolaget i Södertelge (renamed in 1906 to Vabis
that later merged with Scania AB
).
Today, the mills in Virsbo, Ramnäs and Surahammar have been transformed into modern industries with international owners.
has been restored and is a popular route for small yachts. One can navigate from Strömsholm Palace
, one of the Royal Palaces in Sweden at lake Mälaren
to Fagersta
and Smedjebacken
through several canal locks
and lakes, a total distance of 100 km.
Ecomuseum Bergslagen gives an in-depth view of how the early industrialization evolved in the Bergslagen region. It consists of some 40 sites.
Municipalities of Sweden
The municipalities of Sweden are the local government entities of Sweden. The current 290 municipalities are organized into 21 counties...
in Västmanland County
Västmanland County
Västmanland County is a county or län in central Sweden. It borders to the counties of Södermanland, Örebro, Gävleborg, Dalarna and Uppsala...
in central Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Its seat is located in the town of Surahammar
Surahammar
Surahammar is a locality and the seat of Surahammar Municipality in Västmanland County, Sweden with 6,276 inhabitants in 2005.- References :...
.
The municipality is located some 100 km west of Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in the southern part of the mineral-rich Bergslagen
Bergslagen
Bergslagen is a historically, culturally, and linguistically distinct mining district located north of Lake Mälaren in northern Svealand, Sweden. In Bergslagen mining and metallurgic industry have been important since the Middle Ages...
region.
The municipality was formed in 1963 through the amalgamation of Ramnäs and Sura.
History
SteelmakingSteelmaking
Steelmaking is the second step in producing steel from iron ore. In this stage, impurities such as sulfur, phosphorus, and excess carbon are removed from the raw iron, and alloying elements such as manganese, nickel, chromium and vanadium are added to produce the exact steel required.-Older...
in this municipality was started in larger scale in the 16th and 17th centuries when forge
Forge
A forge is a hearth used for forging. The term "forge" can also refer to the workplace of a smith or a blacksmith, although the term smithy is then more commonly used.The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals...
s where built here. Is was a new phenomena to run forge mills separate from mining and pig iron production sites in Bergslagen
Bergslagen
Bergslagen is a historically, culturally, and linguistically distinct mining district located north of Lake Mälaren in northern Svealand, Sweden. In Bergslagen mining and metallurgic industry have been important since the Middle Ages...
. The mills were located in Virsbo, Ramnäs and Surahammar and Pig iron
Pig iron
Pig iron is the intermediate product of smelting iron ore with a high-carbon fuel such as coke, usually with limestone as a flux. Charcoal and anthracite have also been used as fuel...
was transported from mills further north, initially by horse-sledges in the winter. There was ample local supply of hydropower
Hydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
to run the forge hammers and timber to make charcoal. Later, when Strömsholm Canal
Strömsholm Canal
The Strömsholm Canal runs from Smedjebacken to Lake Mälaren near Strömsholm. It is 62 miles long with 26 locks. It consists of a string of lakes connected by short manmade cuts....
was finished, it was used to ship finished products to Västerås
Västerås
Västerås is a city in central Sweden, located on the shore of Lake Mälaren in the province Västmanland, some 100 km west of Stockholm...
and Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
for export. This restructuring
Restructuring
Restructuring is the corporate management term for the act of reorganizing the legal, ownership, operational, or other structures of a company for the purpose of making it more profitable, or better organized for its present needs...
process appears to have been driven by the need to secure access to hydropower and timber for the forges since both the mines
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
and blast furnaces used up considerable amounts of resources in the production of pig iron.
Over time the mills specialised and in Ramnäs the key product became iron chains - in modern days for the off-shore industry - and in Surahammar wheel-sets for the rail road industry and electro steels, both with ASEA as a major customer.
In Surahammar, Gustaf Eriksson developed the first combustion-engine automobile built i Sweden in 1897. It formed the basis for a new Swedish industry that was located in Södertälje
Södertälje
Södertälje is a city and the seat of Södertälje Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 86,069 inhabitants in 2010.The industrial city, about south of Stockholm, is the home to truck maker Scania AB and a top 10 pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca....
under the name of Vagnfabriks-Aktiebolaget i Södertelge (renamed in 1906 to Vabis
Vabis
Vabis was a Swedish car and truck manufacturer, founded in 1891 as Vagnfabriks Aktiebolaget i Södertälje in municipality of Södertälje to produce railway cars....
that later merged with Scania AB
Scania AB
Scania Aktiebolag , commonly referred to as Scania AB or just Scania, is a major Swedish automotive industry manufacturer of commercial vehicles - specifically heavy trucks and buses...
).
Today, the mills in Virsbo, Ramnäs and Surahammar have been transformed into modern industries with international owners.
Industry
- Surahammars Bruk AB - electrical steels
- AdtranzAdtranzABB Daimler-Benz Transportation , commonly known under its brand Adtranz, was a multi-national rail transport equipment manufacturer with facilities concentrated in Europe and the USA....
Wheelset AB - wheelsetsWheelset (railroad)A wheelset is the wheel-axle assembly of a railroad car. The frame assembly beneath each end of a car, railcar or locomotive that holds the wheelsets is called the bogie...
for the railroad industry - Metso Powdermet
- Scana Ramnäs AB
- Uponor Wirsbo AB
- RUUKKI SVERIGE AB, Virsbo
Tourism
The Strömsholm CanalStrömsholm Canal
The Strömsholm Canal runs from Smedjebacken to Lake Mälaren near Strömsholm. It is 62 miles long with 26 locks. It consists of a string of lakes connected by short manmade cuts....
has been restored and is a popular route for small yachts. One can navigate from Strömsholm Palace
Strömsholm Palace
Strömsholm Palace, sometimes called Strömsholm Castle , is a Swedish royal palace. The baroque palace is built on the site of a fortress from the 1550s, located on an island in the Kolbäcksån river at the west end of Lake Mälaren...
, one of the Royal Palaces in Sweden at lake Mälaren
Mälaren
Lake Mälaren is the third-largest lake in Sweden, after Lakes Vänern and Vättern. Its area is 1,140 km² and its greatest depth is 64 m. Mälaren spans 120 kilometers from east to west...
to Fagersta
Fagersta
Fagersta is a locality and the seat of Fagersta Municipality in Västmanland County, Sweden, with 10,890 inhabitants in 2005.- Geography :The city is located at the junction of two railways between Ludvika-Västerås and Avesta -Örebro, in the heart of the historic Bergslagen region which is rich in...
and Smedjebacken
Smedjebacken
Smedjebacken is a locality and the seat of Smedjebacken Municipality, Dalarna County, Sweden, with 5,121 inhabitants in 2005.Geographically, the town Smedjebacken is situated by the lake Barken, with an area of 34km², which in turn belongs to the Kolbäcksån stream-system, which drains into lake...
through several canal locks
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
and lakes, a total distance of 100 km.
Ecomuseum Bergslagen gives an in-depth view of how the early industrialization evolved in the Bergslagen region. It consists of some 40 sites.
External links
- Surahammar Municipality - Official site
- Strömsholm Canal - Official site
- Surahammar Manor - Official site
- Ecomuseum Bergslagen - Official site