History

It is the 1940s, a time of war in the world. In the small village of Fredriksfors, just a few kilometers from the cultural community of Delsbo in Hälsingland, candles are produced on a small scale by the entertainer and businessman Joel Öhrn and his wife.

Demand grows rapidly, prompting Joel to establish the Norrländska Candle Factory on the site where the candle factory still stands today. In 1959, the company is acquired by Liljeholmens, and the business is renamed Norrljus.

Since 1967, Olle Skog has worked as foreman at the factory. He first becomes the owner between 1982 and 1984. When Duni acquires the factory, Olle becomes plant manager for Duni’s operations in Sweden, Norway, and Finland, with the Swedish production focusing on taper candles. In 2004, however, Duni sells all its factories, and Olle once again purchases the Fredriksfors factory, renaming it Delsbo Candle.

Olle early on recognized the necessity of innovation and sustainability. Already in the 1980s, he reorganized the company into a flat and gender-equal structure to promote efficiency and creativity among employees. Now, at the beginning of the new millennium, some of the company’s key strengths include rapidly developing customer-specific packaging solutions, arranging fast deliveries, and producing candles of the highest quality—often under customers’ own brands.

Olle then took a further step, deciding to phase out paraffin candle production and transition to 100% stearin. The company also ensured the quality of raw materials, such as wicks and pigments. By 2005, the transition was complete. Work began on environmental certification, and the Nordic Swan Ecolabel was contacted. In 2008, the world’s first environmentally certified, Nordic Swan–labeled candles left the factory. As expected, customers welcomed this eco-friendly product. Sales surged, and major investments followed. In 2015, Delsbo Candle reached the finals in the “Entrepreneur of the Year” competition, and in 2019 it was named “Sustainable Company of the Year” at the HYLLA Awards.