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Data centre infrastructure and the energy systems around it

Vladimir von Bergdorff — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 11:40:31 +0000

Artificial intelligence has become part of the business landscape with unusual speed. It is already helping companies analyse information, develop software, automate routine processes, improve customer service, detect fraud, optimise logistics and production, support research and make sense of increasingly complex datasets. It is also finding its way into areas that were, until recently, considered distinctly human: writing, design, translation, communication and creative work.

For most people, this transformation happens on a screen. Behind the screen, however, something much larger is taking place.

AI requires computing power, and computing power requires physical infrastructure. The servers running today’s AI systems sit in data centres containing thousands of processors, sophisticated networking equipment, cooling systems, backup power and security infrastructure. As AI becomes more capable and more widely used, these facilities are becoming larger, denser and more strategically important.

But AI is only one part of the story.

Data centres support much of the digital economy, including cloud computing, enterprise software, online services, telecommunications, financial systems, streaming, storage, cybersecurity, scientific research and everyday business operations. The demand created by these services is already substantial, and AI is adding a new and particularly intensive layer on top of an infrastructure sector that was growing long before generative AI became a mainstream topic.

The energy implications are already significant. According to the International Energy Agency, data centres consumed around 415 terawatt-hours of electricity worldwide in 2024, approximately 1.5% of global electricity consumption. The IEA expects global data-centre electricity demand to more than double by 2030, with AI as one of the most important drivers of that growth.

These numbers explain why data centres have moved from the background of the digital economy into the centre of infrastructure planning. They also make the environmental side of the story impossible to separate from the technological one.

Electricity, cooling, water, land, construction materials, networks, backup systems, and local energy infrastructure are all part of the same picture.

The most interesting developments, however, are beginning to show that a data centre does not necessarily have to be viewed only as a large consumer of resources. In several places around the world, the heat generated by computing is already being recovered and used to heat homes, offices, greenhouses, and industrial facilities.

The idea is surprisingly simple. The engineering behind it is considerably more sophisticated, but the principle is straightforward: energy that has already been consumed for computing can sometimes remain useful after the computing has been completed.

That changes the environmental equation.

The physical reality behind the cloud

The expression “cloud computing” has always hidden something rather physical. There is no cloud in the literal sense. There are buildings. Those buildings are increasingly sophisticated industrial facilities, and AI is changing their design. But the underlying purpose of a data centre is broader than AI. It is to provide a controlled, secure, and continuously available environment for computing, storage, networking, and digital services.

Traditional data centres accommodate a wide range of workloads. Enterprise applications, databases, websites, cloud platforms, email, file storage, backup systems, online transactions, telecommunications services, and streaming platforms all require data-centre capacity. Many businesses also rely on data centres for disaster recovery, cybersecurity monitoring, virtual desktops, software development, and the operation of critical internal systems.

These workloads have different technical characteristics. Some require large amounts of storage, while others depend on fast network connections or low latency. Some need predictable processing capacity, while others fluctuate according to customer demand. Financial services and telecommunications may require extremely high availability, while scientific and engineering workloads can require specialised computing resources. Cloud services need to scale rapidly across multiple locations.

AI workloads are different again.

Training and running advanced models require large concentrations of specialised processors, creating far greater power density inside the facility. Inference, the process of using a trained model to generate a response or perform a task, can also create substantial demand when AI services are used at scale.

The consequence is not simply a larger electricity bill. High-density computing generates considerable heat, which has to be removed continuously. Cooling therefore becomes a major engineering consideration alongside power availability, network connectivity, physical security, and the ability to maintain operations during disruptions.

The location of a data centre becomes equally important. A facility may be selected because it has access to renewable electricity, a stable grid, suitable land, strong fibre connectivity, a cool climate, available water, or proximity to customers. In many cases, no single location offers every advantage, so operators must balance energy, connectivity, latency, resilience, regulation, construction costs, and the needs of the surrounding community.

The Nordic region has attracted particular attention because of its combination of relatively low-carbon electricity, cooler climates that can reduce cooling requirements, and room for further infrastructure development.

Finland provides an especially interesting example. The country’s electricity system is already dominated by low-carbon generation, while its district-heating infrastructure creates an additional opportunity: the heat produced by data centres can potentially become part of the energy system rather than simply being released into the atmosphere.

That distinction matters.

A data centre does consume energy, whether it is running AI models, storing business data, hosting websites, or supporting cloud applications. The environmental and economic consequences depend greatly on where that energy comes from, how efficiently it is used, and what happens afterwards.

The heat that used to disappear

Almost all electricity consumed by computing equipment eventually becomes heat. In a conventional facility, cooling systems remove that heat and transfer it outside the building. For many years, this was simply considered part of the process.

Today, an increasing number of operators, energy companies, and municipalities are looking at the same heat differently. The opportunity is particularly strong in cities with district-heating networks, where large quantities of hot water are already circulated through underground pipes to homes and businesses. A data centre located close to such a network can become another source of heat within the system.

The heat produced by servers can be captured through heat exchangers and transferred into a water circuit. Because recovered heat can be at a lower temperature than the water required by an existing district-heating network, heat pumps can raise its temperature before it is distributed to buildings. The result is that electricity already used for computing can have a second useful application.

The International Energy Agency estimates that around 70–80% of electricity consumed by data centres eventually becomes recoverable heat, and that heat pumps can make a significant proportion of it useful for heating. The IEA estimates that if data-centre waste heat were fully integrated into district-heating networks, it could provide up to 300 TWh of space heating to buildings within approximately five kilometres of data centres in Europe by 2030, enough to cover around 10% of European homes.

That is no longer a niche sustainability idea. It is an energy-infrastructure opportunity.

The IEA’s June 2026 report on renewable district energy reinforces this broader direction, highlighting recovered heat, large-scale heat pumps, and thermal energy storage as important components of cleaner and more resilient heating systems.

Stockholm has been doing this for years

Stockholm offers one of the clearest examples of what happens when the concept is built into a city’s infrastructure strategy. The Stockholm Data Parks initiative was created around the idea that data centres could become suppliers of recovered heat to the city’s district-heating network. Stockholm Exergi operates an “Open District Heating” model in which data centres, supermarkets, and other businesses producing excess heat can supply it to the network.

The system has developed into a genuine marketplace for excess heat. Companies can sell recovered energy to Stockholm Exergi, which then distributes it through the city’s extensive district-heating network. Stockholm Exergi currently reports that excess heat is already being used to heat around 11.000 apartments.

One of the participating companies is GleSYS, whose data centre in Stockholm’s Västberga district has supplied excess heat to the district-heating network since 2017. The system uses heat pumps to cool the data centre while transferring the recovered heat into the city’s heating infrastructure.

The significance goes beyond one facility.

The data centre is no longer simply an electricity consumer. Its operation becomes part of the city’s heating infrastructure, while the district-heating network provides a practical destination for energy that the data centre has already produced as a by-product.

Stockholm Exergi’s stated ambition is for Stockholm’s district heating to be generated entirely from renewable and recovered energy by 2030.

The model demonstrates something important about sustainable infrastructure: environmental value can increase when infrastructure is connected rather than designed in isolation.

Helsinki treats a data centre as a radiator

Telia’s Helsinki Data Center provides another compelling example. The facility was designed from the beginning with heat recovery in mind, allowing excess heat from the data centre to be transferred into Helsinki’s district-heating system.

Telia reports that around 60% of the heat produced by the facility can already be reused, with the long-term goal of reaching approximately 80%. The recovered heat is distributed through Helsinki’s existing network to homes and offices. Telia’s current description of the system says the heat from the Pitäjänmäki data centre is already serving around 7.000 homes and offices, with the potential to reach more than 20.000 homes as utilisation increases.

