Guideline Geo’s new drone with ground-penetrating radar.
Guideline Geo saw a reduction in its turnover in 2024 of about SEK 16 million to 185 million. At the same time the profit went down by 4.3 million to 8.6 million which still is the company’s second biggest profit in modern times. The fact that the profit went down is primarily due to a weak first quarter. In the fourth quarter Guideline Geo reached record levels both regarding operating profit/loss and cash flow.
– The dip was primarily due to the recession in Europe that affected construction and infrastructure projects. In September we started working a four day in Malå, where 30 people are working, but in early December we were back at full speed, says Malin Siberg.
Guideline Geo acquired a distributor in Australia last year and the development of the activities have exceeded expectations there. The company sees a large global demand for their solutions for the water sector and a large order for the water authority in Tanzania contributed to the growth in sales.
– We’re an export company with customers all over the world. Our global sales is our strength. We are not dependent on an individual country which of course reduces the risk for us in an unsettled situation with threats of tariffs between the EU and the USA, says Malin Siberg.
An entirely new drone solution with ground-penetrating radar antenna that Guideline Geo has developed has garnered great international attention. It is for example used for discovering mine fields that the Russian army has placed in occupied parts of Ukraine.
– Using this it's possible to reach inaccessible or dangerous areas without being in direct contact with the ground surface. It has also started being used to measure the thickness of ices in order to prevent drowning accidents.
CEO Malin Siberg and Jonny Falk, local manager at Guideline Geo in Malå.
With the drone solution one can also, for example, estimate peat assets, localise pipes or wires underground and localise historical artefacts.
Michigan State University has had a special use for the Guideline Geo’s radar when they have examined the ancient sanctuary of Poseidon in Isthmia in Greece. The ground-penetrating radar has been used to better understand the layout of the sanctuary with minimal physical intervention.
– It has become increasingly common with non-destructive methods in order to reveal hidden historical data, says Malin.
Guideline Geo’s ground-penetrating radar has been used to find hidden graves in Petra.
Malå’s ground-penetrating radar has also been used in a dig near Petra’s iconic treasuries in Jordan. Twelve human skeletons and a chamber filled with old grave goods which shone new light on Petra's mythical past. In this project Guideline Geo collaborated with Professor Richard Bates at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. The ground-penetrating radar could clearly show empty spaces and cavities which lead to the following digs that revealed the graves.
Last week Guideline Geo launched another new product. It is a mobile geophysical solution for fast and effective high resolution subterranean groundwater, environmental and geological surveying. It is developed and manufactured with a Danish collaboration partner and is assembled and packaged in Malå which is where service is also provided.
– This is an exciting addition to our product portfolio which primarily is aimed for those who work with surveying groundwater, Malin Siberg concludes.