As Gothenburg Central Station is a traffic-intensive, complex environment, special training is required to drive here. "Our new electric vehicle is a lithium vehicle. It’s easy to drive and generates no emissions" says Tommy Mattsson.

From 1 to 40 properties in 15 years

In Sweden, Ragn-Sells has been helping properties and shopping centres with waste management for many years. One of the people who has been working on this the longest is Tommy at Ragn-Sells City Services in Gothenburg. Here he talks about how the service has been developed in recent years and about the new hub at Gothenburg Central Station.

20 Dec 2021

How we work

In its role as one of Sweden’s leading environmental companies, Ragn-Sells contributes to increasing the volume of recycled material and returning the recycled material to society. An important part of the work is also about creating better conditions and making recycling easier for others.

In recent years, the company has developed the City Services service, which offers special solutions for properties and shopping centres. Tommy Mattsson has worked at Ragn-Sells for 15 years and has been part of this work.

Developments have been rapid, with more companies demanding total solutions for their waste, and today logistics and freight handling are also included.

– It’s very exciting to be part of this journey that we’ve been on and will be on in the future. When I started 15 years ago, we had one property that we took care of. Today we help 40 properties in the Gothenburg area, and many more are on the way, says Tommy Mattsson.

New hub at the central station

In March 2020, Tommy helped open the new hub at Gothenburg Central Station. It includes logistics, freight handling, waste management, and consultancy. A one-stop shop.

Thanks to a new waste system, the sorting rate has increased significantly. The new recycling rooms have several compactors that deal with corrugated cardboard, combustible waste, and organic waste. Other waste is weighed and sorted into about twenty different waste fractions.

– In the past, the sorting rate was much worse and it was difficult to obtain statistics at tenant level. But with demands from the property owner, access to better statistics and help from us, they have an incentive to sort better. When we also explain that it will be cheaper, and better for the environment, to sort correctly, most people wake up, says Tommy with a smile.

Tenants at the central station can choose whether they want Ragn-Sells to take care of all waste, or pick up and drop off the waste/goods themselves at the hub.

– We adapt to our customers’ conditions and needs. Sometimes, for example, when they are short on people, they can order a pick-up from us on that particular day. For the tenants, freedom of choice is very important, emphasises Tommy Mattsson.

Tommy Mattsson is a foreman at Ragn-Sells and one of the people who developed Ragn-Sells’ customised service for properties and shopping centres.

Contributing knowledge

According to Tommy, Ragn-Sells has a good working relationship with Jernhusen, which owns and manages Gothenburg Central Station. They are in daily contact and regularly discuss how they can develop and optimise conditions for the tenants.

– Being involved in discussions with property owners and tenants at an early stage benefits both the property owner and us. It also makes sound financial and environmental sense, says Tommy.

Sometimes Tommy and his colleagues also attend tenants’ meetings, at which they assume the role of experts and advisers.

– We explain what the circular economy means and why sorting is so important. We also talk about the rules and laws that apply to waste management.

The most fun and rewarding part of the job is when customers learn something new and see the value of it,” says Tommy. He also enjoys the variety of the job and the opportunity to be part of the social change that is taking place.

– It’s been great to work with so many different types of property owners and see how City Services has evolved over the past 15 years. Being part of the transition to a circular economy and seeing how waste issues are increasingly on the agenda is extremely inspiring. We are part of an exciting future industry!

→ Show more articles