SPS2026 and CID26
In March 24-26 2026, Luleå University of Technology will host the 12th Swedish Production Symposium SPS2026. In March 20 and March 23, the third Creaternity Impact Days, CID26 will be held in Luleå, Boden and Kiruna. Take the opportunity to attend two conferences rolled into one!
Deadline for registration to the conferences is 10 March!
Brief information about both conferences below.
- Full information about the SPS2026 webpage (Including registration to both SPS 2026 and CID26)
- If you only want to register to CID26
CID26
CID26 offers a research-driven agenda with Arctic site visits, cross-disciplinary exchange, and inspiration ahead of the main conference. Can be combined with a weekend in the Swedish mountains or skiing on the Luleå river!
Friday 20 March
Theme: Total defence and space
Venue: Space campus, Kiruna, and online (zoom link)
The Kiruna programme is adapted to train arrival (9.49) from and departure (16.10) to Luleå.
10:30-10:40 Welcome and Conference Opening
Presenting from Creaternity Aerospace Lab, Luleå University of Technology:
- Anna Öhrwall Rönnbäck, Professor, Product Innovation, and the Tekniksprångare (interns)
- René Laufer, Professor, Space systems
Speakers:
- Ralf Srama, Professor, Institute of Space Systems, University of Stuttgart, Germany, "Measurement Techniques for Space Debris and Micrometeoroids”
- Dr. Vitali Braun, ESA-ESOC, Space Debris Office: “Space Debris Challenges”
- Philip Påhlsson, CEO, EISCAT AB: "EISCAT an outlook on future debris detection"
Mingle lunch
Speakers:
- Johanna Bergström Roos, Project manager Space Sweden North, LTU Business: “The space ecosystem in the North”
- Bernd Weiss (MSc, TechLic), Creaternity PhD student: “Circular Space Economy and the reusability paradox”
Tour at Space Campus
15.15 End of programme
20–22 March (Weekend)
Optional outdoor activities during the weekend in the amazing fifth season in the North.
Contact the conference organizers for tips for activities, accommodation and sites to visit.
Monday 23 March
08:15–11:00 Lab visits Luleå with Teknikcollege (morning)
Lab visit to the university labs in Luleå and presentation of current research on sustainability that is taking place there.
The lab visits are part of Creaternity Impact Days, and are open for everyone.
Our Tekniksprånget interns arrange the visits.
For teachers and students at high-schools in Boden, Kalix, Luleå and Piteå the subscription and the arrangements are taken care of in collaboration with Teknikcollege.
11:30–21:00 Creaternity Impact Gala Day
Venue: IVA Vetenskapens hus, Luleå
11:30–12:30 Mingle lunch
12:30 Welcome by the Board of Creaternity
12:40 Brief introduction to Circular Arctic Sweden (CAS)
What is Circular Arctic Sweden and what do you hope to achieve?
12:45 Keynote – Jonas Lundström from Accelerationskontoret
13:10 PhD students in Creaternity present their projects
13:50 Brief introduction to Green Transition North (GTN)
13:55 Keynote – ABB
David Lindell, R&D Teamlead, ABB.
14:30 Coffee & Talk
A good opportunity to make new contacts and learn more about Creaternity's projects and efforts.
15:00 Brief introduction to Greenably and Close the Loop
What support can we provide to small and medium-sized businesses?
15:15 Keynote – Winner of IMI Award
15:40 Thematic roundtable discussions
Circular Arctic Sweden, Green Transition North and Greenably has one or two tables each. Summarizes these conversations with conversation leaders at the tables briefly recounting insights and ideas from the conversations.
16:40 Summary of the afternoon programme
16:50 End of the afternoon programme
18:30 Evening programme:
Apéritif and mingle
Dress code: Business casual
19:00 Gala dinner and award ceremony
The bar opens at the closure of the dinner (around 21:00). Again welcome, and enjoy!
Tuesday 24 March
Welcome to a seminar on energy and food production for total defense, including a presentation of Stegra –the green steel plant under construction.
