Interim report Q4 2024People Green Innovation Technology

Byggma is committed to developing and delivering sustainable solutions based on renewable raw materials and unique expertise. Sustainability is a core element of our business model and an integral part of Byggma's overarching goals. Both the management and the board of directors are dedicated to embedding sustainability into the operations and innovation of the Byggma Group.

The fourth quarter of 2024 has been particularly eventful for the group. A significant milestone in our long-term strategy was the appointment of a Sustainability Director, aimed at integrating sustainability across all facets of the organization. This initiative not only reinforces our social mission but also enhances our competitive edge in the market.

By prioritizing sustainable solutions and innovations, we aspire to contribute to a more sustainable future while simultaneously creating value for our shareholders, customers, and society at large.

Forestia has successfully met the stringent requirements of the Swan label for sustainable and environmentally friendly production. This achievement marks a first in building products under the new criteria. Through extensive processes and targeted efforts over time, 16 products were approved this winter and are now proudly labeled with the Swan ecolabel.

The Swan label adopts a holistic approach, setting requirements for the entire product life cycle, from raw material extraction to disposal. It serves as a quality seal, making it easier for customers and consumers to make environmentally conscious choices. Forestia remains committed to its ecolabeling efforts and will continue this important work in 2025.

We are increasing the proportion of goods transported by electric vehicles and will continue to prioritize this initiative in 2025. We are exploring various options to minimize our environmental impact related to transport. In the fourth quarter, we tested delivering goods by boat to Denmark from Smartpanel and our factory in Fredrikstad, despite the logistical challenges. We will continue to test different solutions across our companies to reduce our emissions. Implementing new routes, consolidating cargo, and exploring alternative transport solutions will be crucial in our efforts to further reduce transport-related emissions.

In 2024, Huntonit and Forestia transitioned most of their transport packaging from particleboard and wood fiberboard to cardboard. This change has led to reduced waste at construction sites and improved transport efficiency. Overall, we achieved a reduction of approximately 765 tons, equivalent to 26.3 tons of CO₂ emissions in 2024.

We encourage our employees to think creatively and consider reuse. One of our employees, on their own initiative, has successfully reused 11 kilometers of PET tape for packaging bulky goods. This effort will result in significant savings across the group's companies. Additionally, we receive boxes from our suppliers daily, which we repurpose to send out accessories to our customers. This practice amounts to several thousand boxes annually. These small and large measures collectively reduce waste, environmental impact, and costs.

The CO₂ compensation scheme has proven effective in reducing carbon leakage and supporting competitively exposed companies in Norway. Huntonit was mistakenly removed from this scheme at the beginning of 2021 and only succeeded in its appeal in February 2024. Consequently, we had to use gas in the fourth quarter of 2023, when the effective electricity price for the company was significantly higher. However, for the fourth quarter of 2024, Huntonit was able to base its production planning on CO₂ compensation and use electricity. As a result, we reduced our CO₂ emissions by 70% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.

Huntonit has entered into a three-year research and development collaboration with Østfold University College on the Mycobuild project. The objective of Mycobuild is to develop energy-saving wood fiber boards utilizing phase change materials (PCM). These materials have the capability to store energy when the temperature exceeds 20 degrees and release it when the temperature drops below 20 degrees, thereby enhancing comfort and reducing energy consumption in buildings.

By integrating PCM into wood fiber boards, the aim is to create building materials that contribute to a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly construction industry. This collaboration between Huntonit and Østfold University College represents a significant step towards commercializing such innovative solutions.

Aneta's subsidiary, Scan Lamps VTA, undertook extensive efforts during the autumn and winter to enhance the quality of its VTA offerings, which facilitate employment for individuals with special needs. This initiative aims to ensure that our workplace provides opportunities for a sense of mastery, independence, and social development.

Towards the end of the fourth quarter, Scan Lamps VTA achieved recertification in the Equass quality system for rehabilitation companies. This accomplishment was driven by improvements such as increased user participation through active involvement and close monitoring of action plans, goals, and more frequent general meetings. Additionally, new platforms for collective participation and individual guidance and development have been introduced. We are now in the process of establishing new learning communities, which we believe will further accelerate innovation and improvement.