The important detail is that the heat is not simply captured and stored. It becomes part of an existing urban system. The district-heating network already exists. The buildings already need heat. The data centre already produces heat. Infrastructure connects the three. The system also changes the way cooling is approached. Telia describes a hierarchy in which heat recovery takes priority, followed by free cooling when conditions allow, with mechanical cooling used when necessary. This makes the heat-recovery system part of the operational design rather than an environmental feature added after the fact.

The result is a form of circularity that is remarkably practical. A resource that once had to be removed from the building becomes part of the energy supply for the city.

Denmark is turning surplus heat into household heating

Denmark provides several further examples of the same principle operating at substantial scale. Meta’s data centre in Odense supplies surplus heat to the local district-heating system operated by Fjernvarme Fyn. The project has been designed to recover heat from the data centre and use it to provide heating for local households.

Microsoft has developed another example in Høje-Taastrup near Copenhagen. Its Danish data-centre infrastructure includes a heat-recovery system designed to transfer surplus heat into the local district-heating network, with the potential to supply heating equivalent to the needs of thousands of homes.

These projects demonstrate the importance of proximity. Heat is not as easy to transport over long distances as electricity, which makes the relationship between data-centre location and surrounding infrastructure particularly important.

A data centre located close to a district-heating network has an opportunity that an otherwise identical facility may not have. The physical geography of infrastructure therefore becomes part of its environmental performance.

Finland is taking the idea even further

The most ambitious examples are emerging where data centres are planned alongside energy infrastructure from the beginning. Microsoft’s data-centre development in the Helsinki region is designed around the recovery of surplus heat and its integration into the district-heating systems serving Espoo, Kauniainen, and Kirkkonummi.

Microsoft and Fortum have described a future system capable of supplying heat to approximately 250.000 people. Heat from the data centres will be captured and transferred into a heat-pump facility, where its temperature will be raised before entering the municipal heating network. The project is scheduled to begin operations in 2027.

The significance lies partly in the planning philosophy.

The heat-recovery system is not being treated simply as a sustainability feature attached to an existing data centre. It is being considered as part of the infrastructure surrounding the data centre. That approach creates opportunities that become difficult or impossible to achieve later.

The IEA’s analysis makes the broader potential clear. Espoo is already cited as an example where a cluster of new data centres could eventually provide enough recovered heat for around 100.000 homes.

This is one reason Nordic cities have become particularly interesting in the global data-centre discussion. They combine data-centre investment with established district-heating infrastructure, relatively low-carbon electricity systems, and a long history of integrating different energy sources into municipal networks.

Norway shows what happens outside the city

Not every useful application of data-centre heat involves homes. In Rjukan, Norway, the recipient is a trout farm. Green Mountain operates a data centre approximately 800 metres from Hima Seafood’s land-based aquaculture facility. The two facilities are connected through a heat-reuse system in which excess heat from the data centre is used to maintain the temperature of water in the trout-production tanks.

The first phase became operational in autumn 2025 and is currently being tested at up to 1.75 MW. The companies are studying an expansion to 8 MW. There is an additional layer to the system that makes it particularly interesting. After the water has been used in the aquaculture process, the cooled water can return to the data centre and be integrated into its cooling system.

This is industrial symbiosis in a very literal sense.

The data centre produces heat. The fish farm needs heat. The fish farm produces cooled water. The data centre needs cooling. Two very different businesses can therefore share resources because their operational requirements happen to complement one another.

The project also demonstrates that heat recovery does not need to be confined to major urban centres. It can become part of an industrial ecosystem in a smaller community where two businesses are close enough to share infrastructure.

It is difficult to imagine a better illustration of the principle that waste is often a matter of perspective.

Greenhouses could be another destination

The same principle can apply to agriculture. Greenhouses require controlled temperatures, often in climates where heating represents a significant part of production costs. Data centres, meanwhile, generate heat continuously throughout the year.

Microsoft has highlighted greenhouse agriculture as one of the potential applications for recovered data-centre heat, particularly because greenhouse operations can make productive use of lower-temperature heat.

This creates another form of industrial symbiosis.

The data centre gains a productive outlet for heat that would otherwise need to be removed. The greenhouse gains a source of thermal energy. The surrounding region gains another example of industrial activity being integrated rather than planned independently. The same principle can potentially be applied to other low- and medium-temperature industrial processes.

The important point is not that every data centre should be connected to a greenhouse, fish farm, or district-heating network. The important point is that the physical output of computing can have value somewhere else when infrastructure is planned with that possibility in mind.

Heat does not have to be used immediately

There is another technical challenge when thinking about heat reuse at scale. Data centres operate continuously, while demand for heating fluctuates. Homes need less heat during summer. Industrial demand changes throughout the day. Agricultural requirements follow production cycles. This creates a mismatch between when heat is produced and when it is needed.

Thermal storage can help bridge that gap. The European THUNDER project, coordinated by RINA and funded through Horizon Europe, is developing a system for recovering heat from data centres, storing it during periods of lower demand, and releasing it later for urban heating. The project combines thermal storage, high-temperature heat pumps, and district-heating networks, with a pilot project in Varna, Bulgaria.

This is an important development because the challenge is no longer simply capturing heat. It is matching the timing, temperature, and location of the available energy with the needs of the surrounding system.

The same principle applies to electricity.

Batteries, thermal storage, and flexible computing workloads can potentially help data centres interact more intelligently with the electricity grid, provided that critical workloads remain protected and operational requirements are respected.

Serbia offers another compelling example, where the infrastructure hosting Thornet’s servers operates within a network powered by 100% green-certified renewable electricity, showing that the growth of digital infrastructure does not have to come at the expense of a lower-carbon energy transition.

Water is part of the equation

Electricity is usually the first resource discussed in relation to data centres, but water can be equally important in some locations. Cooling systems may use water to transfer or remove heat. Evaporative cooling can be efficient from an electricity perspective, but it may consume more water. Closed-loop systems can reduce water use, although they may require different equipment, higher capital investment, or additional electricity.

The right solution depends on the local climate, facility design, workload, and availability of water. This makes location particularly important.

A data centre may be located in a region with abundant low-carbon electricity but limited water resources. Another may have access to plentiful water but rely on a more carbon-intensive electricity mix. A third may have a naturally cool climate that reduces cooling demand but lacks sufficient grid capacity or network connectivity.

There is no single sustainability measure that resolves these trade-offs. A responsible infrastructure strategy therefore needs to consider electricity, water, land, construction materials, local ecosystems, and the wider energy system together.

This is where ESG becomes more than a reporting exercise. The environmental characteristics of a data centre are increasingly determined by decisions made before the first server is installed.

Efficiency changes the equation

There is another side to the story that is sometimes lost in the debate about AI and energy. Technology becomes more efficient.

Ericsson’s research into ICT energy consumption illustrates the point. Between 2007 and 2023, global data traffic increased by roughly 80 times, while electricity consumption in the use phase of the ICT sector increased by approximately 1.4 times. The relationship between more data and proportionally more electricity is therefore much more complicated than it may initially appear.

Efficiency improvements occur at several levels.

Processors can perform more calculations using less electricity. Servers can be configured more effectively. Storage systems can use lower-power media for less frequently accessed data. Cooling systems can respond more precisely to actual demand. Software can reduce unnecessary processing. Workloads can be scheduled across locations according to availability, cost, or carbon intensity.

AI is nevertheless creating a new challenge because it is pushing computing into much more intensive territory. The most powerful AI processors require considerably more electricity than conventional servers, and the number of such processors being deployed is increasing rapidly. At the same time, advances in chips, software, and model design are improving the amount of useful computing that can be achieved for each unit of energy. The same principle applies to non-AI workloads.

Cloud platforms can consolidate many smaller systems into more efficient shared infrastructure. Virtualisation can allow one physical server to support several applications. Automated management can reduce idle capacity. Better storage policies can prevent unnecessary duplication. Modern facilities can use more efficient power distribution and cooling systems than older server rooms.

Efficiency does not automatically reduce total consumption. If lower costs encourage more usage, overall demand may still rise. This is one reason why efficiency and growth need to be considered together.

