SPECIAL REPORT SWEDEN COUNTRY REPORT

Friday, October 11, 2013
SPECIAL REPORT
SWEDEN COUNTRY REPORT
INSIDE: 5-PAGE SPONSORED SECTION IN CO-OPERATION WITH DISCOVERY REPORTS
Swedes
enjoy
trade
success
Country reaps rewards thanks
to historic ties with the
mainland, writes Nazvi Careem
H
ong Kong plays a
crucial role in
Sweden’s economic
and trade relations
with the region, with
the city having established itself
as an important market on its
own and also as a stepping stone
to the mainland.
Jörgen Halldin, the Swedish
consul general for Hong Kong
and Macau, says Swedish
companies have a strong
presence in the city.
“Sweden has a substantial
trade relationship with Hong
Kong and China,” Halldin says.
“Virtually all of the large Swedish
multinational companies are
present in the region, within
many different sectors.
“Hong Kong is important
both as a standalone market and
as a gateway to China. About 160
Swedish companies are present
in Hong Kong, within many
different business sectors.”
He says some companies
have established sales offices in
the city for the Hong Kong
market, and more specialised
units, such as financing or
purchasing, for their mainland
activities. Many Swedish
companies also use Hong Kong
as their regional headquarters.
Hong Kong has the advantage
of being an open economy with
fair and transparent business
practices supported by a strong
legal system. These factors give
the city an advantage over many
mainland cities when it comes to
setting up regional headquarters.
Sweden also has a long
history of trade with the
mainland, going back 300 years.
In 1950, Sweden became the first
Western country to forge
diplomatic relations with the
People’s Republic of China.
The mainland is now
Sweden’s largest trading partner
in Asia, accounting for about
Exports from Sweden, mostly trucks, measuring equipment and telecommunication products, make up 0.4 per cent of total goods sent out of the country. Photo: Bloomberg
Jörgen Halldin
3.7 per cent of all exports out of
the Scandinavian country and 3
per cent of imports.
According to official figures,
Swedish exports to the mainland
in 2013 were worth 37.7 billion
Swedish krona (HK$46 billion),
the country’s 10th-largest export
market for last year.
Sweden’s main exports to the
mainland are machinery and
equipment, accounting for 38
per cent of total Swedish exports
to the mainland in 2012 at a value
of about 14.3 billion krona.
Other goods such as
pharmaceutical products,
organic chemicals, plastics and
plastic products, iron, metals and
paper also account for a large
part of Swedish exports to the
mainland.
In terms of goods sourced
from the mainland, Sweden’s
imports in 2012 were valued at
about 54.4 billion krona, which
resulted in a trade deficit with the
mainland.
Machinery and equipment
are the main products bought
from the mainland at a value of
about 21.7 billion krona in 2012.
Clothing and garments was the
second-largest import category
at more than 8.3 billion krona.
Other goods imported to
Sweden from the mainland
include electronic products and
other electronic equipment.
Halldin says the official
figures, however, are not
considered to portray the
complete picture of trade
between Sweden and the
mainland because many
Swedish companies produce
their goods in the mainland or
export through a third country.
Hong Kong is in the top 30 of
leading sourced goods for
Sweden, accounting for 0.7 per
cent of the country’s total
imports in 2012, according to
data. Exports to Hong Kong,
mostly trucks, measuring
equipment and telecommunication products, make
up 0.4 per cent of total goods
sent out of the country.
Exports to Hong Kong for
2012 were valued at around 8.1
billion krona, while imports were
worth 4.9 billion krona. The
largest Swedish imports from
Hong Kong are telecommunications equipment
and clothing. “When it comes to
Hong Kong economic activities
in Sweden, it is also worth noting
that the MTR operates the
Stockholm subway, and that
Hutchison Whampoa is partowner of the mobile phone
operator 3 in Sweden,”
Halldin says.
Half-year figures for 2013
show that Swedish exports to
Hong Kong fell by 29 per cent
from the corresponding period
in 2012, while imports to Sweden
from Hong Kong fell 9 per cent.
For the mainland, exports
from Sweden rose 2 per cent in
the first half of 2013, while
imports fell by 2 per cent.
Tourism is another important
industry for Hong Kong and the
mainland. In 2011, almost 55,000
Swedish tourists visited the city,
an increase of almost 12 per cent.
The mainland is also trying to
lure more Swedish visitors and,
in August, officials from the
resort city of Sanya, in Hainan
province, launched a major
tourism promotion campaign in
Sweden. The “Amazing China,
Wonderful Holiday in Sanya”
programme offers Swedish
visitors tropical scenery, idyllic
coastal resorts and a chance to
experience the unique cultures
of the Li and Miao ethnic groups.
Mainland red tape
frustrates small firms
................................................
Nazvi Careem
Stage costumes worn by band members are on display at the ABBA Museum. Photo: AFP
Eating outside in the fashionable SoFo district of Södermalm. Photo: OTHK
City of islands offers unforgettable stopover
Södermalm,
where part of
the
Millennium
tour takes
place, is
inspired by
author Stieg
Larsson’s
series of crime
novels. Photo:
Thinkstock
................................................
Xav Judd
Stockholm, Sweden’s bustling
capital, is a mixture of open
spaces, residential areas and
dream-like expanses of water.
Home to 870,000 people, the
town proper is actually 14 islands,
haphazardly scattered between
Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea.
With its medieval architecture
and hi-tech builds, such as the
new glass structure at Hornstull,
this metropolis is the perfect
setting for an eclectic array of
bars, galleries, restaurants
and shops.
The city, which lies on the
south-central east coast, was
established in 1250 by the
statesman Birger Jarl in an
attempt to defend his country
from attacks by enemy naval
forces. Over the next three
centuries, Stockholm’s influence
grew because it benefited from
the Baltic trade of the Hanseatic
League and the Kalmar Union
(when Scandinavia was allied
under one monarch). By the
1600s, Sweden had developed
into a great European power
which was mirrored by its
capital’s evolution – the
population increased fivefold.
Yet, to witness one of the gravest
catastrophes of this golden era,
take in the fascinating Vasa
Museum. It’s named after the
warship that foundered in 1628,
before it had even sailed a mile.
Raised from the seabed in the
early 1960s and now
reconstructed and preserved, its
creaking hulk seems to echo with
the despair of the 30 or so souls
who perished on board.
For any visitors drawn to art
or literature, a must-see is the
atmospheric (August) Strindberg
Museum. Situated in the last flat
the 19th-century-born Swedish
writer lived in, it contains press
clippings, a library, furniture, and
recreations of other interior
décor like textiles and wallpaper.
Alternatively, peek into the world
of a more contemporary Nordic
author and go on the Stieg
Larsson Millennium tour.
Occurring largely in Södermalm,
it includes the major haunts of
the principal characters (Lisbeth
Salander and Mikael Blomkvist)
from the eponymous trilogy of
novels and films.
Fans of Swedish pop icons
ABBA can visit the innovative
ABBA Museum opened in
Stockholm’s Djurgården district
this year. Part of the brand-new
Swedish Music Hall of Fame, the
intimate exhibition chronicles
the supergroup’s incredible
career from before their
formation in the early1970s up
until their 1982 split. Items on
display include costumes,
photographs and original
handwritten lyrics. After saying
Thank You for the Music, check
out the modern Nordic cuisine in
Restaurang Jonas in the district of
Kungsholmen. The menu is
based on seasonal fare.
Meanwhile, plush red velvet
interiors reminiscent of fin-desiecle Paris and exquisite
French fare identify Le Rouge as
another temple of gastronomy in
Gamla Stan.
The centre of this city is
composed of four very individual
boroughs. Undoubtedly,
Kungsholmen and Östermalm
have their merits; nonetheless
Södermalm, with its urbane
nightclubs and the hip fashion
enclave of SoFo (South of
Folkungagatan), and the
upmarket eatery-peppered
commercial hub of Norrmalm,
are the most appealing. Yet,
nestled in between these two
fantastic districts, is probably
even more of a heart-stealer,
Gamla Stan (Old Town). Dating
back to when the capital was first
constructed, its terracottacoloured merchant houses,
winding cobbled alleys and
Renaissance churches are a
wonder to behold. Stortorget, the
main square, was the scene of
1520’s Stockholm bloodbath:
Christian II, an invading Danish
king, massacred 80 to 90
predominantly Swedish nobles
and clergy. There’s still a
cannonball in the wall (in the
corner of Skomakargatan) from
this time. These days, one can
savour a host of attractions. The
Nobel Museum, Storkyrkan (the
cathedral) and Royal Palace –
don’t miss the soldiers’ parade
and the daily changing of the
guard – are the standouts.
Since the 1950s, Sweden has
been renowned for design, which
typically embraces simplicity and
function ahead of decoration. To
unearth the classiest of what’s on
offer in Stockholm, pop into
legendary lifestyle boutique
Svenskt Tenn for Josef Frank’s
modernist furniture and floralpatterned fabric. Asplund has a
similar smörgåsbord of elegant
interior trappings, while Kosta
Boda, which was founded in the
mid-18th century, is brimming
with beautiful handmade clear
and coloured glass.
Due to Stockholm’s high
northerly latitude, daylight varies
from just over 18 hours in midJune to under six hours towards
the end of December. The
metropolis enjoys a relatively
mild climate with four noticeably
different seasons. Expect snowy
winters that average a few
degrees below freezing and
entrancing summers, where
temperatures can reach 30
degrees Celsius. May to late
August is the best time for a
stopover, with an unforgettable
excursion being the thousands of
picturesque islands.
Hong Kong has long established
itself as the gateway to the
mainland, allowing companies
from all over the world to set up
offices here to tap the enormous
market north of the border.
This may be the case for
brand names and large
corporations, but smaller firms
wanting to gain a foothold on the
mainland find the going much
tougher, according to Hakan
Frimanson, general manager of
Swedish building automation
company Regin Controls.
He says while Hong Kong’s
business environment is
straightforward, dealing with
mainland red tape can be
frustrating.
“It seems that even being
placed in Hong Kong doesn’t give
too much incentives to get sales
improvement in China,”
Frimanson says. “If you are a
really big company that can
conquer [the market] through
massive advertising campaigns,
or you already have a famous
European luxury brand, then it
can seem easy to get the sales
going. But smaller and mediumsized companies are a bit lost.
The Trade Development Council
has books and other advice, but
much more is needed. It is not
only about bringing items to
China, but also about securing it
so that it will reach the end
customers without any
unforeseen obstacles.”
The mainland is Sweden’s
largest trading partner in Asia,
and the Scandinavian country
has around 130 companies based
in Hong Kong, most of which
use the city as a stepping stone
to the mainland market.
Regin develops products
Regio Midi 1.4 preprogrammed
zone controllers by Regin
Controls can run anything from
heating and cooling, ventilation
and lighting, to humidity, fans
and blinds.
and systems for use in the field of
building automation, such as
heating, ventilation and cooling.
The company set up its Hong
Kong branch in 2005 initially to
focus on sourcing and logistics
for the Asia-Pacific and the
mainland. The firm has gradually
increased its sales activity in the
region from Hong Kong. The
company also has an office in
Singapore that focuses solely on
sales activity within Asia-Pacific.
