Livet på Surte (2013)

A documentary film that takes us back to the mid 1800's. In a time when Disponents were unreachable and the worker did not have much rights. At a time when new technology had just begun to see the light of the day, most of what was produced in Sweden was still created by hand. Child labor was common in glass plants around Sweden, you started at the age of 10 and you got liquid glass thrown inside the shirt if you did not work well enough. We get to know the proper working spirit of Surte and follow the growth of glass mills over the years and follow some of the people who made it possible for growth. But it was not only growth but also disasters that affected society, such as 1951 when the southern part of Surte raged straight into the river or the industrial fire that threatened to destroy the entire glass mill in 1955. The mill is bought and sold at once and eventually ends up as one of the the three glass mills owned by the PLM group. PLM with Knut Laurin ast the manager but, by generational change, later ruled by son Ulf Laurin. It becomes a tough challenge for this business executive when we reach the 70's and environmental and energy debate begins. It is becoming increasingly difficult to produce large amounts of glass in Sweden. It is recognized in PLM that about 90 percent of glass production in Sweden means that production will be significantly reduced. A balance between which one of the three glass mills, Limmared, Hammar and Surte to be closed down and soon PLM and Ulf Laurin are in the media daily, the union and the government want them to take responsibility when announcing the closure in Surte 1975.