Professional bodies
There are a number of professional bodies with links to the steel industry, both nationally and regionally.
Stage performance at annual meeting of Bergshandteringens vänner (Society of Metal and Mining Industries).
The professional bodies safeguard the traditions of the industry and, at the same time, help to nurture professional relationships. They may also have the purpose of strengthening cohesion, disseminating knowledge, safeguarding special interests and they may act as a link between those who are still actively employed and those who have retired. Moreover, these professional bodies are frequently ambassadors for Sweden’s steel industry.
Here we present certain of the steel industry’s professional bodies:
- Women of Steel
- Bergshandteringens Vänner (BHV) (Society of Metal and Mining Industries)
- Svenska Bergsmannaföreningen (SBF) (Swedish Association of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers)
- Nordiska Valsverksingenjörsföreningen (NVIF) (Nordic Rolling Mill Engineers’ Association)
Background
The first societies of engineers were formed in the mid-19th century. These were often regional in character and arose for the exchange of experiences between their members. Activities often consisted of meetings and lectures with subsequent discussions.
The metal and mining industries were trailblazers in this respect; the first society in this industry was Värmländska Bergsmannaföreningen which was established at the famous Fastingsmarknaden (market for the trading of iron) in Kristinehamn in 1849. In 2020, the society was closed down and the remaining assets were donated to Bergsskolan in Filipstad. Subsequently, other iron industry districts were to follow with Bergsmannaföreningen (Dalarna) in 1856 and Bergshandteringens Vänner (Örebro) in 1864.
Lectures held at annual meetings were published together with the subsequent discussions in the societies’ own journals. This meant that the knowledge within the metal and mining industries was disseminated throughout the district in question and that problems that arose could be discussed jointly.