“Hong Kong is a very good
sourcing centre with no
complicated VAT [value added
tax] and easy, efficient logistics,”
Frimanson says. “Most of the
other business activities are also
easy and efficient.”
But the mainland is different.
“What works one time [on the
mainland] may not work the next
time,” he says. “China
regulations are not always clear
and you sometimes wonder why
something that is so easy to get
elsewhere can be so problematic
in China.”
However, trade between
Sweden and the mainland is
thriving. Last year, the mainland
accounted for about 3.7 per cent
of all exports out of the
Scandinavian country and 3 per
cent of imports. Swedish exports
to the mainland were worth
37.7 billion Swedish krona
(HK$46 billion), the country’s
10th-largest export market.
Hong Kong is among the top
30 of leading sourced goods for
Sweden, making up 0.7 per cent
of the country’s total imports,
while exports, mostly trucks,
measuring equipment and
telecommunication products,
made up 0.4 per cent
of total goods sent out
of the country.
S2 Friday, October 11, 2013
SPECIAL REPORT: SWEDEN COUNTRY REPORT
Sponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports
Mastec helps industry leaders Örebro University,
bridge research
win quality, efficiency race Fyrklövern
and industries with idea bank
................................................
Reports by Michelle Phillips
and Joonyoung Kim
B
e it Tetra Pak’s beveragefilling machines, DeLaval’s
milking robots, Atlas Copco’s
drilling machines or Saab
Group’s defence systems,
Mastec’s finely tuned relay team ensures
each piece of equipment performs not
just to run, but also to win the race.
The subcontractor of choice for
some of the world’s leaders in defence,
medical technology, food processing,
engineering vehicles and manufacture of
related products, Mastec helps clients
from concept and product development
to production and assembly.
“We let our clients focus on their
core business, while we take care of
Lars Kindberg, CEO
optimising and industrialising their
production processes,” says Lars
Kindberg, CEO of Mastec.
While it dedicates 98 per cent of its
business to serving industries as a highquality subcontractor, Mastec also
develops innovative products under its
own brand.
One innovation is Premere, a
“profitable recycling” machine that
enables beverage manufacturers to
manage returns, samples and
mislabelled products by efficiently
squeezing out up to 99.5 per cent of the
liquid, which can be recycled as animal
foodstuff or fuel material.
Another game-changer is the
Flexicomb concept, which speeds up
packing processes, eliminates transport
damage and can be customised for any
packaging application.
Highlighting Mastec’s intensified
branding is the change of its logotype
earlier this year, symbolising the
company’s revitalised and progressive
outlook. This includes expanding its
production and operations in China,
where it has been growing since
2005 within the food processing,
medical technology and engineering
vehicle segments.
Reinforcing its commitment to the
market by hiring Chinese sales
representatives, Mastec looks forward
to attracting more local talent, suppliers
and customers.
“Mastec aims to double its
volumes in China within the year, and
achieve as much as 15 per cent annual
growth in the region,” Kindberg says.
“We are also open to new
opportunities with partners in
China and Asia with whom we
can grow, develop and step up the
value-added chain.”
Crem stirs up Asian
coffee experience
AXEL unlocks potential
of lubricating grease
A new culture is brewing across Asia,
as more people spend time savouring a
good cup of coffee. Whether through
pushing a button on an automatic
coffee machine or operating a manual
espresso maker, Crem International
aims to take this Asian experience to
the next level.
“We are the leading traditional
espresso brand in China, which is the
gateway to Asia for us,” says
CEO Sebastian Lindström. “Our
China operations are very much for
taking care of customers in the whole
Asia-Pacific region.”
Crem’s offerings span the whole
range of manual and automated coffee
machines under the Expobar and
Coffee Queen brands – blending
Spain’s rich coffee-making traditions
with those of Sweden, which is among
the world’s top three coffee-drinking
countries per capita.
With the idea that a good cup of
coffee can come from an automatic
machine, the company designs and
customises machines for clients
including roasting houses, hotels,
restaurants, cafes, offices and
convenience stores.
Crem works closely with clients
and distributors to enhance the total
coffee experience.
“Being entrepreneurial means we
quickly adapt to the needs of our
customers,” Lindström says. “Strong
entrepreneurship is in Crem’s DNA, and
Axel Christiernsson put up its first
grease plant in Sweden to address the
industry’s need for special lubricants
that can withstand the cold climate.
As the company celebrates its
125th anniversary this year, the same
passion for functionality and innovation
guides Europe’s leading producer of
lubricating grease.
“We have something for almost any
application,” says Johan Stureson,
managing director and CEO. “Our
research and development arm can
make new formulations for clients to
meet virtually any application
requirements.”
AXEL’s creation of a patented
polymer-based thickener system has
set it apart from most other suppliers
using lithium-based greases based
on technology from 1943. This
innovative polymer-based grease
outperforms lithium-based greases
eightfold in laboratory tests and in real
applications.
“We’ve got the physics, while
everybody else looks at the chemistry,”
says Graham Gow, business
development manager. “If you look only
at the chemistry, you will never unlock a
product’s full potential.”
Each product from AXEL carries its
clients’ own brand name. Catering to the
world’s leading oil companies, the
independent company offers a full range
from standard lubricants to
biodegradable products, ISO 21469-
Sebastian Lindström, CEO
it is important to always focus on the
end customers and tailor to their
needs.”
Crem’s quick adaptability led to its
first regional success with the
Japanese convenience-store chain
FamilyMart.
The company aims to replicate
this success by building firm
relationships with convenience-store
partners that are able to provide
complete supply chains in Hong Kong,
the mainland, Thailand, South Korea
and Japan.
Continuous training underlines
Crem’s commitment to the region, with
education and research and
development playing crucial roles in its
business growth.
Crem invites clients to experience
its entire range of coffee machines
first-hand at its showroom and testing
centres in Stockholm and in Shanghai,
which will be operational this month.
Education, research and interaction
have transformed Örebro University
from one of Sweden’s youngest
universities to among its fastest-growing
research institutions.
“Örebro University emphasises
innovative programmes, interdisciplinary
research and community collaboration for
sustainable growth,” says Anna Ragén,
head of external relations. “Sustainability
should encompass economic,
environmental and humanitarian issues.
This is why our body of research – from
social sciences to the humanities, natural
sciences and technology – is all about
giving back to the society.”
The forward-looking university
illustrates this principle by supporting
partners including the World Health
Organization in fields such as injury
prevention and safety promotion. It also
helps organisations overseas such as
Shanghai Bailian Group, China’s biggest
retailer, in reducing energy consumption
through a heating system developed at
the university.
Anna Ragén, head of external
relations
Recognising the growing national and
international interest in accessing knowhow, research results and innovations
from Swedish universities, the Innovation
Office Fyrklövern – consisting of Linnaeus
University, Mid Sweden University,
Karlstad University and Örebro University
– has developed a platform designed to
bridge research and industry. The project
– called Idébanken, or “bank of ideas” –
aims to stimulate the flow of academic
knowledge between industries and
the society.
“We are optimistic that Idébanken
will encourage business ideas,
knowledge and innovation at the
universities, and increase public benefit
and utilisation,” Ragén says.
Researchers who contribute to
Idébanken primarily aim to hone their
work and not to commercialise them.
The ideas and research stored in
Idébanken will be available through an
easy-access website and can be used
free of charge or with a licence fee.
Slated for an autumn launch, the project
targets a total inflow of 43 ideas by the
end of the year.
“Knowledge exchange through these
programmes – with partners in robust
places such as Asia – is key in the quest
for sustainability,” Ragén says. “We invite
more knowledge transfer partners to join
our journey.”
Haga Norra adds green
lifestyle to urban landscape
Johan Stureson, managing
director and CEO
certified food-grade, or H1 and other
speciality greases – all supplied under a
private label.
After the successful establishment of
manufacturing operations in the United
States, AXEL is eyeing Asia – especially
China. “We are planning to put people in
Asia as a way of both promoting sales of
speciality products and developing a
context to learn more about the market,”
says Teo Laine, group sales manager.
To this end, AXEL welcomes
distributors from the region who can
deliver sales under their own brands and
help build a knowledge base for Asia.
“In the future, we will have a
different presence in Southeast Asia,”
Stureson says.
Dubbed as Sweden’s most businessfriendly city, Solna continuously
undergoes transformation. The city gets
another boost in its progressive growth
with the zoning and development of Haga
Norra led by real estate firm Catena.
An expansive prime location easily
accessible to Stockholm and
Sundbyberg, Haga Norra is an important
hub for high-level business activities.
Haga Norra is near Kista Science
City, the largest information and
communication technology cluster in the
Nordic region. Other landmarks
surrounding the area such as the Friends
Arena, Sweden’s multipurpose national
stadium, and Mall of Scandinavia, the
largest shopping complex in Northern
Europe, offer further appeal for investors
and homebuyers.
Focused on streamlining, developing
and managing property sites for
residential, office and retail areas, Catena
spearheads the zoning and development
Andreas Philipson, CEO
of Haga Norra. “We have almost doubled
the Haga Norra property value after the
Solna city council approved the zoning
plan in 2012,” says CEO Andreas
Philipson. Initially worth 450 million
Swedish kronor (HK$525 million), the land
is estimated at 885 million Swedish
kronor.
Slated for completion in eight to 10
years, the Haga Norra development will
have 800 housing units, 50,000 square
metres of commercial space and 10,000
retail outlets.
For innovative and sustainable
development, Catena promotes an active
green lifestyle and taps into renewable
energy sources such as geothermal
heat pumps to activate Solna’s central
heating system.
Opportunities for investments in
Sweden stretch further with Philipson,
who is also the CEO of the asset
management firm TAM Group. TAM could
help with inbound international
investment interests into Sweden by
addressing the shortage of residential
units and modern office spaces in the
greater Stockholm region.
Investors looking into the Swedish
real estate sector can expect steady
financial returns with social impact. “It’s a
stable and growing market, and it’s
transparent. You know what you buy and
you know what you get,” Philipson says.
Nimbus sets sail for China
Nimbus Boats has been making waves in
the boating arena since 1968. Delivering
form and function, boats made by
Nimbus perfectly embody Scandinavian
design. Showcasing its expertise in
building high-quality, seaworthy and
environment-friendly boats, Nimbus yet
again raises the bar in the industry as it
launches the 405 Coupé next month.
The 405 is the bigger version of the
365 Coupé, the award-winning Nimbus
boat voted last year as European Power
Boat of the Year. Reflecting the
timeless aesthetic of Nimbus, the
405 shares some of the 365’s features
such as the sidewalk deck layout, which
allows people to safely walk from
starboard to stern.
The 405 also boasts modern features
such as a new engine room ventilation
design and a galley with ceramic
liquefied petroleum gas hob.
“We build boats with stunning
Nimbus 405 Coupé
designs, but also very functional in high
seas and in every condition,” says
commercial director Jonas Göthberg.
Classified as luxury pleasure boats,
the Coupé series, along with the Nova
and R-series, is marketed under the
Nimbus brand. Following the success of
its Nimbus boats, the company
introduced the Paragon line of luxury
pleasure boats. Commercial and
government entities such as coast guard,
rescue, police and fire departments can
use Paragon boats too.