The IEA expects electricity consumption from accelerated servers, largely driven by AI, to grow rapidly through 2030. Efficiency improvements nevertheless remain one of the industry’s most important responses because electricity is both an environmental consideration and one of the largest operating costs of a data centre.

The same industry that is increasing demand for computing is therefore under enormous pressure to make every calculation cheaper, faster, and more energy-efficient. That pressure is likely to remain one of the strongest drivers of innovation in AI hardware, software, cooling, storage, and data-centre operations.

The grid is becoming part of the data-centre conversation

The rapid development of data centres also exposes another constraint: electricity infrastructure does not move at the same speed as technology. A new data centre can be designed and constructed in a matter of years. Power-generation projects, transmission infrastructure, and grid connections often require much longer planning cycles.

The IEA identifies grid connections and infrastructure as major potential bottlenecks to data-centre expansion. In some regions, the challenge is no longer simply whether there is sufficient computing demand, but whether enough electricity infrastructure is available at the right location and at the right time. This makes energy strategy increasingly relevant to technology strategy.

Companies considering where their digital infrastructure should operate need to think about much more than latency and price. Power availability, grid stability, renewable generation, cooling conditions, connectivity, resilience, and regulatory conditions are all becoming part of the same decision.

Data centres can also affect the grid in different ways depending on their operating patterns.

Some workloads are relatively flexible and can be scheduled at different times or moved between locations. Others, such as real-time transactions, telecommunications, and critical business systems, require continuous availability and cannot easily be interrupted. This creates opportunities for more intelligent energy management while making it equally important to distinguish between flexible computing and workloads that must remain permanently available.

The result is a much closer relationship between digital infrastructure and the energy system that supports it.

From consumption to circularity

The most interesting developments are therefore not necessarily the ones that promise to make data centres invisible. They are the ones that make them more integrated. A data centre can be connected to a district-heating system, provide heat to a greenhouse, support aquaculture, operate alongside renewable generation and energy storage, or use cooling systems designed around local climate conditions and water availability.

The physical equipment can also become part of a circular system. Servers, processors, memory, storage devices, and networking equipment have finite operating lives, but that does not necessarily mean their useful life ends when they leave one data centre. Refurbishment, component recovery, reuse, and recycling can retain value and reduce the need for new raw materials.

Microsoft’s recent sustainability reporting describes a growing network of Circular Centers dedicated to processing retired data-centre equipment, with components being reused or recycled rather than automatically treated as waste.

This is another part of the same story.

Sustainable infrastructure is not only about electricity. It is also about what happens to the physical infrastructure once its first useful life is over. The broader objective is to keep energy, materials, and equipment useful for as long as possible.

The business case is becoming stronger

There is also a commercial reason for taking this seriously. Energy efficiency lowers operating costs. Reliable power reduces operational risk. Efficient cooling can reduce both energy consumption and infrastructure requirements. Water-efficient systems can reduce exposure to local resource constraints. Heat recovery can create an additional source of value or reduce the cost of heating nearby buildings and industrial processes.

Access to renewable electricity can support corporate emissions objectives, while good infrastructure planning can reduce exposure to future energy-price volatility and grid constraints. Modern, efficient facilities can also provide better performance, security, and resilience than fragmented legacy infrastructure. The environmental and commercial interests therefore increasingly overlap.

What improves efficiency can improve margins. What improves resilience can reduce risk. What reduces waste can create value. What strengthens a local energy system can improve the economic case for infrastructure development. Responsible infrastructure does not necessarily require businesses to choose between growth and sustainability. Good engineering can sometimes make both possible.

The next data centre may be part of something much bigger

The first generation of data centres was largely designed around one primary objective: keeping computing available. The next generation is increasingly being designed around relationships with the electricity grid, renewable energy, heating networks, water systems, nearby industries, telecommunications infrastructure, and local communities. This is particularly relevant as AI continues to expand.

The scale of new facilities is changing rapidly, with the largest AI-oriented developments moving from conventional data-centre footprints towards campuses capable of supporting hundreds of megawatts and, in some cases, ambitions approaching gigawatt scale. But the same infrastructure race is also being shaped by cloud adoption, digital services, storage, telecommunications, enterprise systems, and the growing need for resilient computing capacity. That scale makes intelligent infrastructure planning unavoidable.

The larger the facility, the harder it becomes to treat its environmental impact as an isolated technical issue. It becomes part of the local economy, the local energy system, and, potentially, the local environmental equation.

The infrastructure around technology can do the same

AI will consume more electricity. Data centres will continue to grow. The world will need more computing capacity, more networks, more storage, and more sophisticated digital infrastructure. The direction of that growth, however, is not predetermined.

There is a significant difference between a data centre that consumes electricity and releases its excess heat into the surrounding environment and a data centre designed from the beginning to become part of a heating network. There is a difference between two industrial facilities operating independently and two facilities sharing energy and water because their processes complement one another. There is a difference between choosing a location solely because it has available land and choosing it because electricity, connectivity, climate, and surrounding infrastructure make a more sustainable system possible.

The examples already emerging around Europe show that this is more than an interesting idea.

Stockholm is recovering data-centre heat for its district-heating network. Helsinki is using heat from computing to help warm homes and offices. Denmark is integrating surplus heat from data centres into local heating systems. Espoo is developing infrastructure in which recovered heat could eventually serve around 100.000 homes. In Rjukan, excess heat from computing is helping produce trout.

These are operating projects, infrastructure investments, and partnerships between technology companies, energy providers, municipalities, and other industries. They demonstrate that the environmental footprint of digital infrastructure is not determined solely by how much electricity a data centre consumes. It is also determined by what surrounds it, how the infrastructure is designed, and what happens to the resources it produces.

This leads to a more interesting way of looking at sustainable technology.

The objective does not always have to be making an individual system consume as little as possible. Sometimes the greater opportunity is to connect systems intelligently enough that the output of one becomes the input of another. A data centre needs electricity and produces heat. A city needs heating. A greenhouse needs warmth. An aquaculture facility needs controlled temperatures. An electricity system needs flexibility. A business needs reliable computing. None of these systems was necessarily created to serve the others. Yet, when they are planned together, their requirements can begin to complement one another.

This is where technology and sustainability stop looking like opposing forces.

The data centre does not have to become invisible. The AI does not have to stop developing. Digital infrastructure does not have to disappear from the physical world. Instead, the infrastructure around it can become more intelligent. The most responsible data centre will not necessarily be the one that consumes the least. It may be the one that makes the most of what it consumes, keeps resources useful for longer, and creates value beyond the computing tasks performed inside its walls. That idea extends far beyond data centres.

The next generation of sustainable technology may not be defined by making every individual system perfect. It may be defined by connecting imperfect systems intelligently enough that less is wasted and more is shared.

Less isolation. More integration.
Less waste. More exchange.
Less thinking in individual facilities. More thinking in ecosystems.

The remarkable part is that this is not a vision waiting somewhere in the future. Sweden is already doing it. Finland, Denmark, and Norway are already doing it as well. The technology exists. The infrastructure is being built. The examples are already operating. The next opportunity lies in discovering what else can be connected to it. AI may be changing the data centre. The more important change may be happening around it.

And perhaps that is where the next chapter of responsible technology will be written.

SOURCES AND FURTHER READINGS:
The article draws on publicly available research, industry analysis, and company information published up to June 2026.

