For almost 150 years, from its founding in 1874 or perhaps rather 1867, until its closure in the autumn of 2018, the mill, under various names, has dominated the port area with its operations. This was once Uppsala's largest industry.

How it started

In 1874, HW Söderman together with Wilh. Ulander, Joh. Johansson and Pehr Lundberg aktiebolaget Upsala Ångqvarn. The company took over the mill, the so-called Eldkvarn, which was down by the harbor that Söderman had recently bought. It was an old watermill that CW Ulander and the bakers Åberg and Feith bought in the early 1860s and turned into steam. The mill was a customs mill, ie the farmers paid in kind by leaving grain as compensation. But the mill went badly and the business had occasionally been down.

Who was HW Söderman?

At the time of the start of Ångkvarnsbolaget, Söderman had reached the age of 44 and had already built up an extensive business in Uppsala.HW Söderman. Photographer unknown. UUB.

 

Henrik Wilhelm Söderman was born on March 29, 1829 at Österby mill. He was the third of six siblings. His father was a blast furnace setter at the mill. As a 13-year-old, he leaves home and gets a job with various traders in Uppsala as a farmhand, running boy and journeyman. Around 1850, he gets a job as an all-rounder with the spice merchant Wilhelm Ulander, who obviously realizes and is able to take advantage of Söderman's talents and gives him great responsibility for running the business. In 1855, Söderman won a bursary in the city and he was able to take over a shop on the corner of Kungsängsgatan and Stora Torget. But Söderman is not allowed to sell spirits to individual consumers. After a few years, however, he somehow manages to come across such a very lucrative benefit.

In 1860, Svartbäcken's distillery was offered for sale. It is by far the largest of the city's two distilleries and no new ones may be started. Söderman seizes the opportunity together with his friend Törnlund and the distillery master Adolf Olofsson. This business is proving to be profitable.Around the same time, Söderman buys the property at Vaksalagatan 5, where he already has his home. Here he moves his business. In 1884, he had this house rebuilt and extended it by one floor, and the result was a handsome New Renaissance house that remained until 1961. The architect for the renovation and extension was the one who designed the new university building, namely HT Holmgren.In 1862 it is time for a new adventure. Söderman then starts together with Törnlund a new steamboat connection to Stockholm and competes successfully with the established monopoly shipping company Upsala Ångfartygsbolag. The new shipping company and the new ship are named Garibaldi.

Von Düben's brewery had difficulties and von Düben himself had left the management. The remaining owners turn to Söderman. The result is that a new company, Upsala Bayerska Bryggeri AB, is formed with 39 shareholders. Söderman subscribes for 30% of the capital and becomes CEO. Törnlund also enters. The new owners are investing heavily and switching to the modern German way of brewing beer and the brewery is becoming another profitable industrial business.

In 1866, a new opportunity opens up. Lejstabro mill and distillery in Rasbo have gone bankrupt. The distillery is poorly managed, but Söderman sees opportunities and buys the factory through a boulevard. The deal leads to various legal disputes, but Söderman manages to get through it completely and has radical rebuilds and machine investments carried out.

After 15 years in Uppsala, Söderman had now gone from being a penniless youth to becoming one of the city's richest men. More about this and not least about the bitter battle over the right to serve and sell spirits can be read in Claes Melin's book.

Who was Ulander

Wilhelm Ulander (1820-1911) also came from simple circumstances and started working early in his brother's shop in Uppsala. After a few years, he inherits it and hires the 10 year younger Söderman. Ulander can build up a fortune with the help of brandy sales in its trade and enters various stores without much success. But other information attracted. He became chairman of the drätsel chamber and became head of Uplandsbanken when it was founded.

Who was Törnlund?

Frans Otto Törnlund (1829-1898) had a similar background as Söderman and came to follow a similar path. The two youngsters became close friends early on and came to have a long-term and profitable collaboration. Eventually, however, a break occurred. Törnlund also became a wealthy man.

The new mill

During the middle of the 19th century, it was obvious that time began to pass from the small old windmills and watermills. New steam-powered industrial mills were established in various places. The oldest in this context was Stockholm's Eldkvarn from 1805.