Nimbus sees the Paragon line as a
platform for bringing its Scandinavian
know-how globally. Relying on the
support of reliable dealers worldwide,
Nimbus aims to create greater brand
awareness outside Scandinavian
countries. Nimbus has its eye on Turkey,
Dubai, Japan, South Korea and China for
future growth.
As a first step to penetrating the
Chinese market, Nimbus has partnered
with Hainan-based OM Yachting. Acting
as the local representative, OM Yachting
is establishing its first sales office at the
Sanya Serenity Marina this month. Its
location in the luxury resort area in the
Luhuitou peninsula, equipped with the
most technically advanced yacht facility
in southern China, is beneficial in
promoting maritime lifestyle in China.
Cortus Energy charts eco-friendly
path for process industries
Clean, low-cost energy is within reach of
process industries with Cortus Energy’s
patented WoodRoll technology enabling
sustainable biomass power generation.
Listed on the Nasdaq OMX First
North, Cortus will launch a 5-megawatt
installation of its WoodRoll technology by
June next year. The company will supply
clean synthesis gas, or syngas, at the
Nordkalk Group’s lime kiln factory in
Köping, Sweden.
The next stage of the 12-year
contract with Nordkalk entails capacity
expansion to 25 megawatts, for which
Cortus is seeking financing through stock
options that will also be traded on
Nasdaq within the year.
“The baseline for the WoodRoll
process is to create a clean syngas
starting from different mixes of biofuels
and waste products,” says Rolf
Ljunggren, CEO of Cortus. “It’s about
Rolf Ljunggren, CEO
being flexible in what fuels to use, being
able to do this in an energy-efficient way,
and in the end get a very clean product.”
Results from Cortus’ 500-kilowatt test
plant have shown that the WoodRoll
process produces pure syngas. The
presence of hydrocarbon impurities has
long stymied biomass gasification
technologies. Cortus has succeeded
with the support of partners such as
Sandvik, the Royal Institute of
Technology and Linnaeus University.
With promising test results from
more than 100 different types of
feedstock, Cortus is poised to be a key
energy supplier to process industries in
Nordic countries and elsewhere in
Europe. It is also studying future
applications within the transport and
recycling industries.
Aiming to spread the technology
around Asia within five years, Cortus is
keen on working with engineering,
procurement and construction
contractors. It also seeks to demonstrate
its technology among pulp mills, lime and
cement producers on the mainland.
“We can create an engineering
package around our technology such
that it’s convenient for them to turn this
into a working plant,” Ljunggren says.
Hans Andersson Recycling finds gold in waste
In the hands of Hans Andersson
Recycling, waste is a valuable resource
that can further yield many useful
materials. Hans Andersson Recycling
advocates a more ecologically
sustainable future by breathing new life
into old things, maximising their value and
extending their life cycle.
Hans Andersson Recycling is among
Sweden’s major recycling firms. It has the
capacity to handle 700,000 metric tonnes
of waste, processing all things
recyclable, including paper, plastics,
metals, wood, batteries and light sources
and hazardous waste. The company also
salvages valuable materials, preventing
them from being incinerated or getting
thrown in landfills.
Under the Hans Andersson Holding
umbrella, its sister company Hans
Andersson Trading concentrates on
sourcing and exporting all types of raw
and processed materials including paper,
board and chemicals.
Sebastian Wessman, managing
director
The synergistic collaboration
between the two companies offers their
clients a complete trading and recycling
services platform to reduce their carbon
footprint effectively while allowing
financial profitability.
“Our philosophy is that the
environment has to have a commercial
interest. When we have commercial
interest in the environment, it yields big
benefits. We are businessmen but we
ensure that environment and
entrepreneurship go hand in hand,” says
managing director Sebastian Wessman.
Hans Andersson Recycling works
with local governments on a consultancy
basis to process their different waste
streams. “We try to make local cities into
‘symbio cities’, self-sustaining local
environments where goods are available
with the capacity to recycle them. Our
goal is to close the loop in that city, keep
everything and make sure we use
resources as efficiently as we can,”
Wessman says.
The company sees great growth
potential in China as the country moves to
enforce stricter environmental
guidelines. “There is huge demand for
recycling technology. We can share our
deep knowledge about recycling
processes and production techniques,
especially in plastics and tyre
processing,” Wessman says.
Friday, October 11, 2013 S3
Sponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports
SPECIAL REPORT: SWEDEN COUNTRY REPORT
Lindex promotes sustainable fashion
S
ocial responsibility is a
principle that runs deep
within the corporate culture
of one of Sweden’s leading
fashion chains, Lindex. With a
deep sense of commitment to the
community and to environmental
sustainability, Lindex optimised its entire
supply chain to make fashion accessible
at best-value prices.
Lindex began its journey in the
fashion industry in 1954, when it started
offering lingerie. With women as its core
market, the company later expanded its
scope to carry women’s and children’s
wear, and cosmetics.
“We are known for our good quality
and good fit. Our success in Sweden is
something we can bring to other
markets,” says Göran Bille, president
and CEO.
Lindex continuously updates its style
to keep its assortment of products fresh
and vibrant. Its purchasing teams travel
around the world to observe the latest
Lindex continuously updates its
style to keep its assortment of
products fresh and vibrant.
trends in different cultures and find
fashion inspirations for designing
modern Lindex pieces such as blouses,
skirts, dresses and outerwear.
The Lindex brand stands for more
than fashion. It represents respect for
the earth’s resources.
Lindex started sourcing half a million
garments made from organically grown
cotton in 2007 to offer more
environment-friendly alternatives to its
customers. Six years later, Lindex has
increased this figure to 9 million
garments made from materials such as
recycled fibres of polyester, polyamide,
cotton and wool.
Extending its sustainability principle
beyond clothes, Lindex also ensures that
its supply chain operates on the lowest
consumption of natural resources.
Lindex worked with the Institute for
Sustainable Communities’ Environment,
Health and Safety Academy to
implement an energy-saving project for
its 17 suppliers in Shanghai.
The project was designed to reduce
the factories’ operating costs, energy
consumption and carbon dioxide
emissions. Through joint-training
seminars, the Chinese suppliers
developed energy-saving measures for
lighting systems, steam and water
leakage, and air conditioning regulation,
and improved window insulation and
implementation of energy management
systems.
“We have sustainability as one of
the values of Lindex and that goes into
all different aspects of the business. This
does not apply only to the environment,
but a wider perspective,” Bille says.
Lindex also takes an active role in
helping the community. As a company
for women, Lindex has worked hard to
promote their welfare and well-being.
From the sales of its successful
collaborations with luxury fashion
houses Missoni of Italy and Matthew
Williamson of Britain, Lindex donated
HK$17.8 million to fund breast cancer
research and to spread awareness of
the disease.
As a company that likes to look at
the bigger picture, Lindex aims to grow
the brand internationally. It looks to
Western and Eastern Europe, and China
for its continued development.
Lindex combines the brick-andmortar and online store business
models. The company is using the same
strategy in its global expansion,
employing a franchising model and an
e-commerce platform. To date, Lindex
has established stores in 16 different
countries and is looking to widen its
scope of operations even further,
particularly in Asia.
“We have a very good foundation
and a very successful history when it
comes to expansion. We hope that we
can find some partners with the financial
strength to help us with our strategy,
particularly in e-commerce, as this is a
booming segment in China. Our ideal
partner is someone who knows the
logistics all over China,” Bille says.
Lindex also seeks to expand its
sourcing network in Asia. The company
has sourcing offices in Shanghai,
Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Bangladesh
and Pakistan.
“We are becoming global. With
huge developments in the region, Asia
has become very important to us, both
as a supply and retail market,”
Bille says.
Clean, well- Nation’s business warms up to Asian investments
maintained
trains
always
on track
with TBT
The Swedish business community is
warming up to Asian investments
following the success of high-profile
acquisitions, enabling more Asian
partnerships to flourish in Sweden.
“The Chinese acquisition of Volvo
has proven that Chinese companies can
be a good owner of a traditional Swedish
company,” says Joakim Edoff, executive
partner at Setterwalls and Swedish
Bar member.
“This is also evident in other sectors.
The business community now regards
Asian companies as tough competitors
and as good business partners on par
with European and American
companies.”
As the oldest law firm in Sweden,
and acquisitions, dispute
and among the top three
resolution and the framing
in corporate practice,
of intellectual property
Setterwalls has
agreements.
shepherded milestone
“The technology
transactions involving
sector – information
Asian investors such as
technology and
Samsung, Beijing
communications in a
Automotive Industry,
broad sense – is the driver
Huawei and Sany.
for innovation and has the
Embracing clients and
biggest future in Sweden,”
partners as family,
Joakim Edoff,
Edoff says.
Setterwalls ensures that
executive partner
Opportunities are also
every client benefits from
rife within tourism and core Swedish
the depth and breadth of the firm’s
industries such as vehicle, shipping and
experience.
logistics.
With its full-service approach and
Noting increasing investment flows
knowledge management practices, it is
and the special needs of Asian investors,
the preferred legal partner in mergers
Setterwalls has established a China Desk
with lawyers particularly competent in
the cultural and language aspects of
Asian deals.
The China Desk nurtures
relationships with clients and high-profile
law firms in Asia through frequent visits
and close collaboration on industryspecific developments, to ensure
top-class legal service for both.
As more Asian investors and
businesses look to Sweden, not only is
insightful legal advice essential to
successful business dealings, “it is
important to obtain local advice at an
early stage to avoid spending time
and money on the wrong pursuits”,
Edoff says.
Sandvik infuses
Swedish innovation into
Chinese productivity
delivery guarantee for
On track to reach
local customers – an
7.5 per cent growth this
invaluable service wellyear, China is expected to
received by the market. It
continue looking inward
also has a growing
and reinforcing industrial
presence in Singapore
output to boost the
and India.
domestic economy. A key
“China and Asia will
growth engine is
see robust advancements
productivity – a concept
in the coming years,”
that may be new to a
Olof Faxander,
Faxander says. “Sandvik
country whose strength
will complement this
has been in numbers, but a president and CEO
growth with investments
discipline well-mastered
in manufacturing, sales and R&D that are
by engineering group Sandvik.
tailored and engineered to customers’
“Raising productivity used to mean
needs.”
adding more people and moving to larger
Coinciding with its 150th anniversary
factories. Today, a manufacturer can
last year, Sandvik earned recognition
optimise the same workforce and factory
from Thomson Reuters as among the
using modern equipment and
100 Most Innovative Companies in the
processes,” says Sandvik president and
World and was ranked 74th by Forbes
CEO Olof Faxander. “These trends will
among the World’s Most Innovative
become stronger as the focus on
Companies. Beyond innovation, Sandvik
productivity, safety and cost efficiency
is leading the industry to adopt greener
increases in China – and Sandvik is there
practices and reduce carbon dioxide
to offer value-added solutions.”
emissions. Its materials technology
Across its mining, machining,
segment, for instance, is largely based
materials technology, construction and
on recycled stainless steel scrap among
venture businesses, the company
other materials.
supports its Greater China customers
Positioning itself as a proactive and
through 64 sales offices and more than
sustainable global company, Sandvik has
4,000 employees. It is also increasingly
also joined the United Nations Global
localising production and investing in
Compact initiative, which aims to ensure
home-grown talent and research and
that businesses operate in ways
development (R&D).
benefiting other economies
Sandvik reinforced its commitment
and societies.
to the region last year when it acquired
“Sandvik’s clients and partners can
China’s largest crusher manufacturer,
count on excellent products, R&D, close
Shanbao Machinery. It has also
collaboration and continuous launch of
partnered with Shandong Energy
next-generation products,” Faxander
Machinery, a subsidiary of a top Chinese
says. “More importantly, they can rest
coal mining company, for the production
assured that we add value to our
and sales of coal mining equipment.
offerings while fulfilling our
Earlier this year, the company
environmental and corporate social
opened its Shanghai distribution centre,
responsibilities.”
where it has implemented a 48-hour
Zound echoes the sound of success to the region
Tomm Bråten, CEO
The metro trains in Stockholm run the
equivalent of 30 times around the world
between each time a train causes a
stop in traffic due to technical
problems. The system enables
1.2 million passengers to travel to their
destinations every weekday – and
safely back home. It is efficient, fast,
reliable and indispensable, just like
train maintenance and repair specialist
Tunnelbanan Teknik Stockholm (TBT),
whose dedication makes such
journeys possible.
