This is Bluewater’s home country
SWEDEN
Discover one of the world’s most innovative countries, home to
the Nobel Prizes, ABBA, Pippi Longstocking, the Midnight Sun and
raw herring. Written by David Noble, who has enjoyed a 45 year long love
affair with Sweden and all things Swedish.
INNOVATION RULES
Swede’s are seemingly always on a mission to innovate, engineering new industrial,
communication and social processes. Little wonder then that they rank one of the most
innovative countries in the world.
Swedish Vikings founded the first kingdom of Russia. All the Tsars of Russia until the last
one, Nicholas II, were of Swedish Viking descent.
Swede’s also tend to be a friendly lot. They certainly say ‘thank you’, or ‘tack’, at almost every
opportunity, sometimes even saying it twice… ‘tack, tack’!
Sweden is very much a country of dark and light. In the winter, the sun barely rises during the
day in the far north of the country, and doesn’t set at all in the middle of summer. Little wonder
perhaps that Swedes celebrate Midsummer in mid-June with abandon and joy.
That’s one pre-conception you can forget. Sweden today is a multi-racial country with almost
12 percent of its population representing over 190 different cultures.
In reflection of their egalitarian attitude to life, Swedes appear to also love queuing – they line up
at every opportunity. Because ‘fair play’, equality and transparency are a backbone of Swedish
society, Swedes will patiently wait their turn in line, no matter how long it takes, regardless of
social status, gender and even age.
Gender equality is self-evident in Sweden. You are as likely to see a woman behind the
wheel of a 90-ton truck or taxi, as a man. With 47 percent of parliamentarians female,
Sweden boasts the highest number of women lawmakers in the world.
Rich in timber and iron ore, Sweden’s exports are engineering led, paced by the likes of Volvo
Cars, SKF and Sandvik. But, believe it or not, the third largest export industry is music thanks in
part to the likes of ABBA, The Cardigans and Swedish House Mafia.
And Swedish dads have the same legal rights to share baby-care paternity leave as moms.
Visit any city park in the summer months and you’ll see as many Swedish dads as moms
changing diapers, feeding and playing with their children – a sight seldom seen elsewhere.
Today’s Sweden is a modern, eco-conscious and very safe country, with a great global reputation
- a heritage Bluewater is proud to reflect in it’s belief that everyone has the right to drink pure
water and breathe clean air.
So are Swedes all blond and tall with blue eyes?
3
FOOD FEST
ALWAYS TIME FOR A PARTY
Sweden has helped put meatballs and crisp bread
on the table’s of people around the world. The
nation’s love for food is probably best epitomized
by the famed Swedish smorgasbord, a buffet
that sees tables groaning under a vast collection
of fish and multiple flavored pickled herrings,
meat dishes ranging from sausages to ham, and
vegetables and fruit.
With dancing around maypoles and parties everywhere,
Midsummer celebrations are probably the most typical
tradition of any in Sweden. However, they are almost matched
by the annual uninhibited crayfish parties accompanied by
raucous singing of snaps songs that sweep the country during
the warm August nights. Imported crayfish from the U.S. and
China compete every year for the ‘best in class’ title, although
most Swedes will insist that Sweden’s own exclusive crayfish
rank tops in taste (problem is, they are in very short supply).
hauts crayfish
4
A PLACE TO LOVE
A PLACE TO BE
From the air, Sweden is a land of boundless forest
and lakes.
A place where access to nature and all its bounties is
a basic human right.
Sweden teams with wildlife.
Bears, lynx and wolves roam the northern forests.
Wild salmon frolic in the many raging rivers, and
swans and geese flock to lakeside hideaways in the
summer. Little wonder that northern Sweden has
been dubbed Europe’s last wilderness.
Sweden’s relationship with China started in
earnest three centuries ago and was cemented
in the 1700s with trading trips between
Gothenburg, on Sweden’s West coast, and
Guangzou, once known as Canton.
Yet for all its natural serenity, Sweden also rates one
of the most creative countries in the world, famed for
being technologically savvy, and open to new ideas
and boasting a highly skilled workforce.
Around the same time, during the American
Revolutionary war, the Kingdom of Sweden
became the first country not involved in the
conflict to recognize The United States of
America.
Sweden is the 3rd largest country in Europe,
stretching 1,600 kilometers from the mountains and
tundras of the north above the Arctic Circle to the
sweeping agricultural pastures of the south.
That trading tradition lives on today.
Progressive Sweden was the first western
country to establish diplomatic relations with the
new People’s Republic of China in May, 1950.
Since Viking times, Swedes have always been great
traders. Sweden’s peaceful trading relationship with
powerhouse nations like the USA and China goes
back hundreds of years.
Swedish inventors have given the world lifechanging ideas and technologies. From ball
bearings to dynamite, pacemakers to Tetrapaks,
and telephone handsets to flat screen monitors.
Around the world, we zip up our jeans using a
1913 Swedish invention, the zipper.
And we make free phone calls using another
novel Swedish idea, Skype, while over 25 million
of us listen to music streamed free and legally by
Spotify, the 2008 brainchild of Swede Daniel Ek.
Alingsås, Sweden.
Photography:Poyan Panah
6
The architecture of Sweden’s major
cities reflect the creativity of
the nation’s engineers.
