Holmen Paper is the paper business area of the Swedish forest industry group Holmen AB, which traces its roots to a weapons factory founded in Norrköping in 1609 and a paper mill established nearby in 1633. The name “Holmen,” meaning “small island” in Swedish, reflects the original location on the island of Kvarnholmen in the river Strömmen. In 2024, Holmen consolidated its paper and paperboard operations into a single business area called Holmen Board and Paper. [1]
Design and History
In March 2007, the Holmen Group introduced a new, unified logotype across the entire group, replacing the old corporate symbol known as the “Holmen Tower” (Holmentornet). The change was reported by the Swedish newspaper Norrköpings Tidningar, which noted that the tower symbol would still live on in historical contexts. [2]
In March 2021, Holmen launched a new brand identity with new colors, icons and a new logo across its digital channels, annual report and social media. The identity was developed to clarify the company’s story and reflect the whole group, from forest and renewable energy to wood products, paperboard and paper. [3] The new identity was designed by the agency Identity Works. [4]
Meaning and Symbolism
Holmen’s 2021 brand identity is based on the idea of nature and technology working in harmony. The company’s story begins in the forest, in the meeting between the power of nature and human curiosity and engineering. The visual identity draws inspiration from this duality: soft shapes meet sharp corners, and earthy tones contrast with energy-rich, vibrant colors. [5]
Typography and Design
As part of the 2021 visual identity, the type foundry NM type crafted a custom typeface for Holmen, born from the new logotype. The design embraces the idea of “natural technology,” resulting in a monospaced font with a modern and technical feel. The fusion between technology and nature is represented by the combination of sharp and round corners in the letterforms. All letters are uppercase, and the font family includes two weights, Plant (Light) and Tree (Regular). The brand identity also incorporates a dynamic letter “H” that works as a variable font, changing in width and weight to adapt to different contexts and proportions. The type design was created by Noel Pretorius and María Ramos. [4]
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