“We work round-the-clock to keep
trains and passengers moving where
and when they need to,” says TBT CEO
Tomm Bråten.
With five workshops across
Sweden’s capital, TBT supplies total
services, from collision repairs to daily
cleanups and improvements, to
Stockholm metro’s 550 subway cars.
Such a feat is accomplished with TBT’s
solid experience and focus on safety,
environment and quality assurance.
TBT has been optimising the combined
strengths of MTR Stockholm, a
subsidiary of MTR in Hong Kong, and
Mantena, a subsidiary of Norwegian
State Railways in Oslo, since 2009 to
implement best practices at the
Stockholm metro.
“MTR’s expertise is in operating
some of the world’s busiest train and
metro systems, including London,
Beijing, Shenzhen, Hangzhou and
Melbourne,” Bråten says. “Mantena,
meanwhile, lends TBT the kind of
specialised know-how specific to the
region, such as maintaining rolling
stock in top shape, even in frigid
conditions.”
Constantly looking to serve clients
more efficiently, TBT is open to meeting
new suppliers. In particular, it
welcomes Chinese suppliers
specialising in wheels, motors, fans
and other key components and
assemblies that are regularly replaced
or repaired in trains and subway cars.
“The next three to five years look
bright as we continue to grow with
MTR and Mantena. We look forward to
expanding in Sweden and the rest of
Europe,” Bråten says. “We will
continue to improve and develop our
services to adapt to our customers’
and passengers’ requirements today
and in the future.”
Functionality and aesthetics are fused
together in every sound equipment and
headphone that Zound Industries
produces.
Designed to be more than just a
listening device, Zound headphones are
fashionable and express individuality.
Zound pushes the boundaries in
developing novel products to target a
wider clientele.
“Today, people want to be
individualistic. They want brands that
express their personality. We will
continue to create innovative products
that suit different images,” says Konrad
Bergström, president and co-founder
of Zound.
Four brands under the Zound
umbrella embody the company’s thrust.
Coloud, a “no-frills” headphones line,
boasts high functionality at affordable
prices. Coloud targets a younger
demographic looking for good value-formoney accessories.
Discerning customers who match
music with fashion and function prefer
Urbanears, a brand characterised by
colours and Scandinavian minimalistic
ESBE brings comfort
and efficiency to
Asia’s households
applications including
Asia’s expanding middle
traditional heating, solar
class is driving the
thermal tap water, heat
demand for more
pumps, solid fuel and
comfortable living
underfloor heating.
environments such as
ESBE products have
residential spaces with
three
clear features: they
ample heating, cooling
use less energy,
and water supply. With
enhance comfort and
the infrastructure
improve safety. The valve
upgrades in Asia,
heart is a mere brass
international valve maker
rod. Through machining
ESBE Group is keen on
and engineering, ESBE
supporting the region’s
turns it into a tool
need for premium
assuring comfort,
hydronic systems.
Karsten Pillukeit, CEO
security and energy
The fourthefficiency in complex systems.
generation family-owned company is
Global manufacturers such as
Europe’s leading provider of energyAriston, Daikin Industries and
efficient control solutions for residential
Mitsubishi Electric develop and market
heating, cooling and tap water systems.
product systems with ESBE valves and
Located in Sweden, ESBE has been
expertise inside.
developing and producing valves and
“We offer a premium product in our
actuators in its state-of-the-art research
and manufacturing facility for more than sector, but clients happily pay the addon because they get good technology,
100 years.
reliability and superior cost of
“We work closely with customers
ownership,” Pillukeit says.
and partners to provide products and
Responding to the industry’s need
solutions that respond to market
for innovative but simpler heating and
demands,” says CEO Karsten Pillukeit.
cooling systems, ESBE is developing
“Working together over a long period of
advanced subsystems and smart
time with trade partners and with
compact units for equipment
original equipment manufacturers
manufacturers. It targets OEMs and
(OEMs), we develop trust and lasting
distribution partners in Asia.
relationships which are perceived as
“We eliminate risks through smart
win-win situations.”
kits and solutions,” Pillukeit says.
ESBE continues to set new
“Every valve we sell makes the
standards with its broad range of valves
world better.”
and actuators used in numerous
Backer boosts R&D in Asia to
support industrial growth
the better,” says Christer
A leading provider of
Fredriksson, director at NIBE
measurement, control and electric
Element. “Our products are
heating systems, Sweden’s
99 per cent customised, and the
Backer Group has given global
big success stories have been
companies in various industries
together with the customers’
solutions that promote energy and
R&D. It is important to stay close
cost savings. Such sustainable
to the market to be able to
solutions are gaining importance
support them.”
in Asia, given the region’s rapid
The group is expanding its
modernisation. Boosting
sales force in China to
technology transfer to its
strengthen its role as a
production facilities in China,
sub-supplier of heating
Backer aims to make Asia a pillar (From left) Christer Fredriksson, director at NIBE
components to original
in its decentralised research and Element, and Robert Nilsson, market and
equipment manufacturers and a
development (R&D) infrastructure, technical manager of Backer
heating technology provider to
which drives innovation through
various industries. It is also eyeing strong
constant adaptability.
appliance, commercial and industrial
brands with an established platform in
Rooted in tubular heating element
sectors, and the specialised unit in Tianjin
Asia as potential acquisitions.
technology patented by company
is active in China’s wind power industry.
“Our aim is to convert our production
co-founder Christian Backer in 1921,
Eyeing a stronger presence in Asia’s
units in China to be mainly supplying the
Backer is a part of the NIBE Element
rail transport, medical and wind power
Asian market,” Fredriksson says.
group and has accumulated best
industries, Backer is scaling up the
“We have a long-term vision to
practices from more than 30 companies
design and R&D capabilities in these
provide that service and technology
acquired and established globally since
Chinese facilities.
in Asia as a global market leader in
the 1990s. Backer has facilities in
“The earlier we can be in the product
heating technologies.”
Shenzhen and Dongguan to support the
development process with the customer,
design. Continuing to innovate, Zound is
launching a line of washable Urbanears.
Users can separate the textile covering
from the electronic components for
cleaning, effectively prolonging the
pristine look of the headphones.
Zound’s premier licensed brand,
Marshall, is iconic in the world of rock
music. The company works closely with
Marshall Amplification to deliver
superior sound quality that epitomises
the Marshall brand. Zound extended its
Marshall line with the launch of
amplified speakers.
The fourth brand, Molami, targets a
female client base with luxury
headphones. Using the finest materials
such as Napa leather, cashmere and
silk to design each headphone, Zound
offers the perfect accessory to
any outfit.
Zound products are available in 95
markets worldwide through distribution
chains such as Best Buy, Nordstrom
and Bloomingdale’s. The company is
strengthening its Asian presence in the
next two years through partnerships
with dealers and telecommunications
companies. Zound is also looking to
appoint local ambassadors to build a
stronger brand in the region.
“We’re open to working with more
telecommunications companies. As
their partner, we can help them
compete in the lifestyle headphones
business,” Bergström says.
Molami Bight, Urbanears
Plattan, Coloud Headphones The
Pop and Marshall Headphones
Major from Zound Industries
S4 Friday, October 11, 2013
SPECIAL REPORT: SWEDEN COUNTRY REPORT
Purac proposes cleaner
water and energy solutions
P
utting environmental
protection among the main
thrusts of its five-year
development plans, the
Chinese government is
actively seeking solutions to remedy
growing pollution concerns and ensure
the well-being of its public.
Environmental engineering
company Purac has been instrumental
in effecting change in China, helping
develop its wastewater treatment
capacity and technology. Through soft
loans and financial aid extended to
China from Scandinavian and Nordic
countries, Purac has worked on
numerous turnkey projects there
since 1994.
One of the projects stemming from
Jonas Fack, managing director
soft loans is the construction of the
Gaobeidian sewage treatment plant, one
of the largest in the world. The
Gaobeidian plant has the capacity to
process the wastewater of about
4 million residents. It generates 1 million
cubic metres of treated industrial and
agricultural wastewater and contributes
to alleviating water shortages.
Increasing its contribution to China’s
environmental reform, Purac also
brought green energy expertise,
supplying biogas production plants
powered by waste.
“We have tough regulations in
Sweden for clean energy. This has
challenged us to be always a step
ahead in developing innovative
technologies and processes,” says
managing director Jonas Fack. “We
provide tomorrow’s clean water and
clean energy solutions today.”
Purac’s expertise continues to be in
high demand on the mainland. Purac
backed the Chongqing biogas plant that
converts restaurant waste into
electricity. The facility is developed to
process 500 tonnes of food waste daily
and generate 5 megawatts of electricity
yearly. It serves as a hallmark of Purac’s
biogas technology.
Its continued commitment to China
motivated Purac to establish a
subsidiary in Beijing, Purac
Environmental Systems, which has
received many awards in China for
being the most successful clean tech
green energy company locally.
“We want to double our presence in
China and increase biogas plants to at
least 3,000 by 2015,” Fack says.
PartnerTech boosts
hi-tech manufacturing
with Dongguan base
PartnerTech is making it easier for
technology companies to scale up
manufacturing operations in Asia with
its new hi-tech facility in Dongguan.
Opened in November last year and
certified according to ISO 9001, 14001
and 13485 standards, the factory is
ideally suited for medical and clean
technology products, among others. It
brings viability to many European entries
into Asia with sourcing, production,
logistics and after-sales services built
into PartnerTech’s offering. Its presence
in the region is also opening up
opportunities for Asian players in need
of low-volume, hi-tech production.
“We can support this facility with
the knowledge and engineering
expertise from the whole group
worldwide,” says Leif Thorwaldsson,
PartnerTech president and CEO. “We
have a strong advantage in the
med-tech and clean-tech fields, given
our familiarity with rigorous regulations
in Europe, the United States and Asia.”