1. International Energy Agency (IEA) – Energy and AI, 2025-2026.
2. International Energy Agency (IEA) – Opportunities for district heating in the changing energy landscape.
3. International Energy Agency (IEA) – Renewables in District Energy, June 2026.
4. McKinsey Global Institute – Colocation data centers: The infrastructure race behind AI, June 2026.
5. Ericsson – ICT energy evolution: Telecom, data centers, and AI, 2025.
6. Telia Business – Helsinki Data Center and heat recovery.
7. Stockholm Exergi – Open District Heating and data-centre heat recovery.
8. Microsoft – Data-centre heat recovery and sustainable infrastructure projects in Finland and Denmark.
9. Meta – Odense Data Centre and district-heating integration.
10. Green Mountain – Heat reuse and the Rjukan data-centre / aquaculture project.
11. Hima Seafood – Rjukan aquaculture and heat-reuse collaboration.
12. RINA / Horizon Europe – THUNDER project on data-centre waste heat, thermal storage and urban heating.
13. Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland – Data centres and the developing energy system and economy, May 2026.
14. Microsoft – Environmental Sustainability reporting and circular data-centre hardware initiatives.
15. Foster + Svensson / Thornet – Digital infrastructure, connectivity, data-centre and IT services.

IMAGES DISCLAIMER:
All images in this article are AI-generated by Foster + Svensson and Thornet. The images are illustrative representations and do not depict actual facilities, locations, people or events. Their purpose is to visually illustrate the technologies, environments and concepts discussed in the article.

ABOUT FOSTER + SVENSSON

Foster + Svensson is an award-winning European branding, communications, and marketing company with heritage back in 1746 and incorporated in 2013 in Serbia, who put forward well-considered contemporary design, digital and innovation. Operating worldwide as part of Fosterova grupa, Foster + Svensson is positioned as professional services company, providing broad range of services and solutions in area of marketing and technology. Having bold experience and specialized skills in more than 20 industries, company provides services to all company sizes. People at Foster + Svensson design brands, use digital technology, data, and strategy to create contemporary visual identities, services, and experiences to help corporate clients improve their performance and manage sustainable business value for stakeholders. Foster + Svensson design and drive innovation to improve the way world works and lives. Company approach is to be precise, punctual, and reliable to its clients, where it ran more than 2000 projects while working for major companies to be found in Fortune Global 500 and top-tier companies, such as HVB Bank, UniCredit Bank, Raiffeisen Bank, Banca Intesa, Addiko Bank, AikBank, Visa, Mastercard, Ericsson, Nokia, Telenor Group, Apple, Vodafone Group, A1 Telekom Austria Group, T-Mobile, CNN, RTS, Ringier Axel Springer, Samsung, Cheil, McCann Worldgroup, MullenLowe Group, Grey Worldwide, Carat, Dentsu Aegis Network, WPP, Publicis Groupe, Leo, Saatchi & Saatchi, Huawei, HONOR, Hisense, Gorenje, Asko, Ahold Delhaize, Maxi, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, AstraZeneca, Richter Gedeon, URSAPHARM, Takeda, Inditex, Zara, Zara Home, BMW Group, Renault Group, FIAT, Knight Frank. Work culture and ethics includes business excellence and delivery of outperforming results.

Foster + Svensson in one of the founders of MAI Marina Abramović Institute.

Foster + Svensson announces integration of Thornet, marking strategic evolution toward a fully digital future

Vladimir von Bergdorff — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 09:02:57 +0000

Belgrade, Helsinki, Vienna — Foster + Svensson, an award-winning European branding, marketing, communications, and advertising agency, today announced the full integration of Thornet, a global technology partner and system integrator specializing in digital infrastructure and ICT services.

This milestone reflects a natural evolution driven by increasing global demand for digitalization across industries, organizations, and institutions of all sizes – where technology, data, and creativity are no longer separate capabilities, but fundamentally interconnected drivers of growth and relevance.

Through this integration, Thornet’s advanced capabilities in data center ecosystems, cloud and hosting solutions, connectivity, software development, and IT infrastructure optimization will become deeply embedded within Foster + Svensson’s existing service portfolio. The combined offering strengthens the agency’s ability to connect creativity, data, and technology – enabling clients to operate, adapt, and lead in an increasingly complex digital environment.

At the same time, Thornet will continue to operate as a dedicated technology partner and system integrator, expanding its services while working in closer alignment with Foster + Svensson’s strategic, creative, and digital solutions.

Photo: Introduction of the new Foster + Svensson logo and corporate identity.

The integration establishes Foster + Svensson as a single, unified point where creativity meets technology and digital – delivering a full spectrum of services across design, brand, marketing, infrastructure, and innovation. Clients will benefit from a seamless experience that combines strategic thinking, advanced technological capabilities, and data-driven insight, supported by first-class project management, deep industry understanding, and a strong commitment to service excellence.

With this step, Foster + Svensson moves closer to some of the world’s most advanced, top tier, and high-standard digital services and technologies, further strengthening its ability to create, develop, and evolve businesses and brands in a rapidly changing environment.

Photo: Mag. Vladimir von Bergdorff, MA, Managing Director of Foster + Svensson.

This moment also represents a significant transformation for Foster + Svensson itself. As part of the integration, the agency is undertaking a comprehensive brand refresh, introducing a new corporate identity that reflects its expanded capabilities and future direction. The transformation includes a new logo, refined typography, and an evolved color palette introducing violet with its shades, alongside orange, pink and grey, while also embracing selected elements of Thornet’s corporate identity. This change signals a broader repositioning of the agency, one that aligns its visual expression with its deepened role at the intersection of marketing, technology, and innovation.

By integrating Thornet’s infrastructure and expertise, Foster + Svensson further enhances its access to advanced digital capabilities, including AI-driven tools, automation systems, global hosting environments, and data center networks across the Nordics, DACH region, and wider Europe.

“Digitalization is no longer a transformation reserved for specific industries. It is a fundamental shift shaping how all businesses operate, communicate, and create value,” said Mag. Vladimir von Bergdorff, MA, the Group Managing Director of Foster + Svensson. “This integration represents more than growth; it reflects our commitment to change. By bringing together creativity and technology at a deeper level, we are evolving alongside our clients’ needs – enabling them to navigate complexity, drive meaningful progress, and build resilient, future-ready organizations. We brought together artistic legacy, creativity, digital infrastructure, technology convergence, and experience, at disposal to our clients.”

With a heritage rooted in design, architecture, and the arts dating back to 1746, Foster + Svensson continues to evolve its legacy, adapting to a world defined by constant change while remaining committed to precision, reliability, and delivering measurable business value. The integration reinforces the agency’s mission to design and drive innovation that improves the way organizations work and live – now with even more stronger technological foundation.

ABOUT FOSTER + SVENSSON

Foster + Svensson is an award-winning European branding, communications, and advertising agency with heritage back in 1746 and incorporated in 2013 in Serbia, who put forward well-considered contemporary design, digital and innovation. Operating worldwide as part of Fosterova grupa, Foster + Svensson is positioned as professional services company, providing broad range of services and solutions in area of marketing. Having bold experience and specialized skills in more than 20 industries, agency provides services to all company sizes. People at Foster + Svensson design brands, use digital technology, data, and strategy to create contemporary visual identities, services, and experiences to help corporate clients improve their performance and manage sustainable business value for stakeholders. Foster + Svensson design and drive innovation to improve the way world works and lives. Agency approach is to be precise, punctual, and reliable to its clients, where it ran more than 2000 projects while working for major companies to be found in Fortune Global 500 and top-tier companies, such as HVB Bank, UniCredit Bank, Raiffeisen Bank, Banca Intesa, Addiko Bank, AikBank, Visa, Mastercard, Ericsson, Nokia, Telenor Group, Apple, Vodafone Group, A1 Telekom Austria Group, T-Mobile, CNN, RTS, Ringier Axel Springer, Samsung, Cheil, Huawei, Hisense, Gorenje, Asko, Ahold Delhaize, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, AstraZeneca, Richter Gedeon, Ursapharm, Inditex, Zara, BMW Group, Renault Group, Knight Frank. Work culture and ethics includes business excellence and delivery of outperforming results.

Foster + Svensson in one of the founders of MAI Marina Abramović Institute.

ABOUT THORNET

Thornet is a global technology partner and system integrator providing essential digital infrastructure and ICT services to businesses, enterprises, and public sector organizations. Its offerings include data center ecosystems, cloud and web hosting, virtual servers, application and software development, backup and disaster recovery, and IT infrastructure optimization. Thornet enables organizations to operate efficiently in a connected world by delivering reliable, scalable, and secure technology solutions that support digital transformation and long-term growth.

