Stephen Sinnett’s cheerful face is well known to many who have visited ICA Supermarket in Boden over the past 15 years. For some time now, he has been one of the Boden residents who have sought out the wide range of new jobs emerging at Stegra.
At 17, Stephen Sinnett left an area in Scotland heavily marked by a dirty steel industry. Now, as a 51-year-old Boden resident, he sees the green steel industry in Boden as a workplace where he can envision approaching retirement. In between, his winding yet seemingly destined path has taken him from diamonds and Rolex watches in an exclusive jewelry shop in Leeds, to finding his brother in Sweden and meeting the love of his life at his brother’s wedding in Boden, then starting a family here, working at the Polaris eyewear factory in Sävast, and subsequently spending 15 years meeting Boden residents of all ages at ICA Supermarket.
Behind the checkout at ICA, he has gotten to know many Boden residents over the years. It was also there that he met the new Stegra employees when they started moving to Boden.
Stephen describes that he enjoyed the retail job and that the staff is like a big family. But everything has its time, and with Stegra’s establishment, he saw the opportunity for a new chapter in life as part of what’s emerging here.
“I’ve lived here for 22 years and I see that what Stegra is doing is huge. It won’t just affect Boden as a city, but Norrbotten, Sweden, and Europe, and my children and grandchildren. The old steel industry made me leave Scotland, but the new one could be what takes me to retirement,” says Stephen.
New Job in Proximity Life
His new role is in logistics and shipping. This means being part of creating the foundation for the organization that will handle logistics and freight when the green steel plant goes into full production.
“Right now I’m doing everything that needs to be done in our area during the construction phase. Among many other things, I drive buses on the site—it’s fun, I’m very social and get to meet many people. The area is large and it takes time to walk between different locations. But then when everything is operational, it will be very different. Receiving deliveries and doing inventory is basically the same job and similar systems regardless of industry—it’s the size of the stuff that differs,” he says with a smile.
He sees Stegra as an employer with a strong focus on safety and the environment, where he also gets the opportunity for internal training for specific tasks on-site.
“If Boden can show the world that it’s possible, the world will follow. Everyone is watching what we’re doing here now.”
Proud Boden Resident
For Stephen, Boden is home and the place he has lived the longest in his life. This is where his children are growing up and the whole family enjoys proximity life.
“Here you can feel safe—there isn’t a single area in Boden where I feel unsafe. We have beautiful nature and swimming spots. The kids and I have a little competition to see how many swimming spots we can visit. There are so many wonderful places. And I often paddle out on my paddleboard during long, bright evenings and nights.”
Life after 50 became a new chapter for Stephen. With a new job and new love, he describes himself as a Scot living happily in Boden, Sweden, and wants to share the beautiful environments he lives in. Nature photos from his proximity life can be found in various Boden groups on social media—everything from northern lights and supermoons to rainbows, winter landscapes, and midnight sun. He is also a member of Boden’s photography club.
Coming up next, he has vacation, which began with staying up to watch the World Cup. His heart beats for both Scotland and Sweden in football as well.
Between matches, he plans to pack his camping bag and tent, head out into the forest, and enjoy what we have right on our doorstep.
TEXT: ANNA BERGSTRÖM