The work of transforming the mill down by the harbor into a modern industrial mill began immediately after the purchase. During the years 1875-77, a couple of warehouses were built and machines were improved and supplemented. The original mill building was extended with two wings to the east. In 1877, a railway track was pulled down to the harbor and the mill got a direct railway connection and a couple of years later a separate telephone line was added to the office on Vaksalagatan.

Management crisis

At the Annual General Meeting on September 1, 1877, some shareholders, including Törnlund, succeeded in making a coup and completely removing Söderman from the company's management, despite the fact that he was the incomparably largest shareholder with a third of all shares. Three CEOs were appointed, among them Törnlund. What was really behind the conflict is not obvious, but the Stockholm office's position was a contentious issue. Various allegations were made and apparently the climate of cooperation was strained.

At a stormy general meeting on September 1, 1882, the order was restored and Söderman re-entered as sole CEO and served as such until his death on April 13, 1901. He was succeeded by his son of the same name who retained the post until 1925 when he was in turn succeeded by the third HW Söderman (1899-1978).

The mill's continued development

With Söderman's return in 1882, a long series of successive changes and expansion of the production apparatus began. New machines were procured, buildings demolished and new ones erected.As the first Swedish mill, Ångkvarn left the old technology and switched to grinding with roller chairs. The company took the first step in 1883 by acquiring a rolling mill with seven wheelchairs. In the years 1890-91, the mill's change to a rolling mill was completed. In the autumn of 1892, electric lighting was introduced.

In November 1900, the mill was hit by an extensive fire that destroyed large parts of the mill building. However, it could be repaired and later rebuilt and rebuilt.

In 1916, another important step was taken. Now the mill was electrified with electricity taken from Älvkarleby.

The financial result varied. The years when Söderman was deprived were difficult, which certainly facilitated his return. Even during the 1880s, the company suffered difficulties, which even threatened its continued existence. In the financial year 1886/87, the situation was so critical that the workers offered to give up part of their salary to save the company, which the management also accepted. The workers were eventually replaced by a gift of money. In 1888, the rescue came in the form of a new customs protection for the mill industry and the crisis was over for this time. A remaining problem, however, was the general overcapacity for the Swedish mill industry.

In 1937, a 10-year construction program was initiated and the board decided to have a completely new mill building erected, which could be taken into use on November 20, 1939. Other parts of the construction program were silos for flour and grain and the macaroni factory. The remains of the old mill building were demolished. Additional silo buildings were added during the 1970s. Of the oldest buildings, today (ie in 2020) only the yeast factory from 1902 and a silo building from 1908-13 remain.

Yeast and spirits

In addition to the mill business, the distilling of spirits in the old Svartbäcks distilleries continued for another quarter of a century. Of the company's sales, spirits together with the press yeast accounted for approximately one third of sales during the company's first 50 years. The spirits trading company in Uppsala had sole control of the minute sales and the raw spirits were delivered there. Spirits were mined by the liquor trade company and in a small number of dispensers distributed by the liquor trade company. Söderman managed to get over a couple of such conditions.Around 1900, the board decided to move the old distilleries and yeast production from Svartbäcken to a new factory on the plot next to the mill that the company already owned. As early as 1918, Ångkvarn transferred its distilling rights to AB Vin & Spritcentralen, and thereafter brandy was produced only to a limited extent as a by-product of yeast production. In 1945, further government restrictive measures led to the complete cessation of burning.

Yeast production continued for a number of years, but was discontinued in 1955. One of the reasons why this activity ceased was that large amounts of untreated sewage were discharged directly into the Fyrisån river and that they were not prepared to bear the costs of solving this problem and meeting new demands.

In the yeast factory, cornflakes were manufactured during the years 1954-61 under license from Kellogg's. The Americans were so afraid that Sweden would be invaded by the Soviets and get over the machines that they did not dare to make the most modern ones available.

Macaroni and spaghetti

In the early 1940s, the company decided to also start making macaroni and spaghetti. Machines were ordered and a new building was erected which was completed at the turn of the year 1941/42 at the same time as a new flour silo building. The macaroni and spaghetti were sold under the name Blixt and conquered a large share of the Swedish market. Eventually, the pasta Turelli was also launched, whose Italian-sounding brand was based on the name of the office manager and manager Tobias Urell. The production of pasta ceased in 1967.