The ATA Group is a group of companies with a strong tradition and its roots deeply entrenched in the Småland forest. We have been active for more than 70 years and built up a strong base in southern Sweden, where most of our suppliers and subcontractors are. What makes the ATA group unique may be found in how the company has been built up over the years.
By retaining ownership within the same family, the companies have built up a reputation for being honest, straight and always keep an open door. What has been most important is our strong belief in the future and by reinvesting in our facilities and always wanting to be better, we have managed to build a strong and secure organization, standing with its feet on the ground. We believe in the local communities in which we operate and we wanted to help the local communities and especially our employees. A strong countryside benefits our entire country.
The sawmill in Åboda, early 60s.
Waggeryd Cell AB is today recognized as one of the world’s most efficient pulp plants.
It all started when Tage Andersson began operations in 1945 in Hökaboda by installing a simple circular saw. Cutting was carried out at this location until 1959 when the equipment was moved to the location where the sawmill ATA Timber AB Åboda is today.
1969-1970 a new sawmill was built from scratch and burned down after a fire in 1968 which completely destroyed the sawmill. Tage Andersson was one of the pioneers of cutting dual blades, which streamlined and made the cut less labor intensive. 1972 acquired Tage Andersson Ernst Hallrup which today is called ATA Timber AB Moheda and in Prästkvarns Industrier was acquired.
At the end of the 1970s as the company invested in its first saw lines with built on a reducing technology, which has characterized the production until today, but now the reducing technology is refined and is PLC controlled with great precision and efficiency.
In 1985 the ATA Group also purchased a sawmill in Eneryda which later became ATA Timber Eneryda AB. In 1987 we expanded by adding a new business segment through the acquisition of Munksjö’s defunct pulp mill in Vaggeryd. We built a new CTMP mechanical pulp in the existing facilities. Waggeryd Cell AB is today recognized as one of the world’s most efficient pulp plants.
During the 1990s focused ATA Timber Group to invest heavily in its facilities, and to create strong relationships with suppliers in southern Sweden and worldwide customers. This has resulted in one of the most modern and efficient sawmill groups currently active.
In recent years, ATA Timber acquired additional companies to the Group. We have expanded to Skåne by acquiring the prestigious Widtsköfle Sawmill and also the well-established purchasing company Värends Skog AB, which operates in the Uppvidinge area and vicinity.
The last major investment took place in 2016 when the ATA Group expanded on Småland highlands through the acquisitions of the two enriched sawmills in Rörvik and Sandsjöfors. ATA Timber R-vik started producing on September 1, 2016 and Sandsjöfors will be rebuild into a world class mill producing lumber from small dimension logs in short lengts from autumn 2017.
The pulp mill in Vaggeryd, 1973.
The last major investment took place in 2016 when the ATA Group expanded on Småland highlands through the acquisitions of the two enriched sawmills in Rörvik and Sandsjöfors.
Tage Andersson 1929-2023