With its total system integration
capabilities, PartnerTech has been the
industrial partner of technology
companies in successfully
commercialising a broad range of
product concepts across different
markets – enabling its clients to keep
their focus on their core business
and innovation.
For multinational companies
seeking full-spectrum manufacturing
capabilities in China, PartnerTech can
handle all phases of the product
lifecycle for low to medium volumes and
high-mix services at the Dongguan
facility. This enables Asia-based
production of med-tech devices for
hospital and laboratory settings,
industrial control systems, power
control units and recycling equipment,
among others.
Built to Swedish quality and security
standards, the factory is equipped with
four surface-mount technology lines
and a number of clean rooms (class 10).
The sealed clean rooms can be fitted to
client requirements, including controlled
access for intellectual property
protection.
PartnerTech supports clients all the
way to high-volume manufacturing.
“More and more of the economic
development is in Asia now, so we will
strengthen the regional supply chain in
China and integrate it with our
established networks in Europe and the
Americas,” Thorwaldsson says.
Meticulous assembly of a medical device in a clean room at
PartnerTech Dongguan
Sponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports
AP&T pursues global
market as knowledge-based
engineering company
Sheet metal and tubeon-time, cost-efficient and
forming specialist AP&T in
hassle-free production.”
Sweden is setting the stage
Clients who have come
for a broader, stronger
to rely on this promise
global presence. A merger
include General Motors,
of some of Sweden’s
Ford, Fiat, Volvo and
pioneering companies in
Volkswagen in the
automation, pressing and
automotive parts sector;
tooling, AP&T is
Boeing and Airbus in
transforming from a sales
aerospace; and Alfa Laval
and service provider to a
in heating, ventilation and
Per Josefsson, viceknowledge-based global
air conditioning.
president of global
engineering company
In line with its quest as
sales and service
by 2020.
a global market leader,
“Supplying efficient,
AP&T will open production
low-maintenance and reliable modular
facilities by the end of the year in
systems is a key advantage of AP&T that
Ulricehamn, Sweden. The plant will focus
both anchors and propels us towards
on press hardening, a high-demand
2020,” says Per Josefsson, vice-president technology that enables the production of
of global sales and service. “Through our
lighter yet stronger metal parts. Its best
‘One Responsible Partner’ concept, we
feature will be a research and
ensure that customers will always have
development centre where customers
can create products and perform
trials. “This illustrates how AP&T
values clients, not only as a supplier but
as a reliable innovation partner,”
Josefsson says.
Recognising China as a promising
market early on, AP&T started selling
machinery in the country 20 years ago. It
has since established a service, training
and spare parts office in Shanghai, and is
expanding its presence and engineering
capabilities, as it has done in Europe,
North America and Japan.
“The Chinese industry is requiring
increasingly higher quality, and we want
to respond to this with a local engineering
team that completely understands the
market,” Josefsson says.
“We also look forward to working
with knowledge exchange partners and
training young talent who aim to grow
with us.”
SM Power surges ahead in green,
efficient energy conversion systems
Pampus Container and Breakbulk Terminal at Norrköping port
Nordic and Baltic hub
readies cross-docking
facility for surging trade
Surging trade between Asia and Europe
drives the need for cost-efficient
logistics on both continents. With its
latest investment of 150 million Swedish
kronor (HK$180 million) in a crossdocking facility, Norrköpings Hamn och
Stuveri (NHS) ensures that Norrköping
port remains well-equipped and
strategic as the Nordic and Baltic sea
region’s distribution hub.
A maritime centre since the 19th
century, Norrköping is consistently
ranked as Sweden’s second most
important logistics hub. With its deep
harbour and proximity to industrial
zones, it is a principal gateway for
consumer goods, paper, pulp, logs and
sawn timber.
The only port in Sweden with a
350-tonne heavy lift crane, Norrköping
serves as a hub for Siemens, ABB and
logistics companies Bertling, DHL and
DB Schenker. Within 160km from
Sweden’s most populated area, it is also
a centre for containers, grains handling,
fertilisers, petroleum and steel products,
coal and other resources.
Slated for completion by next year,
Norrköping’s cross-docking facility will
reduce shipping time, transport and
storage costs of shipping lines and
freight forwarders alike. Guided by
customer feedback and leveraging the
port’s long-established rail and road
networks, NHS complements earlier
investments made on warehouse and
fairway capacities through the facility.
“We listen to what our customers
need and want us to invest in,” says
Tomas Gustavsson, manager for
production and sales at NHS. “We are
investing for the future.”
Norrköping handles about 100,000
20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of
container cargo annually, the bulk of
which is either coming from or bound for
Asia. NHS expects this volume to reach
300,000 TEUs by 2020. Sawn timber
throughput should also increase to
1 million cubic metres within the period.
NHS welcomes co-operation
opportunities with Asian players to
further expedite the flow of goods
between Asia and Norrköping.
“We stand for high quality and are
keen to partner on initiatives that would
enhance Norrköping’s role as a gateway
to the Nordic region,” Gustavsson says.
The company’s
Efficient energy conversion
incorporation into specialis among the most
application charger
important yet challenging
specialist Micropower last
aspects in reducing global
year has been a big step
energy consumption. Led by
towards this goal. Enabling
Asia’s unquenchable
SM Power to access
development, worldwide
broader industries,
energy consumption is
including automotive,
projected to rise 56 per cent
marine and heavy
by 2040 – which means
equipment, it is also
solutions from power
Göran Johansson,
anticipated to spur its
supply experts such as
president
expansion in new markets
SM Power will be critical
including Australia, South
contributors to sustainable
America and South Africa through the
energy usage.
Micropower group. Micropower
“Our in-house developed industrial,
leverages SM Power’s niche expertise
medical, home and office power supplies
and long-standing presence in Hong
provide higher conversion efficiency and
Kong and Guangdong province to
use 30 per cent fewer components than
complement its new operations in
competitors,” says SM Power president
Shanghai.
Göran Johansson. “This is the
Custom-designed power supply
competency we excel in and plan to
develop further as we flex our capabilities solutions that are flexible, lightweight and
cost-efficient exemplify SM Power, while
– in innovation and market reach.”
its drive to constantly innovate and
address industry trends has become its
edge over competitors. Responding to the
increasing demand from the home
treatment and remote diagnostics
segments, SM Power has launched fully
certified, compact and reliable medical
equipment power supplies.
It has also developed the industry’s
smallest, up-to-30-ampere smart
chargers featuring temperature sensors
and charging algorithms that optimise
and extend the life of lead-acid batteries.
This breakthrough is expected to have
a huge impact on cars, boats,
motorcycles and trains, which SM Power
forecasts will be strong growth drivers
in Asia. “We look forward to growing in
Asia, combining Western know-how with
China manufacturing,” Johansson says.
“We aim to help original brand
manufacturers by being their virtual
research and development centre for
their own portfolios and products.”
SCANPAC makes breakthrough
in powder metallurgy technology
game-changing process
Passionate about improving
results in metal
the existing processes for
components that are at par
manufacturing high-alloyed
or better compared with
steel components,
industry standards of
Dr Christer Åslund
wrought material in terms
invented SCANPAC, a
of mechanical properties,
groundbreaking powder
corrosion and other
metal production
important properties.
technology. Åslund,
With the SCANPAC
president of Hydropulsor
system, companies can
Sweden and Metec
Dr Christer Åslund,
handle almost all types of
Technologies, is eager to
president
steel and alloys, and
share this advanced
produce large quantities
powder metallurgy method
more quickly while using less energy and
with companies worldwide.
minimising waste of ingoing raw material.
Headquartered in Karlskoga – seat of
“Using the SCANPAC process,
the Bofors iron and armament works and
manufacturers can easily mould ferrous
home of Alfred Nobel – Hydropulsor and
or nonferrous metals without
Metec patented the SCANPAC system.
compromising the materials’ properties,”
The system can mass-produce fully
Åslund says.
dense products specifically in the range
The SCANPAC technology is touted
of 50 to 5,000 grams with high-purity gas
as a high-performing, energy- and
atomised powder as raw material. The
cost-saving market solution. The
dominant process is metal injection
moulding for parts weighing less than
50 grams. For bigger components
weighing more than 5 kilograms, the
leading process is hot isostatic pressing,
or HIP. SCANPAC bridges the gap in the
manufacture of industrial metal parts
weighing more than 50 grams but less
than 5 kilograms.
The company provides the licensing
know-how for the SCANPAC technology
as well as machines in a single package,
targeting customers in Asia and
worldwide. It is also interested in
supplying components to the pump, valve
and fitting, and the automotive industry.
“The time is ripe to establish this
energy-saving breakthrough in
components production,” Åslund says.
“We’ve invested 20 years of research
into this technique. We’re ready to
spread the know-how through licensing.”
OSM delivers top-notch
carrying solutions in volumes
accessories – such as
Growing alongside the
sleeves and protective
global boom in the mobile
covers – for smartphones,
industry, the OSM Group
tablets, laptops and
has focused its innovations
headphones. OSM also
on improving functionality
produces display electronic
and maintaining clients’
products for mobile and
brand identity. The leading
digital camera giants.
provider of carrying
Working confidentially with
solutions and accessories
multinational original
for mobile electronic
equipment manufacturers
products combines this
Phil Mulholland,
starting from the product
market approach with
president and CEO
design stage, OSM satisfies
large-scale production
the local requirements of
capacity to give clients
global brands with its creative hubs in the
such as BlackBerry, HP and Samsung an
United States, Sweden, Japan, Hong
edge in the industry.
Kong and the mainland.
“We embed the DNA of our clients’
Another key to OSM’s strength is its
brands into our products, focusing on
plant in Dongguan, which delivers
function, cutting-edge technology and
full-service prototyping, quality control
fashionable design,” says Phil
and manufacturing in a continuous and
Mulholland, OSM president and CEO.
timely manner.
The company offers the entire supply
“We differentiate from design houses
value chain for carrying solutions and
or factories in that we can offer both
innovative designs and production in high
volumes through ethical manufacturing
processes,” Mulholland says. With
SA8000 certification, clients are confident
products are made with strong
workforce ethics.
To maintain market leadership, OSM
welcomes technology partners that can
add value to its offerings. Areas of
interest are high-frequency moulding for
seamless bonding and development of
cases that enable near-field
communication, wearable technology
and external keyboard functions. OSM is
also eyeing markets in Vietnam,
Myanmar and Indonesia for larger
exposure in Asia.
“We can also help local brands
become global,” Mulholland says.
“Our localised expertise and global
network can help local players
expand internationally.”
Tylö redefines wellness with soothing Soft Sauna
temperature and humidity
Synonymous with the best
levels between those of the
of Scandinavian saunas,
traditional dry sauna and a
Tylö has a refreshing take
steam bath – promoting
on traditional sauna culture
healthy skin, improved
fused with innovative
circulation and mental
design for the modern
well-being.
lifestyle. Tylö’s stylish
Tylö has also
options for sauna, steam
developed Pure Infra
baths and infrared cabins fit
technology that
seamlessly into any
complements the total
contemporary home.