URSAPHARM selects Foster + Svensson MED™ as its healthcare marketing agency

Vladimir von Bergdorff — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 08:30:05 +0000

For over 50 years, the name URSAPHARM stands for the consistent transfer of innovative pharmaceutical conceptions into successful medicine and medicinal products. Today, URSAPHARM is an international concern, and due to the large range of products, it belongs to the market leaders in Germany in the area of ophthalmology.

Since its foundation in 1974, the pharmaceutical manufacturer has developed into a global operating group of companies. With its own subsidiaries in Austria, Benelux, Czechia, Greece, France, India, Italy, Nordic (Sweden), Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, and Switzerland, as well as cooperation agreements with sales partners in over 80 countries, URSAPHARM has developed in the last decades into a true global player that nowadays is working far beyond the local borders.

As an international pharmaceutical company, URSAPHARM has established itself as a market leader in Germany and a major player in Europe in the area of ophthalmology thanks to a wide range of high-quality products. Since its founding, URSAPHARM has consistently transformed innovative pharmaceutical concepts into successful pharmaceutical and medical devices, including the highly successful HYLO® eye lubricant product range. The range of products is rounded off by various general practice products, in the form of film-coated tablets, capsules, granules, sprays, and ointments. In addition, URSAPHARM leverages its expertise in development, manufacturing, quality control, and quality assurance as a top-performing contract manufacturer and collaborative partner worldwide.

The company based in Saarbrücken and its subsidiary in Serbia, URSAPHARM, is directly responsible for the marketing and sale of its products in Serbia and through distribution partners in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.

Foster + Svensson MED is pleased to be selected by URSAPHARM for providing its creative and marketing communication services.

ABOUT FOSTER + SVENSSON

Foster + Svensson is an award-winning European branding, communications, and advertising agency with heritage back in 1860 and incorporated in 2013 in Serbia, who put forward well-considered contemporary design, digital and innovation. Operating worldwide as part of Fosterova grupa, Foster + Svensson is positioned as professional services company, providing broad range of services and solutions in area of marketing. Having bold experience and specialized skills in more than 20 industries, agency provides services to all company sizes. People at Foster + Svensson design brands, use digital technology, data, and strategy to create contemporary visual identities, services, and experiences to help corporate clients improve their performance and manage sustainable business value for stakeholders. Foster + Svensson design and drive innovation to improve the way world works and lives. Agency approach is to be precise, punctual, and reliable to its clients, where it ran more than 2000 projects while working for major companies to be found in Fortune Global 500 and top-tier companies, such as HVB Bank, UniCredit Bank, Raiffeisen Bank, Banca Intesa, Visa, Mastercard, Ericsson, Telenor Group, Apple, Vodafone Group, A1 Telekom Austria Group, T-Mobile, CNN, RTS, Samsung, Cheil, Huawei, Hisense, Ahold Delhaize, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, AstraZeneca, Richter Gedeon, Ursapharm, Inditex, Zara, Renault Group, Knight Frank. Work culture and ethics includes business excellence and delivery of outperforming results.

Foster + Svensson is one of the founders of MAI Marina Abramović Institute.

2024 first half results: Renault Group breaks new records and continues to improve its performance

Vladimir von Bergdorff — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 11:24:47 +0000

Renault Group (Euronext CAC40: RNO) breaks new records profitability in 2024 H1 and continues to improve its performance. Renault posted a better-than-expected operating profit for the first half of the year as reported, due to strong pricing and new vehicle launches, and stuck to its full-year profit-margin forecast. The French automaker reported that its first-half sales volume rose +1.9% versus the same period in 2023 due to the strong performance of hybrid models in Europe, its key region.

Video: Renault Group.

Renault posted a higher operating margin of 8.1% for the first half of the year, up from 7.6% a year earlier and higher than the 7.9% expected by analysts. This is a key metric for Renault, which has targeted a double-digit operating margin by 2030. The automaker stuck to its full-year operating margin forecast of 7.4% or above.

Renault returned to growth last year after four consecutive years of declining unit sales, and is hoping that 10 new launches this year will keep the momentum. The company had hoped to be at the forefront of legacy automakers’ efforts to go electric, with a plan for the Renault brand to go fully electric by the end of the decade. Demand for EVs has slowed sharply in Europe, with data from the region’s trade body showing that sales only rose 1.3% in the first half. Automakers are instead seeing strong demand for more affordable and more convenient hybrids and are rolling out additional models to meet demand.

Photo: Renault Group.

Renault has launched new hybrid models and executives said it will continue to do so. Renault reported first-half revenue of 26.96 billion €, up 0.4%1 over the previous year and above market forecasts of 26.9 billion €. The company said it currently has a strong order book equivalent to 2.6 months of forward-looking sales.Renault brand is #3 in Europe, #1 in France and leader in LCV².

Reconnecing the company with the innovative mindset that once made its golden years

“These record results are the fruit of a considerable work made by the Renault Group teams over the last years. Our efforts to reduce costs and focus our commercial policy on value are reflected in a new line-up, the best one that this company has had in 3 decades. We have implemented the traditional levers of performance improvement, but we have also reconnected the company with the innovative mindset that once made its golden years”, said Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group.

Photo: Renault Group.

“For some months now, we have been accelerating our transformation to become the most progressive European automotive company. 5 focused businesses, a horizontal and ecosystemic approach, the strengthening of our supply chain, key processes optimization (“speed of lightness” program), AI deployment at all levels and across all value chains: these are the key ingredients of this Renault’s new secret sauce. Flexibility, agility and innovation continue to drive performance improvement and efficient capital allocation. And the most important: Renault Group’s people are fully committed to achieve this transformation. This is passion, fueling sustainable value creation for all our stakeholders“ points out Luca de Meo.

Renault Group

Proud of its international recognition, Renault is the best-selling French brand in the world. Strengthened by its alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, and its unique expertise in electrification, Renault Group comprises 4 complementary brands – Renault, Dacia, Alpine and Mobilize – offering sustainable and innovative mobility solutions to its customers. Established in more than 130 countries, the Group has sold more than 2.235 million vehicles in 2023. It employs nearly 106.000 people who embody its Purpose every day, so that mobility brings people closer. Ready to pursue challenges both on the road and in competition, Renault Group is committed to an ambitious transformation that will generate value. This is centred on the development of new technologies and services, and a new range of even more competitive, balanced, and electrified vehicles. In line with environmental challenges, the Group’s ambition is to achieve carbon neutrality in Europe by 2040.

¹In order to analyze the variation in consolidated revenue at constant exchange rates, Renault Group recalculates the revenue for the current period by applying average exchange rates of the previous period.
²Excluding pick-up trucks.

Published by Renault Group and Reuters.

People culture at Foster + Svensson

At Foster + Svensson we nurture and foster creativity and work-life balance. We believe that people get most of ideas outside of work, while being inspired at any place. Most of the ideas are coming out during open discussions too, which are human, more appealing and have greater impact than the one imposed. Therefore we foster friendly environment at work, so we allow our employees to explore client brands and products more deeply, than just getting the brief from them. From point of being creatively amazed, to point of being punctual towards client. Free to wonder, yet disciplined in work.

We also highlight the importance of constant informing and educating ourselves, either by upgrading formal education, or by workshops, trainings, conferences accessing and reading high quality literature, visiting museums, galleries, exhibitions, theatres, and events. That is why we encourage people at Foster + Svensson to read books, magazines and articles about art, design, architecture, history, people, photography, popular culture, lifestyle, travel, graphics, decorative arts, science, medicine, pharmacy and technology, but also to educate and update ourselves on client industries, latest trends, reports, and news. Such information we collect, we use for upgrading ourselves in a process of constant exploration and learning, where we set future foundations in the industry we work.

