The Municipality of Örebro has named Svenska Mätcenter AB "Biogas User of the Year, 2010" for its conscious long-term efforts to reduce the company's environmental impact.

The company's venture to replace all of its petrol and diesel fuelled cars with cars running on biogas resulted in Svenska Mätcenter being named "Biogas User of the Year" in the Municipality of Örebro.

Mätcenter's fleet consists of some 100 vehicles and the process of replacing petrol and diesel fuelled cars began in late 2009.

"Today we have 25 Mercedes B-class Biogas cars and 5 Passat Biogas cars - in total, 30 of the cars being used in our operations - and we have ordered a further 27 new biogas cars for delivery in the spring. Our other vehicles will gradually be replaced," explains Patrick Andersson, Chief Financial Officer at Mätcenter.

Mätcenter's CEO Jacob Strömberg received the "Biogas User of the Year, 2010" from the Chairman of the Municipal Executive Board, Kent Persson, who motivated the award with the following words:

"For its consistent selection of biogas fuelled cars as part of its conscious and long-term efforts to reduce its impact on the climate and the environment in various ways, Svenska Mätcenter is ‘Biogas User of the Year, 2010'.
"Over the year, the company has replaced 30 vehicles with biogas cars and it is gradually also replacing its remaining vehicles to the extent that biogas fuelled options are available. With some 100 vehicles and major distances driven, the choice of biogas by one of Europe's largest surveying companies plays a significant role in reducing that company's climate impact. It also inspires other companies to choose the best fuel available."

"We are really pleased to have won this award. We have been working consciously with the company's environmental profile for a long time and have actually achieved quite a lot. It's very nice to have that recognised," says Jacob Strömberg.

The award was presented by the Municipality of Örebro for the fourth consecutive year. Previous recipients have been Örebro County Taxi (2009), the ICA Parkhallen supermarket and "Shop 24" (2008) and Lillåns sheet and plate metal works (2007).

Mätcenter is also working in other areas benefiting the climate. This includes removing the roof boxes from the company's cars, reducing their climate impact. To reduce travel between the company's offices in Sweden and those of its foreign subsidiaries, videoconferencing has been introduced. These environmental efforts are currently being developed.