Theme: Enabling Circular and Resilient Arctic Food Ecosystems
Venue: Boden Business Park, Sävast (link to the event at the Boden Business Park web site)
8:00 Bus transfer from Luleå to Boden at Kulturens hus
8:10 Buses leaves Luleå University of Technology entrance closest to Teknikens hus
09:00 – Opening Remarks
Thomas Fägerman, CEO, Boden Business Park
What opportunities exist for circular systems in Boden?
09:10 – Stegra
How can an anchor industry in Boden provide large and stable residual flows – and how can these become the starting point for new circular ecosystems?
Keynote speaker: Ida-Linn Näzelius, Head of Sustainability and Environment, Stegra
09:35 – Invest in Circular Resilient Arctic Food Systems
Invest in Norrbotten
Presentation of the project’s work and its objective to transition towards a circular and resilient economy by activating industrial side streams for sustainable food production.
09:50 – Circular Arctic Sweden: Soil from Jokkmokk?
Innovative recycling initiative in collaboration with Jokkmokk Municipality and students from Luleå University of Technology.
10:00 – Break
Opportunity to meet exhibitors, including Greenably and Livsmedelsarenan, and learn more about circular soil initiatives in Jokkmokk.
10:20 – CHARMfabriken
A collaborative project and innovation environment aimed at developing the future of sustainable food production in Northern Sweden. A hub for food innovation where small and medium-sized enterprises can experiment and refine products.
10:35 – Axfoundation / DC Farmers
Joint presentation and discussion with the project manager of Feed for the Future – Poultry, Fish and Pork and DC Farmers, presenting the project and its results.
11:00 – Atacama
Presentation of a digital platform for identifying, visualising and developing circular ecosystems.
11:40 – Closing Remarks
Gunnar Eikeland, Chair, Sparbanken Nord and Member of the Creaternity Strategic Council
11:45 – Networking Lunch at Boden Business Park
12:45 – Bus transfer to Stegra Viewing Tower
13:15 – Bus transfer back to Luleå
Back to Luleå University of Technology for start of SPS2026 Conference.
SPS2026
Under the theme “Leading the transformation towards net zero industry”, SPS2026 brings together researchers, doctoral students and industrial experts to explore how innovation can accelerate the transition to a sustainable and resilient industrial future.
Programme (Preliminary)
Venue: Luleå University of Technology (Tuesday)/Kulturens hus (Wednesday-Thursday), Luleå
Tuesday 24 March
Venue: Luleå University of Technology
14:00 Conference start and registration
Laboratory tours will be available during the afternoon
14:00 Parallel sessions
- PADOK: PhD candidates workshop.
- SPA Meeting: One part of the Swedish Production Academy (SPA) presidium meeting is held separately and one part in common with PDA.
- PDA Meeting: One part of the Product Development Academy (PDA) meeting is held separately and one part in common with SPA.
18:00 Welcome buffet & entertainment
Luleå University of Technology at STUK
Wednesday 25 March
Venue: Kulturens hus, Luleå
8:00 Registration
8:30 Welcome to SPS2026
Our hosts from Luleå University of Technology welcome all conference guests.