ABOUT FOSTER + SVENSSON

Foster + Svensson is an award-winning European branding, communications, and advertising agency with heritage back in 1860 and incorporated in 2013 in Serbia, who put forward well-considered contemporary design, digital and innovation. Operating worldwide as part of Fosterova grupa, Foster + Svensson is positioned as professional services company, providing broad range of services and solutions in area of marketing. Having bold experience and specialized skills in more than 20 industries, agency provides services to all company sizes. People at Foster + Svensson design brands, use digital technology, data, and strategy to create contemporary visual identities, services, and experiences to help corporate clients improve their performance and manage sustainable business value for stakeholders. Foster + Svensson design and drive innovation to improve the way world works and lives. Agency approach is to be precise, punctual, and reliable to its clients, where it ran more than 2000 projects while working for major companies to be found in Fortune Global 500 and top-tier companies, such as HVB Bank, UniCredit Bank, Telenor Group, Ericsson, Apple, Vodafone Group, A1 Telekom Austria Group, RTS, Samsung, Cheil, Huawei, Hisense, Ahold Delhaize, Procter & Gamble, Richter Gedeon, AstraZeneca, Banca Intesa, Raiffeisen Bank, Mastercard, Inditex, Zara, Renault Group. Work culture and ethics includes business excellence and delivery of outperforming results.

Foster + Svensson in one of the founders of MAI Marina Abramović Institute.

Electrolux Group wins Red Dot: Best of the Best for product design

Vladimir von Bergdorff — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 08:28:39 +0000

Electrolux Group (STO: ELUX-B) has picked up five Red Dot design awards this year for outstanding product design. The SaphirMatt, a matt black glass induction hob, received the top recognition Red Dot: Best of the Best for its innovative scratch-resistant matt glass.

“The unique SaphirMatt ceramic glass can withstand everyday use and abrasions while the elegant black matt finish adds a touch of style to any kitchen. This delivers an outstanding consumer experience and we’re extremely proud to win the highest distinction Red Dot: Best of the Best for this cutting-edge design,” says Simon Bradford, Head of Design for Product Line Taste.

The Red Dot: Best of the Best is awarded for groundbreaking design and is the highest distinction in the Red Dot Award: Product Design category. In addition to the Best of the Best award, Electrolux Group received four more prestigious Red Dot awards for products designed to improve the lives of consumers in the home.

Photo credits © AEG, Electrolux Group.

The Red Dot Design Award is one of the most sought-after design accolades in the world. This year’s winners were chosen by an expert jury and the winning products will be presented at the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen, Germany and online at www.red-dot.org.

Electrolux and AEG SaphirMatt Induction Hobs

The SaphirMatt glass finish for cooking hobs boasts superior cleanability and resistance to scratches and fingerprints, but its frosted surface is also replete with visual and tactile appeal.

SaphirMatt is a groundbreaking innovation in a commercial space dominated by glossy black glass. The range of SaphirMatt hobs for Electrolux and AEG brands aim to make the hob the visual centerpiece of even the most distinctive kitchen.

About Electrolux Group

Electrolux Group is one of the leading global appliance company that has shaped living for the better for more than 100 years. Electrolux reinvent lifetime taste, care and wellbeing experiences for millions of people, always striving to be at the forefront of sustainability in society through its solutions and operations.

Sustainable consumer experience innovation is a key driver for long term profitable growth, enabling users to prepare great-tasting food, care for their clothes so they stay new for longer and achieve healthy wellbeing at home. Consistently increasing operational efficiency through digitalization, automation and modularization is key to improve profitability and enable profitable growth. Sustainability is an integral part of Electrolux Group’s strategy.

In 2023 Electrolux Group had sales of SEK 134 billion and employed 45,000 people around the world. Group headquarters are located in Stockholm (Sweden) and the Electrolux share (ELUXb) is listed on Nasdaq OMX Stockholm.

The Group brands includes Electrolux, AEG and Frigidaire, where the Group sells household products in over 120 markets every year. The Electrolux Group products include refrigerators, freezers, ovens, cookers, hobs, hoods, microwave ovens, dishwashers, washing machines, tumble dryers, vacuum cleaners, air conditioners, air purifiers and small domestic appliances.

People culture at Foster + Svensson

We also highlight the importance of constant informing and educating ourselves, either by upgrading formal education, or by workshops, trainings, conferences accessing and reading high quality literature, visiting museums, galleries, exhibitions, theatres, and events. That is why we encourage people at Foster + Svensson to read books, magazines and articles about art, design, architecture, history, people, photography, popular culture, lifestyle, travel, graphics, decorative arts, science, and technology, but also to educate and update ourselves on client industries, latest trends, reports, and news. Such information we collect, we use for upgrading ourselves in a process of constant exploration and learning, where we set future foundations in the industry we work.

ABOUT FOSTER + SVENSSON

Foster + Svensson is an award-winning European branding, communications, and advertising agency with heritage back in 1860 and incorporated in 2013 in Serbia, who put forward well-considered contemporary design, digital and innovation. Operating worldwide as part of Fosterova grupa, Foster + Svensson is positioned as professional services company, providing broad range of services and solutions in area of marketing. Having bold experience and specialized skills in more than 20 industries, agency provides services to all company sizes. People at Foster + Svensson design brands, use digital technology, data, and strategy to create contemporary visual identities, services, and experiences to help corporate clients improve their performance and manage sustainable business value for stakeholders. Foster + Svensson design and drive innovation to improve the way world works and lives. Agency approach is to be precise, punctual, and reliable to its clients, where it ran more than 2000 projects while working for major companies to be found in Fortune Global 500 and top-tier companies, such as HVB Bank, UniCredit Bank, Telenor Group, Ericsson, Apple, Vodafone Group, A1 Telekom Austria Group, RTS, Samsung, Cheil, Huawei, Hisense, Ahold Delhaize, Procter & Gamble, Richter Gedeon, AstraZeneca, Banca Intesa, Raiffeisen Bank, Mastercard, Inditex, Zara, Renault Group. Work culture and ethics includes business excellence and delivery of outperforming results.

Foster + Svensson in one of the founders of MAI Marina Abramović Institute.

Iconic Renault mobility brand and leader of electric vehicles in Europe, signatured by Jean-Michel Jarre and Victor Vasarely

Vladimir von Bergdorff — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 12:33:14 +0000

Renault (Euronext CAC40: RNO) reinvented the car for life and living, designed to ensure the comfort and wellbeing of whole family. It is easy to find the way with the openR link system with Google integrated¹ and more than 50 apps. In terms of driving, the 100% electric powertrain offers a driving range of up to 379 miles², packed with performance, responsiveness and innovative technologies.

New Renault Scenic E-Tech has innovative sculpted front end, Solarbay® opacifying panoramic glass roof, cutting-edge technology and E-Tech 100% electric motor.

The new electric platform has a built-in battery and very low centre of gravity. Combined with the 220 hp electric motor³, it helps Renault Scenic E-Tech 100% electric drive smoothly and efficiently, while electric includes a heat pump to optimise the temperature in the passenger compartment and preserve the driving range.

The route calculation system with Google incorporates charging point locations and suggests an optimised route based on the battery charge level. Renault Scenic E-Tech 100% electric’s versatile recharging and connectivity features mean passengers can travel with some confidence.

With Solarbay®⁴ driver and passengers can select the level of opacity they want from 4 different combinations. With a total surface area of 1.65m², it can be activated via touch or voice control, providing optimum visual and thermal comfort.

New Renault Scenic E-Tech has human first program for greater safety. The safety score assesses your driving and gives passengers an advice to improve their safety. At the end of the journey, driver is given a detailed analysis and simple advice to improve their driving. The safety coach analyses the potential risks on the road and informs drivers based on surrounding data. A camera at the back of the vehicle is connected to a screen built into the rearview mirror, available on iconic versions. The package offers a clear view, even with tall passengers in the back, to make manoeuvres simpler. Active driver assist pairs intelligent adaptive cruise control with the Stop & Go system and lane centering. It controls the speed according to the road conditions, maintains a safe distance and ensures centering in the lane. When traffic slows down, the vehicle stops and starts automatically.

