In 1930 Axel Holmkvist was out in his boat outside Stockholm. He spotted a 'for sale'-sign from the boat in Dyvik between the cities Åkersberga and Norrtälje. It was the sawmill and estate that had bancrupt and now was for sale. Axel started a lot of new manufactering as nails, wheel-barrows, benches and much more. He then started coachbuilding. Axel ran the buisness to his death in 1964, 84 years old. Göran Holmkvist, one of eight children of Axel Holmkvist, took over. Göran ran the company until his death in 1972. The company was ended and the buildings sold to Ullvik who manufactured life-jackets.

Coachbuilding were made for GB-glass, Stockholmsbagar'n, Alfort & Kronholm and SJ. GB-glass needed cabins that could hold freezing temperature for delivering icecream. The material in those cabins were bought from France. When some details about the material were to be set, some of the staff made a journey to the french company. Maja Holmkvist, wife of Göran Holmkvist, was supposed to translate but couldn't understand all the technical terms. But everything went well. The foreman from Dyvik and the french foreman understood eachother, allthough none of them spoke the others language!
The swedish militairy coastguard also were intrested in the material. They ordered cabins filled with sensitiv radioequippment. It was so secret that the army fetched the cabins with helicopter,

Alfort & Kronholm, a painting buiness, wanted large cabins. The swedish railroad wanted resting cabins. From Scania-Vabis came finished buses that needed upholstery. A schejk ordered a bus with luxuary upholstery. It was ment to be travelling for safaris in the desert. The bus participated at a carshow in Paris in 1959 before its journey to warmer countries. The swedish Socialdemokrats womens party wanted one for sexual education in Pakistan. For this purpose it had to be painted with Pakisten-text along the sides. A mall was sent and the painting was done. When the party from Pakistan arrived they had a good laugh. The text was painted upside-down! the bus never arrived at Pakistan, it was stopped by the border. It was nor allowed to have sexual education for women in Pakistan.
Another womens party also wanted a similar bus, but this time for Africa. It was important that the different sections of the bus were seperated. Göran went out and got a beatiful blue textile fabricate. When the African party saw the bus, everything was great except for the textile. It would be eaten up by termites. Therefore Maja got herself two beatiful blue dresses!

Dyvik strengthen already manufactured lorries and cars that didn't pass the swedish laws of firmness.The coachbuilding became boatbuilding in the late '60:s. Norwegian 'smugglerboats' was built from a semi-product. The buisness was put down in 1972 in lack of profibilaty. The buildings today holds a marina.

A great thanks to Maja Holmkvist that contributed with picturies and memories. Also a big thank you to Göran Gross who lend some historical photos.

Published 2001-10-23