History

– From diversity to streamlining

The company that is today STC Interfinans was founded by businessman and entrepreneur Holger Hjelm in the early 1950’s. The business was later gathered under the name Interfinans, a business and industrial conglomerate operating within the areas of international trade – and agency operations in various industries – for instance steel, oil products, real estate, securities, construction material, foods, machinery and vehicles, engineering products and also pulp- and paper trading.

Holger Hjelm was an adept businessman with an extensive international network, and in time increased focus was placed onto oil trading, construction materials and pulp- and paper trading. In 1985 STC Interfinans acquired the company Åkers, which developed into one of the leading manufacturers of rolls for the steel industry. This position was attained through a combination of add-on acquisitions – both in Europe and in the US – and through an organic development of Åkers. In 2008 the Group divested its principal ownership in Åkers, but retained a 15% minority stake in the company. During 2012, in conjunction with a restructuring and capitalization of the Åkers Group, the remaining 15% were also divested.

In the beginning of the 1990’s, STC Interfinans invested in Ewerman AB in Helsingborg – a fruit and vegetable importer – and became a minority shareholder of this company. This was the first step in the formation of STC GreenFood, one of Sweden’s leading operators in the fruit- and vegetable trading- and processing business. By the end of 2015, STC GreenFood was divested and STC Interfinans had thus concluded the consolidation and streamlining of assets which had been initiated after Holger Hjelms’ passing away in 2004.

Today the business consists of the real estate group Mälarum Fastigheter, the forestry company Åkers Kronopark with subsidiaries, and Finance management.