Renault provides with the energy label of Renault Scenic E-Tech 100% electric with absolute transparency of 0g COz/km, CO2 emissions.

Iconic brand, now with sound signatured by Jean-Michel Jarre

Artist, songwriter, electronica pioneer and technology aficionado Jean-Michel Jarre has joined forces with Renault, along with Ircam and the Group’s sound design teams, to develop two types of sounds for the brand’s electric vehicles: VSP’s (Vehicle Sounds for Pedestrians) and the Welcome sound sequence (which plays when driver sits in the car).

In 1972, Renault commissioned Victor Vasarely to design a new logo, a project the artist undertook with his son Yvaral. The transformed logo kept the diamond shape, but with clean, dynamic, angular lines. This logo remained in use until 1992 and is still considered as a source of inspiration for the brand logo today.

To find out more about Renault Scenic E-Tech 100% electric and its 3 versions Techno, Esprint Alpine and Iconic, visit www.renault.co.uk/electric-vehicles/scenic

Renault Group

Proud of its international recognition, Renault is the best-selling French brand in the world. Renault Group is at the forefront of a mobility that is reinventing itself. Strengthened by its alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, and its unique expertise in electrification, Renault Group comprises 4 complementary brands – Renault, Dacia, Alpine and Mobilize – offering sustainable and innovative mobility solutions to its customers. Established in more than 130 countries, the Group has sold more than 2.235 million vehicles in 2023. It employs nearly 106.000 people who embody its Purpose every day, so that mobility brings people closer. Ready to pursue challenges both on the road and in competition, Renault Group is committed to an ambitious transformation that will generate value. This is centred on the development of new technologies and services, and a new range of even more competitive, balanced, and electrified vehicles. In line with environmental challenges, the Group’s ambition is to achieve carbon neutrality in Europe by 2040.

¹Google, Google Play, Waze, Google Maps and other trade marks are trademarkes of Google LLC.
²WTLP figures shown are for comparability purposes. Actual real-world driving results may vary depending on factors including the starting change of the battery, accessories fitted after registration, weather conditions, driving styles and vehicle load.
³Amazon and all related marks are trademarks of Amazon.com Inc. or its affiliates.
⁴Solarbay® available on Iconic versions only.

Published by Renault Group.

ABOUT FOSTER + SVENSSON

Foster + Svensson is an award-winning European branding, communications, and advertising agency with heritage back in 1860 and incorporated in 2013 in Serbia, who put forward well-considered contemporary design, digital and innovation. Operating worldwide as part of Fosterova grupa, Foster + Svensson is positioned as professional services company, providing broad range of services and solutions in area of marketing. Having bold experience and specialized skills in more than 20 industries, agency provides services to all company sizes. People at Foster + Svensson design brands, use digital technology, data, and strategy to create contemporary visual identities, services, and experiences to help corporate clients improve their performance and manage sustainable business value for stakeholders. Foster + Svensson design and drive innovation to improve the way world works and lives. Agency approach is to be precise, punctual, and reliable to its clients, where it ran more than 2000 projects while working for major companies to be found in Fortune Global 500 and top-tier companies, such as HVB Bank, UniCredit Bank, Telenor Group, Ericsson, Apple, Vodafone Group, A1 Telekom Austria Group, RTS, Samsung, Cheil, Huawei, Hisense, Ahold Delhaize, Procter & Gamble, Richter Gedeon, AstraZeneca, Banca Intesa, Raiffeisen Bank, Mastercard, Inditex, Zara, Renault Group. Work culture and ethics includes business excellence and delivery of outperforming results.

Foster + Svensson in one of the founders of MAI Marina Abramović Institute.

Renault Group records strong sales increase in 2023 thanks to consistent brand strategy

Vladimir von Bergdorff — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 10:18:23 +0000

Renault Group (Euronext CAC40: RNO) has strongly increased its worldwide sales with +9% growth compared to 2022, and with a total of 2.235.345 sold vehicles over the year. The Group demonstrated a successful dynamic with three of its core brands growing significantly.

Renault brand growth of +9.4% with 1.548.748 vehicles sold worldwide in 2023. Renault is the best-selling French brand in the world. In Europe, Renault recorded an excellent growth and outperformed the market with +19.3% increase compared to 2022.

In Europe¹, the Group benefited from its products offensive by gaining market share, volumes up +18.6% in a market up +13.9%. Renault Group moves up to the 3rd place among car manufacturers in Europe, thanks to three strong, complementary, and value-creating brands. The Group’s retail sales represent 65% of its total sales in its five main countries in Europe², in line with the commercial policy focused on value.

Renault Group pursues its electrification offensive. In line with customer needs, the Group has made technological choices that are paying off and is accelerating its efforts in terms of energy transition. Within the Renault brand, demand is growing for electrification – hybrid and all-electric. In Europe, the brand is stepping up its offensive, taking 3rd place in electrified vehicles thanks to Megane E-Tech electric, which has a 2.2% market share of all-electric vehicles, and the success of its hybrid powertrains for which demand is strongly increasing (Austral, Clio and Captur in the top 10 hybrid vehicles in Europe).

Renault continues to outperform on the Light Commercial Vehicles worldwide market, with a +19.9% growth, in a market up +10.4%. One of Renault’s highlights in 2023 was the reveal of its “International Game Plan 2027”, which, with 8 new models between 2023 and 2027, will ensure the brand’s future growth in the markets beyond Europe. In 2023, the development outside Europe was mainly driven by Brazil, Turkey and Morocco.

The activity was especially strong in Europe with a remarkable growth of +19.3% with 977.635 registrations. Renault outperformed the European market, which grew by +13.9% where the brand gained market share and is moving from 5th to 2nd place in the European PC+LCV (passenger car + light commercial vehicle) market, while continuing its value-based commercial policy with one vehicle out of two sold to retail customers.

The growth in sales has been mainly driven by Spain (+30%), Italy (+37%) and the United Kingdom (+51%).

Renault in Europe

In France, its domestic market, Renault confirmed its leading position in PC (277.914 sales, +18%) and LCV (112.569 sales, +13%). Clio, the most popular vehicle in France, became the best-selling car with 111.741 registrations in 2023, all sales channels combined. Clio is now number 3 in Europe with more than 219.365 units sold.

Renault is also a true European leader in Light Commercial Vehicles³ with a 25.7% growth, in a market up 15.3%. Kangoo/Express (+32.4%) and Master (+14.5%) are the leaders in their segments.

In line with its value-oriented strategy, Renault is accelerating its offensive on the C segment and above (+26%) in Europe. In the C segment and above in Europe, the Renault brand recorded a +26% sales growth compared with 2022, thanks to the success of Arkana, Austral, Espace E-Tech Hybrid and the Megane E-Tech electric.

The mix and sales channels are virtuous: in its five main countries in Europe, the Renault brand generates more than half its sales in the value-creating market of retail customers. In addition, top-of-the-range versions such as “Esprit Alpine” are appreciated by customers. 51% of the Austral and 44% of the Espace E-Tech Hybrid sales are in the Esprit Alpine version.

Electrification: a winning strategy in Europe

Renault is continuing its electrification offensive (hybrid and all-electric vehicles). The strong technological choices made by the brand are proving to be relevant, in line with customer expectations: an all-electric portfolio on the one hand and a hybrid portfolio on the other, for a more progressive energy transition. Renault has thus accelerated its growth, with a 19.7% increase in sales in one year (270.362 vehicles sold) and took the 3rd place in Europe for electrified passenger cars. Sales volume of electrified vehicles now account for 39.7% of the brand’s passenger car sales.

This trend was supported by a +62% increase in hybrid vehicle (HEV) sales, 185.666 units in total. Austral, Clio and Captur are among the top 10 best-selling hybrid vehicles in Europe.

