Offices and workshops at less cost

An exceptional investment climate

Far enough away to benefit from low costs, still close enough to the market to be highly competitive. This is the BASE region in a nutshell.

Not only are offices, workshops and industrial sites readily available in the region, we have lent a keen ear to investors who need something out of the extraordinary to come up with tailor-made solutions to satisfy their needs.

The local communities will go to great lengths to meet your demands. The cost aspect is a very competitive weapon, as costs for premises and office space are far below those of Stockholm, for example. A comparison with the major cities of Europe also reveals that costs in the BASE region are most favourable.

You will find a large number of industrial sites to choose from, should you consider establishing a production unit in our region. Centrally located premises are available in most of the smaller towns, or in close suburban or special industrial areas. With the well-developed infrastructure you always have immediate access to the market, wherever you are located.

The close co-operation between the local industrial community and the energy company ensures that the cost level is very low. With the de-regulation of the telecommunications market many years ago in Sweden, telephone rates today are among the cheapest in Europe.

Benefit from low-cost electricity and water!

With the deregulation of the electricity market in 1996, Sweden's electricity prices today rate among the lowest in Europe. With several energy companies working in the BASE region, tough competition will ensure continued good service and constant price levels.

Certain types of manufacturing industry do not pay any tax on electricity and forest fuels.

Water is still a low-cost product in Sweden. Industries which combine meters for fresh water and waste water may benefit from lower prices, whereas special agreements apply to industries with an extremely heavy consumption of water, such as washing plants, for example.

For a comparison water costs range between US$ 0.7 and 1.8 per cubic metre.

Fact:   Electricity cost for medium-sized industry: Country Cent per kWh   Germany 7.32   USA 7.10   Ireland 6.48   U.K 6.15   Netherlands 6.11   France 5.63   Sweden 3.54   Source: NUS Scandinavia AB, 1998

Fact:   Comparison of rental costs for office space, Stockholm and Gävle, calculated per square metre and year, in US$:   Location Stockholm Gävle Inner city 285-435 100-115 Central city 210-290 90-100 Other city area 125-235 70-80 Suburban areas 100-165 60-70   Comparison of rental costs for office space in major European cities, calculated per square metre and year, in US$:   City and country Approx. rent   Copenhagen, Denmark 230   Oslo, Norway 265   Helsinki, Finland 250   London, United Kingdom 875   Paris, France 470   Berlin, Germany 290   Source: ISA (Invest in Sweden Agency)