Krister Persson,
sauna experience.
“Every afternoon at
Particularly geared
work, you can start thinking Tylö Group CEO
towards the Asian demand
about the paradise waiting
for therapeutic relaxation, Pure Infra
for you at home,” says Tylö Group CEO
warms tired and aching muscles gently
Krister Persson. “That is the Tylö in your
and evenly without sweating.
home – your oasis.”
The company’s emphasis on
Pushing technological boundaries,
integrating wellness and lifestyle has
Tylö has been designing and producing
expanded its sauna lines into complete
its premium sauna and steam bath lines
bathroom fixtures incorporating the
at its Halmstad headquarters for more
steam shower, steam bath and sauna. To
than 60 years.
redefine the total wellness experience,
Tylö’s signature technology, Soft
Tylö continues to complement the
Sauna, soothes all the senses with
products and services of spas, fitness
centres, exercise equipment
manufacturers and other health and
beauty companies.
Tylö’s products reach more
than 90 countries worldwide via
long-term partnerships with distributors
and resellers.
The company has distribution
partners in most Asian markets, and
many prime bathroom retailers are
displaying these attractive products in
their showrooms. It is keen on pursuing
similar partnerships that can help it
approach its female-oriented,
high-end consumer markets through
first-hand experience.
Tylö also works with architects and
property developers in maximising small
spaces to provide a complete
therapeutic bathroom experience in
hotels, resorts and luxury condominiums.
“We incorporate wellness into every
part of your living,” Persson says.
Friday, October 11, 2013 S5
Sponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports
SPECIAL REPORT: SWEDEN COUNTRY REPORT
Transmode’s packet optical
Wasa blends form and
network solutions boost Asia’s
function as ‘Button King’
information superhighways
G
lobal sales for the
apparel market
registered a robust
growth rate of 6 per cent
last year, largely driven
by Asia’s continuing economic
development, rising disposable
incomes and a desire for higher
standards of living among
consumers.
As the market expands, Europe’s
leading garment accessory maker
Wasa Sweden is strengthening its
(From left): Pelle Johansson and Niklas
Asian network. The company
Neuendorff, directors
supports apparel and industrial
manufacturers as they focus more on
boat covers and curtains, Wasa
creating sophisticated, functional and
produces press fasteners, buttons, rivets
durable lifestyle pieces.
and eyelets, among others. It has been a
Famous in Sweden for its premium
long-term supplier and partner of global
metal accessories used in jeans, jackets,
athletic, fashion and work wear brands.
“We provide strength and
reliability,” says Niklas Neuendorff,
director. “Our customers are
quality-thinking companies. We
have tight collaborations with them
so we understand what
they want.”
Providing design and
manufacturing support to clothing
and industrial factories for the past
60 years, Wasa also offers tools
and machines that help clients
assemble products quickly and
cost-effectively.
It follows a standardised
quality process in its production facility in
Shenzhen and subsidiaries all
over Europe.
“We deliver consistent products to
clients’ factories all over the world,” says
director Pelle Johansson. “Wherever
they are, clients are assured they get the
same quality, finish or colour of
accessories for their garments.”
Satisfying Asia’s growing appetite
for dependable and trendy outdoor
apparel, Wasa aggressively expands
into new business territories with the
launch of Cross sportswear.
It seeks distributors with extensive
networks in golfing communities to help
it promote the upscale golf and ski wear
brand.
“It’s easy to make cheaper products
and find shortcuts to capture a bigger
market, but Wasa is about being
consistent in producing reliable products
that make customers feel safe,”
Neuendorff says. “Buyers in Asia can
feel secure about our quality.”
Breakwater developer makes
breakthrough in floating structures
With a history of almost 100 years of
pioneering concrete pontoons and
floating breakwater systems, SF Marina
System continues to push boundaries
with its latest projects around the world.
The company’s latest floating
breakwater in Turkey will be 10 metres
wide, 40 metres long and 3.6 metres high
– twice as large as the biggest of its kind.
“We have come a long way from when
we developed the very first breakwater,”
says president Lars Odhe. “It’s very
important to keep developing technically.”
SF Marina has also formed a joint
venture in Croatia for the construction of
seaplane terminals that will ease travel
for commuters between cities. The
terminal network will be operational next
year with the potential for expansion into
Italy and other global markets.
SF Marina’s concrete pontoon and
breakwater technology supports a variety
of leisure-related and commercial and
infrastructure projects. It is found at the
floating marina in Nynäshamn in
Stockholm, a floating clubhouse in
Denmark, a pontoon in Abu Dhabi and a
quay in Barcelona with incorporated
shipyards. The company also laid the
foundations for Salt & Sill, Sweden’s firstever floating hotel, and the floating village
of Marinstaden in Stockholm.
In executing such projects, SF Marina
values its working relationships with
partners. “We have the competence for
floating homes but we need local
participation,” Odhe says.
SF Marina seeks partners to help
widen its global distribution, which also
reaches Asian countries such as South
Korea. It also looks forward to expanding
its operations in China. As the company
continues to find new applications for its
systems, SF Marina remains committed to
developing its products as an industry
leader. It is set to launch a new product
for the general marina market by the end
of this year.
Lars Odhe, president
Rapid Granulator perfects plastic recycling
return on their investment,”
While it takes plastics
says managing director
thousands of years to
Magnus Titusson.
decompose, granulators
Rapid’s patented opengrind them in seconds for
hearted technology allows
recycling. Used primarily by
easy access into the
plastic injection, blow
machines’ core for quick
moulding and extrusion
cleaning and maintenance.
facilities, these machines
Its cutter house design
allow manufacturers to
provides excellent grip for
reuse the full value of plastic
oversized items while knives
wastes and rejects. Such is
Magnus Titusson,
set precisely in the range of
the commitment of Rapid
managing director
0.2 to 0.3mm apart produce
Granulator, the leading
perfect granules with the
supplier of size-reduction
least effort.
solutions for the global plastic industry.
“We configure each granulator
“Our products’ unique design and
system to match our clients’ specific
performance give our clients a good
applications to promote unsurpassed
efficiency,” Titusson says.
Rapid introduced the closed-loop
system setting the granulators in line with
the plastic injection machines to avoid
contamination. Other clients choose
centralised granulators on a separate
floor, thereby requiring conveyors that
drop off the plastic into a chute beneath a
hole on the production floor. Rapid also
offers dust separation, metal detection
and noise control.
With more than 70 years of
experience, the Swedish company has
pursued a global footprint for some time.
Clients such as Delphi and Colgate in the
international scene and Akei and Ningbo
Shengjie in China rely on Rapid’s product
lifecycle support from about 90
distributors. With production facilities
worldwide, including one in China with
partner Conair, Rapid has produced more
than 70,000 highly customised machines
for more than 150 countries.
Keen on working with original
equipment manufacturers and agents
worldwide, especially in China, Rapid
welcomes companies focusing on
premium machines.
“We offer China our best product
portfolio,” Titusson says. “Our
manufacturing base there will also
reduce lead times and costs across the
region.”
MJP boosts regional presence with Singapore office
heavy-duty quality and an
Combining traditional
entrepreneurial spirit for
Swedish quality with the
world-class service,” says
best minds in
Hans Andersson, executive
hydrodynamics, Marine Jet
vice-president for global
Power (MJP) has created
sales and marketing at MJP.
the fastest yet most fuelThe company offers the
efficient waterjet engines
whole range from pod
known worldwide. The
waterjets for amphibians to
company’s acquisition of
the 15-megawatt MJP
military marine jet
Compact Steering
propulsion expert Ultra
Hans
Andersson,
Unit model.
Dynamics last year
executive viceSpecialising in
completes its range of
president, global
aluminium and stainless
waterjet systems, lending
sales and marketing
steel engines that satisfy
MJP a stronger global
rigorous government
presence, especially in
applications such as those of the
Asia, which is its biggest market.
Swedish and South Korean coast guards,
“We have built our reputation on
MJP waterjets can run for thousands of
three core attributes – high performance,
hours without fail. These engines are the
first in the industry to come with a
five-year warranty. Catering to all other
vessel types such as ferries and luxury
yachts, MJP also fabricates complete
control systems.
The company’s engineers are
equipped to remotely diagnose MJP
engines, which are all upgradeable. With
a network of more than 30 agents
overseas, including India, Taiwan, Hong
Kong and the mainland, the company
boasts round-the-clock total customer
support.
The company enters another
milestone in Asia, as it will open an office
in Singapore by the end of this year to
handle sales, technical support and
spare parts supply.
Global companies can
achieve growth through
modular architecture
Scanacon makes acid
management commercially
viable in the region
Modular architecture is placing an
increasing number of companies
at the forefront of their industries.
A cross-functional product design
and manufacturing approach,
modularity improves a company’s
competitiveness as it solves
complex problems and improves
business efficiency.
Taking operational and
developmental efficiency to the
next level for companies, Modular Alex von Yxkull,
president and CEO
Management built a systematic
tool to implement easily the
modular philosophy in organisations.
“Customers come to us when they encounter a business
complexity that they can’t handle,” says Alex von Yxkull,
president and CEO. “We apply modularity as the medicine for
this. It then becomes the principle for these companies to run
their businesses.”
Applying modularity as a foundation for tailoring products to
the needs and requirements of customers, Modular
Management works with high-volume companies to multiply
product variants while shortening production times. Modular
Management’s implementation of Whirlpool’s product
architecture, for instance, has significantly reduced inventory
levels and total costs, and achieved a leaner overhead
structure for the global appliance maker.
Modular Management also applies the same technology
to support the needs of low-volume, engineer-to-order
companies, including service and software firms. It offers
pre-designed modules and systems that minimise complexity
and time-to-market while reducing costs by as much as
5 per cent annually for companies.
More than a management consultant, Modular
Management acts as a problem-solver for all types and scales
of companies. Its offerings range from strategy, architecture
development, supply chain and production set-ups to
calculation of implementation effects.
Having worked on more than 70 projects with global
companies such as Trane, Dynapac, Whirlpool and Volvo,
Modular Management’s experience is unparalleled. It supports
the demand for strategic management consulting in Asia by
establishing an office in China and employing Chinese-speaking
professionals for smooth co-operation.
“Modularity is a tool for us to connect European and Asian
companies,” von Yxkull says. “We want to make a difference
with such specialist competence.”
Acid management technologies
that reduce the environmental
impact of steel production benefit
large-scale players, but are
traditionally costly for small- to
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
As a global leader in acid
management, Scanacon is
changing this dynamic with tailormade modular systems that are
also commercially viable for SMEs.
Stig Lundström, CEO
“The return on investment is
and president
typically less than a year, while
ensuring environmental
responsibility,” says Stig Lundström, CEO and president of
Scanacon.
Such quick payback is due to optimised productivity in the
annealing and pickling lines (APLs) where Scanacon’s systems
reduce acid use, wastewater generation and nitrate emission,
and promote manpower safety. These improve line uptime and
the surface quality of finished products, making Scanacon the
reliable partner of industry heavyweights including Asian
players such as Taiyuan Iron & Steel (TISCO), POSCO, Nippon
Steel & Sumikin Stainless Steel, Baosteel and Jindal Stainless.