Megane E-Tech electric, launched mid-2022, is the vehicle that has repositioned the brand in the all-electric market and helped it win over new customers (conquest rate over the competition of more than 50% in Europe). 47.504 units of Megane E-Tech electric have been sold in 2023 and places itself within the top 3 of the sales of its category in Europe.

The Renault brand’s all-electric portfolio will be expanded in 2024 with Scenic E-Tech electric and Renault 5 E-Tech electric.

The Group’s order book in Europe represents 2.5 months of forecast sales at the end of December 2023. The 2024 will be a year rich in commercial launches with 104 new models, key to the Group’s performance. The 2024 will be a historic year in commercial launched for the Renault brand with 76 new vehicles launches. In 2024, European and Latin America automotive markets are expected to be stable, and Eurasia is expected to decline by 11%.

Renault Group

¹ACEA European Scope.
²France, Italy, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom.
³Excluding pickup trucks.
Source: Renault Group.

Published by Renault Group.

Read the full article at Renault Group

ABOUT FOSTER + SVENSSON

Foster + Svensson is an award-winning European branding, communications, and advertising agency with heritage back in 1860 and incorporated in 2013 in Serbia, who put forward well-considered contemporary design, digital and innovation. Operating worldwide as part of Fosterova grupa, Foster + Svensson is positioned as professional services company, providing broad range of services and solutions in area of marketing. Having bold experience and specialized skills in more than 20 industries, agency provides services to all company sizes. People at Foster + Svensson design brands, use digital technology, data, and strategy to create contemporary visual identities, services, and experiences to help corporate clients improve their performance and manage sustainable business value for stakeholders. Foster + Svensson design and drive innovation to improve the way world works and lives. Agency approach is to be precise, punctual, and reliable to its clients, where it ran more than 2000 projects while working for major companies to be found in Fortune Global 500 and top-tier companies, such as HVB Bank, UniCredit Bank, Telenor Group, Ericsson, Apple, Vodafone Group, A1 Telekom Austria Group, RTS, Samsung, Cheil, Huawei, Hisense, Ahold Delhaize, Procter & Gamble, Richter Gedeon, AstraZeneca, Banca Intesa, Raiffeisen Bank, Mastercard, Inditex, Zara, Renault Group. Work culture and ethics includes business excellence and delivery of outperforming results.

Foster + Svensson in one of the founders of MAI Marina Abramović Institute.

Telenor breaks new ground: World’s southernmost base station established in Antarctica

Vladimir von Bergdorff — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 10:25:25 +0000

In a groundbreaking venture, Telenor (OSE: TEL) announces the opening of the world’s southernmost commercial base station in Antarctica, setting a new benchmark for connectivity in the harshest of environments. The Norwegian Polar Institute’s research station in Antarctica, Troll, now has extended reach, connecting a vast area to the outside world with mobile connectivity.

The base station was put into operation in February. What makes this base station unique, aside from being the southernmost in the world, is that it’s operated from the world’s northernmost at Ny Ålesund.

Experience with operations in polar regions
Head of Telenor Svalbard, Christian Skottun, emphasizes that a strong collaboration with the Norwegian Polar Institute is the foundation for establishing mobile coverage in Antarctica.

“There has been a fruitful dialogue with the Norwegian Polar Institute regarding the possibilities offered by a base station in Antarctica. Telenor, with its presence in Svalbard, has extensive experience in building and operating mobile networks in Arctic regions. Mobile coverage is crucial for both Arctic poles. For research communities, the ability to utilize mobile IoT in gathering data from fieldwork is particularly attractive. Additionally, mobile coverage opens up new possibilities for research and environmental monitoring in the Antarctic oceanic area.”

The primary motivation behind this audacious project is to provide essential mobile coverage to the Norwegian Polar Institute’s research station, Troll, located in Antarctica. Troll serves as a hub for scientific exploration and environmental research, making reliable communication crucial for the success of ongoing projects and the safety of researchers working in the region.

This base station also provides a new dimension of safety as we now are able to offer mobile coverage in the area where the polar research station is located. “Mobile coverage is a step forward for technological development at Troll. In addition, it provides new opportunities for research and monitoring in Queen Maud Land,” says the Director of the Polar Institute, Camilla Brekke.

Close collaboration with satellite operator
In addition to close collaboration with the Norwegian Polar Institute, Telenor Svalbard also collaborates with Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), which is responsible for the communication service from the Troll station. KSAT owns and operates TrollSat, one of the world’s most important ground stations for collecting data from climate and environmental monitoring satellites, co-located with the research station at Troll. KSAT is responsible for transmitting satellite-based information from Troll to users worldwide.

“Full mobile coverage at Troll also helps our users and simplifies communication with the outside world. We are therefore pleased that the satellite link from Troll also can be used for mobile phone traffic,” says Rolf Skatteboe, CEO of KSAT.

New opportunities in research
Birgitte Engebretsen, CEO of Telenor Norway, is proud and delighted that Telenor has contributed to establishing mobile connectivity between the poles. “Our societal mission includes providing technology that makes research work easier. We see that the emergence of our new technological solutions opens up new possibilities for research,” says Engebretsen.

Published by Telenor Group.

Read the full article at Telenor Group

ABOUT FOSTER + SVENSSON

Foster + Svensson is an award-winning European branding, communications, and advertising agency with heritage back in 1860 and incorporated in 2013 in Serbia, who put forward well-considered contemporary design, digital and innovation. Operating worldwide as part of Fosterova grupa, Foster + Svensson is positioned as professional services company, providing broad range of services and solutions in area of marketing. Having bold experience and specialized skills in more than 20 industries, agency provides services to all company sizes. People at Foster + Svensson design brands, use digital technology, data, and strategy to create contemporary visual identities, services, and experiences to help corporate clients improve their performance and manage sustainable business value for stakeholders. Foster + Svensson design and drive innovation to improve the way world works and lives. Agency approach is to be precise, punctual, and reliable to its clients, where it ran more than 2000 projects while working for major companies to be found in Fortune Global 500 and top-tier companies, such as HVB Bank, UniCredit Bank, Telenor Group, Ericsson, Apple, Vodafone Group, A1 Telekom Austria Group, RTS, Samsung, Cheil, Huawei, Hisense, Ahold Delhaize, Procter & Gamble, Richter Gedeon, AstraZeneca, Banca Intesa, Raiffeisen Bank, Mastercard, Inditex, Zara, Renault Group. Work culture and ethics includes business excellence and delivery of outperforming results.

Foster + Svensson in one of the founders of MAI Marina Abramović Institute.

EU Commission greenlights Volvo-Renault merger for electric vehicle market

Vladimir von Bergdorff — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 10:08:51 +0000

The European Commission has approved the formation of a joint venture between Swedish automaker Volvo and French giant Renault. This strategic move is aimed at strengthening their position in the electric vehicle market.

According to the European Commission, the proposed merger is set to have a limited market position and will not impede competition. In this 50-50 joint venture, Volvo (Nasdaq: VOLV B) and Renault (Euronext CAC40: RNO) will collaborate on the development, production, and sales of commercial electric vehicles.

Furthermore, the partnership will focus on the creation of software and logistic services. Initially targeting the European market, the companies plan to expand their offerings globally, as per the documentation from the European Commission.

This merger represents a significant step in the automotive industry’s shift towards sustainable transportation solutions, highlighting the growing importance of electric vehicles in the global market.

On 9 January 2024, the European Commission announced that it has decided, under the EU Merger Regulation, to approve the creation of a joint venture by Volvo Business Services International AB and Renault SAS. Volvo Business Services International and Renault intend to acquire, joint control over “FlexEco”, a full-function joint venture for the development, production and sale of a new light commercial vehicle product and ancillary logistic services, initially in Europe and ultimately worldwide.

Published by CorD Magazine, Thomson Reuters, European Commission

Read the full article at CorD Magazin

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