SEB has been Stora Enso’s partner from the start, and the bank has developed a new financing model to make it easier for the new entrepreneurs to start their business. Based on this model, new machinery is rented with a monthly cost for a four-year rental period after which the machinery will be returned to Stora Enso for maintenance and further use either in a new rental or in training new harvesting partners.
“We are happy to support with a financial set-up that enables Stora Enso to retain ownership and control of the machines with the aim to extend usage over its lifetime as well as prolong the machines end-of-life,” says Jakob Hansson, Head of SEB Product as a Service Incubator for Large Corporates.
“Together with SEB we want to attract more people to join the industry and enable entrepreneurship for people living in the rural areas. The new financing model developed by SEB lowers that barriers of entry to the market as the initial investment by the entrepreneur will be lower due to external financing,” says Mattias Bränngård, Sourcing Director, Harvesting in Stora Enso. “The financing model also enables us to have control of the circularity and further use of the machinery.”
Stora Enso’s Harvesting Partner concept is based on a four-year contract with new or established entrepreneurs. The contract includes financing of new machinery, accounting and HR services, training and participation in Stora Enso’s management and harvesting networks. Through the contract, Harvesting Partners will commit to provide Stora Enso with safe, sustainable and efficient operations and agreed volumes as well as developing their operations further.