In Swedens capital, Stockholm, the 110
kilometer metro subway ranks one
of the world’s longest art exhibitions.
The metros 100 stations have been
given a dazzling makeover by over 150
artists, who have created spellbinding
results that transform the subterranean
transport system into a world of color
and visual stimulation.
THE WORLD’S
LONGEST ART
EXHIBITION
8
Blueair Sense
blueair.com
WORLD BEATING
TECHNOLOGIES
Tap water in Sweden is widely acclaimed for being good
to drink. But in the countryside where many Swedes
have summer cottages and pump water from the lakes,
underground wells and Baltic Sea, the water can be
brackish. Bluewater’s leading edge SuperiorOsmosis™
technology was innovated to take away hard-to-remove
salt as well as other contaminants, leaving water as
pristine and pure as nature intended.
Bluewater Spirit
bluewater.se
WORLD CLASS
DESIGN
Sweden is seen internationally as embodying all that is best about
Scandinavian design. This style – often referred to as minimalist – developed
during the Second World War, with clean, simple lines and a strong emphasis
on functionality.
Typifying modern Swedish design ethos is the Stockholm-based Claesson
Koivisto Rune architecture and design agency. Multi-disciplinary in orientation,
the agency success story includes the likes of the Sfera Building in Kyoto, Japan,
and designs for manufacturers such as Cappellini and Blueair. They were the
first architect agency in Sweden to be exhibited in the international section of
the prestigious Venice Architecture Biennale (2004).
Swedish furniture design has been extremely successful, with everything from
stick-back, Windsor-style chairs – which remain extremely popular – to more
sophisticated but still practical pieces.
APARTMENT WITH BRASS CUBE
CLAESSON KOIVISTO RUNE
10
9.6
MILLION PEOPLE
#1
EXPORTER OF
MUSIC PER GDP
180
SHOPS IN EUROPES
LARGEST MALL;
NORDSTAN
48%
OF ENERGY FROM
RENEWABLES
1994
561
NOBEL PRIZES
WON
OF SWEDENS WASTE
IS RECYCLED
30
1943
IKEA FOUNDED
85%
OF SWEDES LIVE IN
A CITY
625
480
1%
GAY SEX IS LEGALIZED
AVERAGE AGE A SWEDISH
WOMAN GIVES BIRTH
OLYMPIC GOLD
MEDALS
95%
OF GLASS IS
RECYCLED
99%
DAYS OF PARENTAL LEAVE
OF SWEDENS WASTE
GOES TO A RUBBISH
DUMP
70%
3rd
OF METAL IS RECYCLED
LARGEST
COUNTRY IN
EUROPE
Data taken from sweden.se
2014
12
I ROLL
Volvo’s home city, Gothenburg on Sweden’s west coast, is famed for the friendliness of its
citizens. Just like their counterparts in China’s Chengdu, Gothenburgers appreciate nothing
more than a day out at the fun-filled Liseberg amusement park enjoying the rides and other
facilities.
It was in Gothenburg that the first Volvo car rolled off the production line on April 14, 1927.
Nicknamed Jakob, the car was built to be strong to cope with Sweden’s climate and rough
terrain of the era. Not surprising then that the name Volvo is Latin for ‘I roll’.
Net Car Show
Volvo P18
The Volvo P1800 designed
by Pelle Petterson.
14
THE ULTIMATE
FEMINIST
Pippi Longstocking symbolizes the ideal of egalitarian
Sweden. A place where people strive to be true to
themselves and those around them. Written by Astrid
Lindgren, the books were first published in 1945. Since
then, their appeal has seen the books translated into
over 70 languages and adapted into numerous films and
television series.
So what’s so special about Pippi?
• Independent, naturally kind hearted, and has
superhuman strength.
• She can look after herself
• She likes new things and is open to adventure
• She accepts herself as she is
• Is always ready to help her friends
• She thinks its very okay to be a girl
• Pippi believes life is to be lived and people can be
anything they want
CARING,
INDEPENDENT AND
CHALLENGING
16
Nathalie Nordquist as
Pippi Longstocking
Photo: Alexander Kenney
BIG COUNTRY,
BIG HEART
Sweden is the 3rd largest country in Europe,
stretching 1,600 kilometers from the
mountains and tundras of the north above
the Arctic Circle to the sweeping agricultural
pastures of the south.
With strict waste management regulations,
Sweden consistently ranks at the top of
the cleanest countries in Europe league,
winning praise for its clean water and air.
More than 40% of the energy use in
Sweden comes from renewable sources.
Hydropower is the second major source of
alternative energy.
Sweden has some of the best recycling
rates in the world, with over 95% of glass
getting recycled, 85% of newspapers,
70% of metal and 65% of plastic. And
municipalities are required to organize
systems for collecting discarded batteries,
for example.
18
BLUEWATER,
MADE IN SWEDEN
We Innovate, manufacture and bring to
market our patented SuperiorOsmosis™
water purifiers for home and business
use. Bluewater’s innovative water
purifiers are innovated with love in
Sweden to turn tap water into healthier
drinking water.
Bluewater Group
Danderydsgatan 11
114 26 Stockholm
Sweden
@BluewaterPure
+46 (0) 8-564 738 00
[email protected]
www.bluewatergroup.com
BluewaterPureWater
BluewaterPure
Turning tap water into healthier drinking water