Scanacon drives innovation through continuous
collaboration with clients to ensure the operational integrity of
its installations – from design consulting, pilot-testing and
maintenance to cost-effective upgrading.
Breaking new ground with acid management solutions for
refineries, metal recovery and the production of special metals
such as titanium and zirconium, Scanacon is seeing wide
adoption of its technology in China. Baoji Titanium Industry,
among the world’s largest titanium producers, has
commissioned next-generation equipment. Four new APLs at
TISCO, the world’s largest stainless steel producer, will be fitted
with Scanacon systems. Smaller privately owned steel
producers are also turning to Scanacon to improve their APL
productivity.
Scanacon is helping ease more cost barriers in Asia. The
company offers upgrade kits that would allow clients to improve
systems without the need for substantial investment. It is also
working with local environment authorities on financing options
for SMEs.
“More companies will pursue acid management when they
realise the potential for productivity gains and responsible
environmental care,” Lundström says.
Scanacon welcomes partnerships to help engineer
projects throughout Asia.
“We are working closely with the
market as we build opportunities across
the region,” Andersson says.
In line with this strategy, MJP
welcomes sourcing partners from Asia
for components such as machine
castings, hydraulic parts and electronics.
The company is also open to
partnerships with manufacturers that can
replicate the distinct quality work that
goes into every MJP waterjet engine.
to lay the groundwork for a
More than 1 billion mobile
high-volume network in
phone users in China and an
Hong Kong, which will
information and technology
permit Hutchison to offer
boom in Southeast Asia are
more products and
driving the need for faster
services.
video and download
“Working with
capacity. At the same time,
Hutchison is a milestone
businesses need increased
for us in the region,” says
bandwidth to support the
CEO Karl Thedéen.
exchange of vast amounts of
Transmode also works
information between
Karl Thedéen, CEO
with established partners
datacentres. To help
in the Asia-Pacific,
businesses adapt to such
including Opnet in Taiwan, Radmik
trends, Transmode Systems provides
Solutions and VADS in Malaysia and
packet optical network solutions for fibre
NEC Corporation of Japan.
optic networks.
Having established its footprint in the
Transmode has successfully
region with these partners and other
implemented its solutions into the
customers such as FarEasTone of
networks of more than 500 clients
Taiwan and Fiberail of Malaysia,
worldwide, including leading Asian
Transmode will continue to expand in the
telecommunications companies.
region.
Hutchison Global Communications, for
“We’re supplying equipment for the
instance, selected Transmode last April
superhighways of the information
society,” says Ola Elmeland, vicepresident for marketing and investor
relations. “Those superhighways are
built by many kinds of operators that
serve different needs.”
Transmode’s solutions can support
data traffic build-ups in urban areas. By
using wavelength division multiplexing
technology, these solutions increase the
functionality and cost efficiency of a
client’s network. Clients that choose
Transmode can easily scale the size and
capacity of their networks as needed.
Transmode’s solutions are
particularly suited to meet Asia’s demand
for increased mobile data capacity with
lower power consumption, allowing
clients to provide an enhanced user
experience with fewer delays.
“We work with the client’s business
and prove that we can help them to win
more customers,” Thedéen says.
Securing production lines with
wide array of fasteners
clients when they need to
Having constant access
restock certain products.
to a wide assortment of
The Kam-Mera is part
components is crucial for
of Mattssons’ point-and-fill
assembly lines, as a missing
system, which includes
part could cost companies
wireless barcode
valuable time and money.
scanning over the internet
Boasting 130,000 products in
and a direct link to
its portfolio, one of the
Mattssons’ ordering
largest selections in
system.
Scandinavia, fastener expert
Going the extra mile in
Mattssons ensures that it
Ingvar Mattsson,
serving its clients’ specific
can consistently deliver
managing director
requirements, Mattssons
products and services to
taps its global network
clients anytime.
to source products it may not have
Providing more than bolts, screws,
in its portfolio.
washers, nuts, keys and retaining rings,
“We have the logistics tools to get
Mattssons also delivers cutting-edge
products to the shelves efficiently. We
logistics solutions to help clients manage
can be a partner from the wire to the
large quantities of components.
assembly shelf,” says managing director
One of Mattssons’ innovations is the
Ingvar Mattsson.
Kam-Mera, a revolutionary monitoring
Branching out of Sweden,
system that checks inventory and alerts
Mattssons is looking to further its growth
in China. It has established an office in
Hangzhou to serve the needs of
European customers with operations
on the mainland.
The Hangzhou office is also a
logistics hub for Mattssons’ sourcing and
marketing operations. Providing the
same level of service it offers in Sweden,
Mattssons positions itself as a partner to
help European customers grow their
business in China.
Mattssons opens its doors to
partnerships with dealers and suppliers
that have extensive experience in
fasteners and logistics as it aims to
replicate its success in Sweden. The
company also pursues local talents to
gain traction in the Chinese market.
“In five years, we want to be as big
in China as we are in Sweden,”
Mattsson says.
iStone’s integrated, value-added
solutions redefine business intelligence
solutions within existing
Booming economies in
systems. Focusing on M3,
Asia are stimulating
SAP and Microsoft
businesses globally, but
Dynamics AX programs, it
only those with stable, welladds information flow and
integrated enterprise
data integration to the
systems are flourishing
traditional ERP model to
beyond their potential. The
manage the internal and
key is finding not just the
external flows of business
right business intelligence
information between
products, but a partner who
disparate applications.
turns such business tools
Markus Jakobson,
“iStone brings together
into decision-making,
CEO
the best systems and adds
profit-generating
value through in-depth
investments.
expertise to provide best-of-breed
Business systems trading house
business intelligence,” says CEO
iStone Group was founded on this
Markus Jakobson. “Our clients take
concept, helping clients navigate several
advantage of a suite of products through
systems and efficiently transform
a single, long-term point of contact that
complex data into useful, well-organised
delivers solutions and services wherever
output – be it for decision-making,
they are.”
business development or project
iStone quickly expanded from a
management. Its enterprise resource
Stockholm consultancy firm in 2007 by
planning (ERP) system, for instance, links
acquiring and building specialised yet
other business systems and integrates
seamlessly co-ordinated companies –
creating a distinctive structure that has
become the group’s edge over
information technology companies. It
has since followed its nearly 500 clients
to Europe, the United States, Australia,
Chile, India and China.
The group has also partnered with
other industry leaders, including SAP,
Hybris, Microsoft, Infor, IBM, EPiServer
and QlikView. Among its biggest clients is
the Norwegian-Chinese company Elkem,
with which it has integrated systems that
are slated for a worldwide rollout due to
their success. To support Swedish and
international customers on the mainland,
iStone has opened a Shanghai office.
“iStone is an innovative, futurethinking and collaborative service
company,” Jakobson says. “We seek
like-minded network partners to help
clients get the most of their business and
peripheral systems through internetbased and e-commerce solutions.”
S6 Friday, October 11, 2013
SPECIAL REPORT: SWEDEN COUNTRY REPORT
Piezo LEGS positions for
success with microprecision
A
s many products become
smaller, manufacturers
increasingly require
mechanisms able to execute
movements that are
thousands of times smaller than a
millimetre. As a world leader in
piezoelectric technology, PiezoMotor,
based in Uppsala, Sweden, provides the
precise micro and submicro control
manufacturers need to improve
their products.
“We are becoming involved with
more people who come to us saying that
they need our solutions,” says CEO
Johan Westermark. “We have the
building blocks for new products.”
Used for positioning tiny components
with pinpoint accuracy, piezoelectric
motors are more accurate than
Johan Westermark, CEO
traditional direct current and stepper
motors in applications such as
optical and medical devices, and
semiconductor manufacturing.
“Our company’s motto is ‘simplicity in
motion’,” says Anders Larsson, sales and
development manager. “With
PiezoMotor products, you can simplify
your design and continue to improve
performance without having to change
your motion solution.”
Easily adaptable to clients’ needs,
the company’s proprietary Piezo LEGS
technology can be used outside
the range of typical piezoelectric motor
applications.
Named for its several leg-like
structures that move a tiny object when
voltage is applied, Piezo LEGS is able to
lift as much as 50 kilograms with
absolute precision.
PiezoMotor’s smallest rotary motor,
Piezo LEGS LR17, is 17 millimetres in
diameter and can hold a position without
using any power – reducing cost and
energy consumption.
“Our piezomotors may look simple,
but they meet many parameters,” says
marketing manager Olle Lindkvist.
To introduce its technology to more
Asian industries, PiezoMotor seeks
distribution partners throughout the
region. PiezoMotor partnered with North
River Corporation in May to distribute its
products in Taiwan, where it has a
representative office in addition to its
representations in Japan, South Korea
and Singapore.
PiezoMotor is also present in China
through its relationship with miniature
and micro-drive technology provider
FAULHABER, which has several offices
and will distribute PiezoMotor products
next year.
Malmberg brings biomethane
technology into China
Safegate docking guidance
systems ease airport congestion
When master blacksmith Jöns
Mattisson-Malmberg drilled his first
water-well 147 years ago in Yngsjö,
Sweden, he began the legacy of
creativity and reliability that Malmberg
has maintained as a global clean
technology leader. Across five
generations, the company has built its
reputation as a dependable provider of
turnkey products and services for
drilling, water treatment, geoenergy and
biomethane purification.
“Pure energy, clean water and a
constant focus on caring for our planet
and its resources are the key messages
of our products and services,” says
CEO Per Malmberg.
One of Malmberg’s many projects is
the world’s largest geothermal heating
and cooling system for Stockholm
Arlanda Airport. Producing 40 kilowatthours (kWh) of cooling energy for every
kWh of input electricity, the facility cools
half a million cubic metres of space and
reduces carbon emissions by
65 per cent. The plant saves 19 gigawatthours per year and reduces CO2
emissions by 7,000 tonnes annually.
Malmberg has also built one of every
three biomethane plants worldwide.
Introducing water-scrubber technology
to the industry in 1997, the company’s
COMPACT system uses only water and
electricity to produce 98 per cent pure
methane. Research organisation
Fraunhofer has ranked COMPACT the
most cost-efficient system of its kind
worldwide. With a lifespan of about 25
Capacity expansion is increasingly
becoming a challenge in Asia, where
surging trade and tourism have led to
airport congestion. Airport authorities
are turning to the Safegate Group for
technological solutions that minimise the
ground time of aircraft, allowing them to
serve more travellers and decrease
operational costs.
“More and more are looking to
extend their existing infrastructure
through our automated systems,”
says Stephen Rutland, general manager
of Safegate International and Safegate
Group deputy managing director.
“We help them increase aircraft
movement every hour at their airfield
without having to build new gates,
taxiways or a runway. That adds up to
thousands of passengers every day
and quite a lot of customer revenue
over a year.”
Safegate holds about 80 per cent of
the global market for aircraft docking
guidance systems, a laser-based
automatic system that ensures safe
parking of aircraft around designated
airport gates.
With airport lighting control
and monitoring systems and control
tower software solutions in its core
offering, Safegate provides total
solutions for next-generation airport
traffic management.
