Our history

When John Mattson founded John Mattson Byggnads AB in Sweden in 1945 after World War II, the market was experiencing a housing shortage and a reconstruction boom. Sweden needed new homes, and Mattson saw the need for efficient and sustainable housing projects. The company started as a traditional building contractor, building homes, for example, for the property management company HSB in Stockholm, Farsta, Nacka and Saltsjöbaden. However, it was JM’s strategy already from the start to develop its own residential areas instead of just building for others.

1950s: JM grows and helps build the welfare state. US culture influences Sweden, and Swedish design flourishes. The standard of housing rises with a focus on families, and new areas are built around the Work-Residence-City Center principle (ABC-principen). JM introduces townhouses and semi-detached houses and starts to build Ella Gård in Täby, which sets a new standard for the development of modern residential areas.

1950s and 1960s: Sweden experiences an enormous building boom through the Million Program, the objective of which was to build one million homes in ten years. JM holds a central role in this project but focuses on quality, layouts, and comfort for residents instead of building fastest and cheapest. This is a key factor of success for JM and the strategy that influences the company for decades going forward.

JM helps build Hötorgscity and Wennergren Center in Stockholm and Kolmården Wildlife Park in Norrköping. John Mattson sells the construction operations to AB Industrivärden in 1965 and continues as chair of the Board of Directors until 1979. During this period, the company grows through a long list of acquisitions and establishes operations in Belgium.

1970s: IKEA influences the Swedish home, and JM builds, among other things, Kulturhuset in Stockholm.

1980s: Postmodernism makes inroads into architecture, and JM creates new residential areas such as Södra Station in Stockholm. JM is listed on the stock market in 1982.

1990s: JM invests in the quality of the homes with a focus on light, space and healthy materials. JM acquires the Norwegian construction company Byggholt AS and establishes operations in Norway and Denmark.

2005: JM celebrates its 60th anniversary, builds around 4,000 homes and has annual sales of over SEK 8 billion and approximately 2,200 employees.

2006–2009: JM establishes operations in Finland and introduces low-energy buildings as a standard in Sweden. Several prestigious projects are started in Norway, including Waldemarshage in Oslo and Bragernes Strand in Drammen.

2010–2016: Large projects such as Grefsen Stasjon in Oslo, Dalénum on Lidingö, and Kvarnholmen in Stockholm are started. JM expands in Norway by acquiring construction and project development company Öie AS in Oslo. JM starts construction on Kista Torn, which becomes Stockholm’s tallest building at the time. Kajen 4 at Liljeholmskajen is named Stockholm Building of the Year in 2015, and JM celebrates its 70th anniversary. The Bergrum garage at Liljeholmskajen wins the ROT award in 2016.

2018: JM is the first Nordic construction company to certify its entire production of own residential units (units that entered the pre-construction phase as of January 1, 2018) in the Group in accordance with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel certification. This makes the company’s efforts to reduce environmental impact and promote sustainable development more visible for housing customers.

2021: JM wins several awards, including Byggnadsmärket for Bofinken in Järfälla, Construction Project of the Year for Stockholm Norvik Hamn, and LEAN Builder of the Year.

2022: Kajen 6 at Liljeholmskajen is named Stockholm Building of the Year, and Råsunda 101 wins the Urban Environmental Award from the City of Solna. JM introduces fossil-free construction sites.

2023: Climate-improved concrete is introduced as a standard in JM’s housing production. JM introduces JM Deläga for shared ownership and builds student housing with recycled material in Gamlestaden, Gothenburg.

2024: Dyrvers Kulle is named Building of the Year in Sundbyberg. Igelsta Trädkronan, JM’s first apartment building made out of wood, is completed. JM Norway places first in the annual survey of the most satisfied residential customers, and in Sweden JM is the housing developer that has reached the top spot in the CSI the most times since 2009. 

JM celebrates its 80th anniversary and decreases climate-affecting emissions by 17 percent in Sweden compared to in 2022. The move-in at Brf Docks, Malmö, marks yet another milestone in the company’s history.

For 80 years, we have worked to create attractive living environments—a goal that continues to be equally important to us today. All our projects begin with a piece of land that we develop. Not for our sake, but for the people who will live and work there. With decades of experience, we know that how we live affects our quality of life. We are laying the foundation for a better life. It is what we did yesterday, it is what we are doing today, and it is what we will do tomorrow.  

This is what we call 80 years of building the future.