A conventional cleaning company with SEK 50 million in turnover, around 130 employees, and a focus on quality over price — that’s how CEO Mattias Åberg describes Clean Factory when Rent meets him and Kristian Holmström, the newly appointed chairman of the board and representative of Litorina, at the investment firm’s office in central Stockholm.
Conventional or not, it was solid financials, consistent quality, organizational order, and a customer portfolio of private cleaning clients that ultimately sealed the investment decision. Clean Factory thus became the third building block — and the second Stockholm-based company — in Northclean, alongside Rengörare Näslund and Kundpartner, which joined the group in the summer of the previous year.
– Clean Factory is a perfect example of the type of company we’re looking for. Cleaning is its core business, and it has a strong customer base with long-standing relationships. Many of these clients have high standards for security and confidentiality, which demonstrates that the staff can deliver high-quality cleaning services, says Kristian Holmström.
He adds that Northclean aims to strengthen its presence in the Stockholm area, particularly among private corporate clients, as Rengörare Näslund primarily works with public procurement. More acquisitions are planned, though Northclean is proceeding cautiously in its search for the right companies.
Clean Factory’s customer portfolio consists mainly of corporate clients, providing cleaning services for offices, retail spaces, and stairwells across the Mälardalen region, particularly in the Stockholm area.
Office clients account for roughly one-third of the business, including several law firms and similar organizations. Retail clients make up just under one-fifth and include Power’s 14 electronics stores in Stockholm and Mälardalen, as well as Polarn O. Pyret children’s clothing stores in Stockholm. The company is also a proud cleaning provider for several cultural institutions such as Riddarhuset and the Strindberg Museum.
– We’ve become a bit of a ‘culture team’, and while we’re proud of all our customers, it’s especially rewarding to work with clients who have very specific requirements — from materials to security. It elevates the entire delivery, says Mattias Åberg.
During the pandemic, Clean Factory expanded into home cleaning, which today accounts for about 10 percent of its revenue — a segment built through two acquisitions completed in 2021 and autumn 2023.
– There’s a natural link between home services, moving cleaning, and stairwell cleaning, which we currently provide for about thirty housing associations. It’s a way to find new business opportunities. To be honest, the move was about broadening our offering during the pandemic when many clients closed their offices. Some wanted to offer home cleaning to their employees — it became a new market and, in some cases, an employer benefit for those working from home, says Mattias Åberg.
“One motivation is to help make the industry healthier — and that’s easier as a larger player.”
Clean Factory began as a family business in the 1990s, founded by the Skaring brothers, and until last autumn was known as Skarings. Since 2004, Lars Tunberg has been the principal owner, and according to the CEO, the name change was a logical step once the founders were no longer involved. Åberg himself joined in 2016 with the mission, as he puts it, “to stabilize the company.” Like the previous owner, he came from the independent school sector and has a background as a management consultant and CEO in various organizations.
– The cleaning industry is, in many ways, fantastic. If you’re at all interested in society, you’re at the focal point of many issues being discussed today. That’s not to say there aren’t challenges — language being a big one. Being able to communicate with clients and take instructions in Swedish is important.
Discussions with Litorina and Northclean had been ongoing for about a year and a half before the deal was finalized in March.
– My team reacted very positively to the news. Employees immediately saw that new points of contact were opening up beyond the company and that new opportunities for personal and organizational development were emerging, says Mattias Åberg.
He adds that the merger serves as a stamp of seriousness and a mark of quality in an industry often dominated by brutal price competition. However, he notes that price is less of a factor in discussions with private-sector clients.
“My team reacted very positively to the news. Employees immediately saw that new points of contact were opening up beyond the company and that new opportunities for personal and organizational development were emerging.”
– Unfortunately, there’s a long tail of companies that cut corners. There’s a lot of misconduct in the industry, and one motivation for us is to contribute to making it healthier — something that’s easier to do as a larger player.
Clean Factory has largely stopped participating in public tenders, as Åberg explains that they require a different operational model than the company currently has.
Alongside cleaning services, the company also offers related services such as window cleaning and the sale of consumables and coffee.
– The ancillary services aren’t financially crucial, but you never know what broader contracts they might lead to. The core is always cleaning — but we always help the customer find the right solution.
According to Mattias, Clean Factory faces the same challenges as the rest of the industry — recruiting the right people and managing schedules to best serve clients. Sustainability is also a key priority.
– The clearest sustainability example is our vehicles — we now operate with a 100 percent electric fleet. Transport, logistics, and the choice of cleaning agents represent our largest environmental footprint, and that’s where we want to make a difference. Our clients want to work with a company that takes responsibility on all levels.
For further information, please contact:
Kristian Holmström, board member at Northclean, 0702 72 49 54
Mattias Åberg, CEO of Clean Factory, 0708 58 12 10
Northclean was formed in the spring of 2022. The core of Northclean consists of the operating companies within the group, along with its driven entrepreneurs and employees. The companies within Northclean operate under their own well-established brands and continue to build on their strengths and established market positions. Northclean is owned and operated in partnership with the entrepreneurs and employees, the management team and board, as well as the investment company Litorina.