As a long-term technological partner,
it enables aviation industry players to
gradually implement full automation
based on the Advanced Surface
Per Malmberg, CEO
years, each plant can be accessed
online for round-the-clock support.
“Our unique brand and technology
platform have been proven in the market
in terms of environmental, social and
economic perspectives,” says Erik
Malmberg, Per’s son and export director
for Malmberg’s biogas business.
Malmberg has built six water
treatment facilities in China and is
introducing biogas technology to help
recycle wastes and cut carbon
emissions. With Hainan Chengmai
Shenzhou Vehicle Biogas, Malmberg will
start producing biomethane this year.
The capacity of the plant is similar to the
biggest plants in Germany.
“Together with existing and potential
partners, we are expanding with strong
products into new markets in Asia,”
Erik Malmberg says.
Stephen Rutland, general
manager, Safegate International
Movement Guidance and Control
System, the upcoming international
standard for air navigation safety.
Safegate has worked at all major
hubs in Asia including Beijing, Shanghai,
Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau,
Bangkok and the leading airport in
Southeast Asia. With an established
technical service centre in Beijing,
Safegate has also helped modernise
smaller airports in Hefei, Hangzhou,
Fuzhou and Xiamen, and aims to serve
the top 50 airports on the mainland.
The company is expanding in
Southeast Asia, where it has offices in
Malaysia and Indonesia. It welcomes
partnerships with local industry players
to extend its service and distribution
reach in the region.
“Our priority is to expand our local
network to ensure our global 24-hour
support in Asia,” Rutland says.
Sponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports
Titania Group woos real
estate investors in Asia
The most comprehensive construction
and installation group in Stockholm
invites Asian investors to join in its
journey towards further growth. Marking
its 10th anniversary of consolidating
expertise in all aspects of building and
renovation, Titania Group is ready to
assist Asian investors entering
Stockholm’s booming real estate market.
“We can help investors with local
knowledge because we know how the
system works and we have experience
from several projects,” says CEO
Einar Janson.
Sweden’s Royal Dramatic Theatre
and the Skogskvarteren residential
suburb by the Ullna Strand are among
Titania’s high-profile projects. The
company ensures quality and maintains
control in every project with integrated
services including property selection and
purchase, design, development, selling
and brokering. Titania focuses on
renovations such as converting offices
into residential apartments and on
Einar Janson, CEO
updating plumbing systems using a
relining technique which does not require
changing the existing pipes.
“We have the whole range, and that’s
quite unique in Sweden,” Janson says.
“Our core competence is to take total
responsibility in a project.”
This responsibility includes assuring
investors of Titania’s reliability in
managing long- and short-term
investment opportunities with low risk
and high returns for investors who are
particularly looking to Stockholm.
Stockholm’s high income level, housing
shortage and projected population
increase of 500,000 residents by
2030 make it an ideal location for
inbound investments.
“There are good investment
opportunities in Stockholm but a shortage
of possibilities to finance them,” Janson
says. “We want to make personal
connections that make investors feel they
can rely on us.”
Titania looks forward to building
these firm relationships with Asian
investors and with housing development
companies in China that are interested in
knowledge exchange and sourcing
partners for materials. These
relationships will help drive Titania’s
business development plans, which
include constructing buildings from the
ground up by next year.
Sino-Swedish environmental co-operation
for sustainable cities grows stronger
offices for business support.
With expertise in
Working in synergy, they
environmental technology,
serve as a bridge between
Sweden spearheads key
Swedish companies looking
eco-city projects and
into the market and the
maintains active contacts
Chinese government
with more than 10 cities
leaders and industry
throughout China,
players.
promoting sustainable
“We establish highurban solutions. Two
level networks with Chinese
important areas undergoing
transformation are
Mats Denninger, high city officials and key
contacts for industrial,
Tangshan for the
representative
educational and research
Tangshan Bay project and
co-operation, and co-ordinate with
Wuxi New District.
Swedish
actors
for business collaboration
Through a special co-ordination
and development,” says high
agency in Stockholm, Sweden has
representative Mats Denninger.
mobilised various agencies to increase
To achieve energy conservation and
export of environmental technology,
energy efficiency and infrastructure to the emissions reduction outlined in China’s
12th five-year plan, the Guangzhou
mainland. These include the Swedish
provincial government takes the lead in
Embassy in Beijing, including the Center
south China by promoting low-carbon and
for Environmental Technology focused on
green concepts and integrated control of
sustainable urban development,
urban and rural environments.
the consulate general offices in Shanghai
With a great interest in the holistic
and Hong Kong, and Business Sweden
Swedish perspective towards urban
development as described in the
SimbioCity concept, China has sought
Swedish co-operation and solutions for
sustainable cities. Thematic areas include
air and water cleaning, waste
management, renewable energy, energy
efficiency, and sustainable urban
planning and transport systems.
Sweden has contributed substantially
to the Tangshan Bay eco-city planning,
which includes drainage systems to deter
groundwater flows and a sewage
treatment facility to purify and treat
wastewater, increasing biogas
production. Spanning an area of 2.4km,
the Wuxi New District project includes
residential and commercial buildings,
office spaces and a stadium, with district
heating and cooling solutions and
efficient mass transit system.
“Swedish companies are preferred
business partners for projects with
potentially high environmental
performance,” Denninger says.
OneMed delivers precise medical
and distribution knowledge
as a bridge between
Home to about half the
manufacturers and patients
world’s elderly, Asia is a key
by relaying actual market
destination for health
needs to product
service providers and
companies. OneMed
medical supply companies,
packages information from
and OneMed – northern
manufacturers and makes it
Europe’s leading medical
readily accessible to patient
supplies distributor – is
care providers through its
keen on sharing its health
integrated information
care logistics expertise in
technology platforms.
the region.
Johan Falk, CEO
Simplifying an
Backed by extensive
institution’s supply ordering process,
product knowledge and distribution
OneMed’s distribution system provides
know-how, OneMed dispenses more
product combinations and
than 40,000 lightweight and disposable
recommendations tailored to the specific
medical consumables to municipalities,
daily needs of various patient care areas.
physicians and hospitals all over Europe.
This approach results in significant cost“We are not only successful in
savings, efficient processes and better
distributing products, but in delivering the
quality of life.
items in the fastest and smartest way,”
“Putting ourselves in the customers’
says CEO Johan Falk.
More than a distributor, OneMed acts position, we understand what they
need, the accurate quality level of what
they need and how they buy it,” Falk says.
In addition to representing a number
of respected brands such as SCA,
Coloplast, Mölnlycke Health Care,
Attends and 3M, the company sells and
markets products under its private labels
evercare, SELEFA and BATIST. As a
springboard to serve Asian markets,
OneMed seeks independent suppliers
competent in product development, and
invites health care providers to tap into its
elderly care expertise.
“We want to help elderly care
providers in China improve their
services,” Falk says. “What we offer Asia
is packaged competence for the health
care category built on a reliable IT
platform. We want to be a long-term
partner that maximises cost savings for
private and public medical institutions,
and increases quality of life for patients.”
SHL stays ahead of health care
and biotech revolution
“Our specialised tooling
Recognised for its
engineers design tools for
significant contributions
manufacturing parts and
to the global health care
equipment,” says Åke
industry, SHL Group
Karlson, managing director
combines Swedish
of SHL Healthcare, one of
technological innovation
the group’s subsidiaries.
and design with the
SHL synergises the
manufacturing strengths
strengths of each
and skilled workforce of
subsidiary, which also
Greater China.
Åke Karlson,
includes SHL Medical, SHL
The world’s largest
managing director
Technologies, SHL Pharma
privately owned designer,
and SHL Ventures.
developer and
A committed partner of global brands
manufacturer of drug-delivery systems,
such as Handicare and Invacare, SHL
SHL has earmarked HK$310 million this
Healthcare manufactures medical slings
year to expand production facilities in
for patients with limited mobility. Its
Taiwan. It operates nine production
innovative alternating pressure mattress
centres in Taiwan, one on the mainland
systems prevent and treat pressure sores.
and in the United States. SHL’s top-notch
Other products include rehabilitation
facilities guarantee continuous
beds, medical soft goods and advanced
production flow and quality control.
drug-delivery devices such as autoThe company creates machinery for
production, automation, tooling, assembly, injectors and pen injectors.
Working with leading
in-house moulding, welding, fabricating,
biopharmaceutical companies, SHL
sewing, metrology and much more.
Healthcare benefits from SHL Medical’s
expertise as the market leader in autoinjector technology.
With enhanced safety features and
novel designs, SHL’s devices, such as its
patented Disposable Auto Injector, have
become benchmarks within the industry.
Pen injectors, such as the
Precision Pen Injector, are designed for
small but highly accurate doses while
still being able to deliver a highly
viscous medication.
SHL hones its expertise in
customising health care system solutions
through close collaboration with clients. It
maintains research and development
facilities in Sweden, the US, Taiwan and
on the mainland.
To assure continued success, SHL
seeks partners with local expertise. “We
are looking for local suppliers with
reliable delivery performance and quality
to help us meet market requirements and
to support SHL Heathcare operations,”
Karlson says.
Mercodia delivers uncompromising
accuracy with specialised ELISA kits
we have been fulfilling
Accuracy that is never
since 1991, when
compromised, from the
Mercodia’s founder, Erling
laboratory bench to a
Holmlund, envisioned highpatient’s bedside – this is
quality ELISA products that
the guarantee that comes
cannot fail.”
with every product and
Mercodia exports
service from the worldELISA kits to more than 100
leading immunoassay kit
countries, including China,
developer, manufacturer
where diabetes and
and distributor Mercodia.
cardiovascular diseases
Mercodia specialises
in enzyme-linked
Mona Österberg, CEO are fast-growing health
concerns. It also provides
immunosorbent assay
commissioned services as
(ELISA) for clinical and
a one-stop immunoassay partner to
research applications, particularly within
research institutions, universities and
the areas of diabetes, obesity and
health care leaders such as Sanoficardiovascular diseases.
Aventis and AstraZeneca.
“Running the same samples with an
Showcasing this innovativeness is
easy-to-use Mercodia ELISA kit in
Mercodia’s glucagon ELISA kit, which is
Stockholm, Hong Kong, Madrid or
expected to break new ground as the
anywhere else will give you the same
most accurate and specific assay of its
result – today or in the next 10 years,”
kind. Launched last month, it is projected
says CEO Mona Österberg.
to boost sales for Mercodia, which
“That is the kind of accuracy,
invested extensive resources, years of
repeatability and usability promise that
hard work and in-depth research
in the project.
The assay is distinct since it only
requires as little as 25 microlitres of
sample, and it is highly specific to
glucagon, which some researchers
believe can revolutionise this field
of research.
For developing new applications and
improving existing products, Mercodia
has partnered with California-based
clinical research institute Profil in April,
aiming to enhance diabetes and obesity
clinical trials.
Present in Asia since 1998, Mercodia
is pursuing emerging markets including
China, and is keen on finding local
partners that share its scientific
interests, values and passions.
“We look forward to developing
more assays and expanding our
services,” Österberg says. “We have a
big knowledge base that we are
eager to grow and share through
high-quality relationships.”