- Lena Abrahamsson, Professor, Human Work Sciences
- Alexander Kaplan, Professor, Manufacturing Systems Engineering
- Anna Öhrwall Rönnbäck, Professor, Product Innovation
Official conference opening
- Margareta Groth, Head of Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Luleå University of Technology
- Jens Hardell, Vice Dean of Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Professor, Machine Elements, Luleå University of Technology
- Johan Stahre, Programme Director Produktion2030, Professor of Production Systems, Industrial and Materials Science, Chalmers University of Technology
- Sofia Wieselfors, Programme Director, Net Zero Industry (Teknikföretagen)
Keynote: Welcome to the Arctic Region – with Campus Total Defence perspectives
- Dag Avango, Professor, History, Luleå University of Technology
Keynote: Shaping the Future of Steel: Technology, Talent, and Transformation at SSAB Luleå
- Patrik Midebjörk, Manager hot end, SSAB
- Jonas Lövgren, Production transformation manager, SSAB
Future of engineering education – interactive plenary workshop
- Johan Stahre, Professor of Production Systems, Industrial and Materials Science
Chalmers University of Technology - Jens Hardell, Vice Dean of Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Professor, Machine Elements, Luleå University of Technology
- Bengt-Göran Rosén, Head of Graduate School Produktion2030 and Ingenjör4.0/5.0, Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Halmstad University
09:50 Refreshments
10:10–11:30 Parallell sessions
- Product and production development for circularity (Track A – Stora salen)
- Robots and agents for product development and production (Track F – Henny)
- Education and upskilling (Track J – Ingemar)
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in manufacturing (Track H – Martin)
11:30 Plenary session: Future Laser Additive Manufacturing aided by AI
Frank Brueckner, Fraunhofer IWS
Professor of Technology Field Manager Additive Manufacturing and Surface Technology
11:55 Lunch
12:30 Ice walking tour or art exhibition tour
Skiing, skating and kick opportunities on the ice road
13:00 Plenary session: Manufacturing Future Outlook
Keynote speakers:
- Lars-Henrik Jörnving, Vice President and Head of Global Industrial Development, Scania CV AB
- Peter Bryntesson, CEO, FKG – Fordonskomponentgruppen
- Klas Cullbrand, Strategist, Net Zero Industry (RISE)
13:45 A vision for Sweden 2035 with Net zero industry impact innovation and IVA Swedish Futures – interactive plenary workshop
Panellists:
- Mélanie Despeisse, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology
- Linda Krondahl, CEO, Things
- Joachim Nordin, CEO, Skellefteå Kraft
- Magnus Wiktorsson, Professor of production logistics, KTH
- Ann-Sofie Wulfsberg, Director Circular Development, Volvo Group AB
Moderators: Martin Karlsson (Executive Director, Research Center for Advanced Battery Technology), Anna Öhrwall Rönnbäck (Professor), Hossein Rahnama (Postdoctoral researcher), Luleå University of Technology, and Arpita Chari, Postdoctoral researcher, Chalmers
15:00 Refreshments
15:20–16:40 Parallell sessions
- Circular and sustainable manufacturing (Track B – Stora salen)
- Product and production development for circularity (Track A – Henny)
- Advanced manufacturing processes (Track I – Ingemar)
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in manufacturing (Track H – Martin)
16:45–17:15 Plenary session: Kaj Török, Chief Sustainability Officer på Max Burgers
"Good enough is never enough – resilience requires constant evolution"
17:15 Luleå on ice
More skiing, skating and kick opportunities on the ice road
18:30 Apéritif with inspirational talks
- Dag Avango, Professor, History, Luleå University of Technology
- Matti Blind Berg, Chairman of Sámiid Riikkasearvi/The Swedish Sámi Association
- Building for the Sustainable Transition with investments in the North - Boden, Luleå, Skellefteå
- Lia Himmeldorf, Site service coordinator at Stegra -“From Hamburg to Heavy Industry – My Journey of becoming a Women in Steel”
19:30 Conference banquet & entertainment
Thursday 26 March
8:00 Buses from Kulturens hus to SSAB Steel plant and Hybrit. Back in Luleå at approx. 10.45.
Limited number of places at SSAB with three groups in total, each comprised of 20 people .
8.30 Busses fron Kulturens hus to Bottenviken brewery. Back in Luleå at approx. 10.30.
11:00 Lunch, Kulturens hus, Luleå
12:00–14:00 Parallell sessions
- 12:00 – 14:00 Circular and sustainable manufacturing (Track B – Stora salen)
- 12:00 – 13:40 Product and production development for circularity (Track A – Henny)
- 12:00 – 14:00 Digital transformation and digital twins (Track E – Ingemar)
- 12:00 – 13:40 Human-centered manufacturing (Track G – Martin)
14:00 Refreshments
14:20–16:00 Parallell sessions
- Circular and sustainable manufacturing (Track B – Stora salen)
- Resilience and dual-use in manufacturing development for circularity / Industrial and societal symbiosis (Track C/D – Henny)
- Digital transformation and digital twins (Track E – Ingemar)
- Human-centered manufacturing (Track G – Martin)
16:00 Plenary session: Concluding remarks and upcoming SPS2027
16:30 Final mingling
18:00 Conference end
The event is supported by
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