Our History

With its roots on the Bjäre Peninsula, Ekhaga has grown through long-term business development and entrepreneurship. Hard work, responsibility, and close relationships continue to shape the Group’s businesses, investments, and approach to value creation.

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Roots on Bjäre - Focused on the Future

Mats Paulsson grew up on the Bjäre Peninsula in southern Sweden together with his brother, Erik. From the family home, Ängsgården, in the village of Ängelsbäck, they embarked on their entrepreneurial journey as teenagers in the early 1950s, operating agricultural and sanitation businesses.

Around 1960, the brothers took over a machinery station, serving customers across the Bjäre Peninsula. As assignments became more numerous and increasingly demanding, the business eventually outgrew Ängsgården. A farm in the neighbouring village of Förslövsholm was acquired, largely due to the gravel pit located on the property, which sparked their interest. Through entrepreneurial drive, determination, and hard work, the brothers soon laid the foundation for what would become Sweden’s largest, and one of the Nordic region’s leading, construction and civil engineering companies.

The company name became official in October 1967 with the founding of Peab AB. For more than sixty years, Peab has contributed to the development of communities throughout the Nordic region. Homes, schools, preschools, care homes, museums, shopping centres, offices, cultural and sports arenas, libraries, town halls, roads, bridges, parks, and entire communities have taken shape through Peab’s work. As the company continues to embrace new challenges and develop its operations, it remains firmly grounded in its core values: down-to-earth, development-oriented, personal, and reliable, values that are collectively known within the organisation as “JUPP”.

When Peab sought to offer its employees a holiday destination that would be attractive throughout the year in the mid-1970s, the Swedish mountains became the natural choice. Winter visitors could enjoy alpine skiing, while summer guests could hike, fish, and experience the surrounding nature. Mats and Erik Paulsson became co-owners of Lindvallen in Sälen and, true to their entrepreneurial spirit, saw significant potential in the destination. Over time, the business expanded and evolved into what is today SkiStar, Scandinavia’s leading mountain tourism company.

Those who took their holidays in winter could enjoy alpine skiing, while summer visitors could hike, fish, and experience the natural beauty of the mountains. The brothers became co-owners of Lindvallen in Sälen and, true to their entrepreneurial spirit, had ambitious plans for the destination. Over the years, the business grew and evolved into what is today SkiStar.

Following Peab’s relocation to Förslöv, farming operations continued at Ängsgården. In 1989, the farm was expanded with a new machinery hall. In connection with this investment, Stefan and Fredrik Paulsson, sons of Mats Paulsson, acquired their first construction hoist. Recognising the need for a comprehensive provider of lifting equipment and the opportunity to build a business around it, they founded what would become Kranpunkten. The company was initially operated from the farm as well. Today, both Ängsgården and Kranpunkten form part of the Bjäre Invest portfolio, alongside acquired businesses within trade, agriculture, land and real estate, and golf resorts.

In 2020, Peab established Annehem Fastigheter AB as a wholly owned subsidiary. The reason was that Peab’s property portfolio had grown significantly over time, leading the company, whose core business is construction, to place its real estate assets within a dedicated organisation. At an extraordinary general meeting, Peab’s shareholders resolved to distribute all shares in Annehem Fastigheter to Peab’s shareholders. The distribution took place on 11 December 2020, and Annehem Fastigheter became an independent company.

As part of a generational transition, the holding company Ekhaga Utveckling AB was founded in 2017. The purpose was to bring the Paulsson family’s business interests together within a common ownership structure and create the conditions for continued long-term development across the Group’s businesses and investments. Today, Ekhaga’s holdings are organised into four business areas, reflecting the Group’s commitment to active ownership, entrepreneurship, and sustainable value creation over generations.

The Paulsson family’s business interests are now consolidated into four business areas under Ekhaga Utveckling. The purpose is to enable the members of the Paulsson family to jointly own and continue to develop Ekhaga Utveckling and the businesses within the Group’s subsidiaries. Today, Fredrik Paulsson serves as President and CEO of Ekhaga Utveckling AB.