Friday, November 4, 2011

SWEDEN COUNTRY REPORT

SPECIAL REPORT

INSIDE: 8-PAGE SPONSORED SECTION IN CO-OPERATION WITH DISCOVERY REPORTS

Swedish brands such asIkea, H&M, Volvo andEricsson have becomehousehold names, whileSwedish engineering

brilliance, especially in the cutting-edge telecommunications sector,continues to wow consumersworldwide.

A few decades ago, the countrywas a pioneer in opening up themobile phone market with itsingenious technologies. Its latest21st century innovation, Skype, hasredefined and improved onlinecommunication by enabling peopleto call each other for free over theinternet with visual images.

Engineering remains at the coreof the country’s hi-tech industry andeconomic structure, and propels theresearch and development (R&D)sector, says Jörgen Halldin,Sweden’s consul general in HongKong and Macau.

R&D and innovation will alwaysbe the strength of Swedishbusinesses, he adds. “Our hi-techindustry ranks very high on a globalscale and will remain the backboneof the country’s economy.”

Swedes are solution-orientedand highly thorough, which arenational characteristics thatunderpin the country’stechnological advancement.

The country’s exports for the firsthalf of this year amounted to aboutUS$95 billion, 11per cent up fromthe same period of 2010. Exportitems included mainly engineeringand telecom products, cars andindustrial vehicles.

Imports came to US$88 billionduring the first half of this year, up 10 per cent. They were mostly rawmaterials, fuels and engineeringproducts.

Foreign direct investment inSweden totalled US$30 billion lastyear, up from US$25 billion in 2009.

“It is a vast and sparselypopulated country, sotransportation, logistics andtelecommunications are utmostimportant to Swedes. That’s why wehave highly mature transport andtelecommunications sectors. It’s amatter of necessity because we needto cope with the geographicalcircumstances,” Halldin says.

As the third-largest country in

western Europe, Sweden has an areaof 450,000 square kilometres, morethan 400 times the size of HongKong. But it has a population of 9.4 million, which is not much largerthan Hong Kong’s 7 million.

Sweden is a trade-dependentand manufacturing-based nation. Itoffers an attractive business base inEurope as its general businesspractices are uncomplicated, fairand transparent. The workforce ishighly educated and skilled. Swedespay attention to details and quality,and the country boasts productsthat are of good quality andgenerally affordable.

The high connectivity rate isanother advantage. Almost everyoneuses the internet and the number ofmobile phone subscribers exceeded120 per cent of the population in2009.

Sweden also provides awelcoming environment foroverseas investors. Most Swedesspeak English, while the businessenvironment is accessible, fair andopen, Halldin says.

“We are not concerned aboutcheap labour and competitionelsewhere in the world becausequality beats it all,” he adds.

Though a member of theEuropean Union since 1995, Swedenhas not adopted the troubled eurocurrency. And thanks to solid publicfinances – reforms including taxreductions, government spendingcuts and measures to increase theflexibility of the labour market wereenacted in the 1990s – the countryfared better than its EU neighboursin the global economic crisis thatstruck in 2008.

Besides quality, Swedes attachgreat importance to equality ineverything they do, at work and inlife.

The work culture is characterisedby minimal hierarchy and aninformal workplace atmosphere.Everyone is valued and encouragedto speak their mind.

All Swedes can afford their ownhomes and land, no matter whatjobs they do and how much theyearn. The only difference will be thelocation of their homes. While thecheaper residences are further awayfrom the city, the quality of liferemains relatively high.

Swedes work hard but are alsoserious about striking a healthywork-life balance and have a greatlove of the outdoors, sports andnature.

The country has long had a richand diverse cultural scene,producing internationally acclaimedstars such as actresses IngridBergman and Greta Garbo, director

Ingmar Bergman, pop group Abba,author Stieg Larsson and manyothers.

The early settlement of Swedendates back to the Stone Age and thecountry has a long maritime tradinghistory. The foundations of themodern Swedish state were laid asfar back as the 16th century, and apolicy of neutrality spared thecountry the bloodshed of the twoworld wars.

Today Sweden is a very opensociety. It has a relatively high levelof immigration, with about 200nationalities among the population.Last year 19.1per cent of residentshad their roots outside Sweden. Thelargest foreign group is fromFinland, with 170,000 people, but inrecent years immigrants have comemainly from Iraq, Somalia andPoland.

Tourism is Sweden’s fastest-growing sector. “Nature tourism”remains its biggest attraction, withvisitors from around the worlddrawn by the country’s stunningnature and untouched wilderness.

Top of many travellers’ wish list isLapland, with its unique sceneryand once-in-a-lifetime experiencessuch as the midnight sun, the auroraborealis (northern lights) andwinter’s deep, pure Arctic chill.

In contrast to the solitude of thenorth is the buzz and bright lights ofSweden’s cities. The capital city ofStockholm has long been famed forits idyllic setting – sprawled across 14islands – and its rich culturalheritage. Today the city has alsobuilt a reputation as a global centreof dynamic design, cutting-edgefashion and innovative cuisine,music and art.

On the west coast, Sweden’ssecond-largest city, Gothenburg, hasplenty to offer with its unique styleof entertainment and culturalexperiences.

Cosmopolitan and bustlingMalmo, in the far south of thecountry, forms part of a thrivingmetropolitan region together withthe Danish capital, Copenhagen,with which it is linked by the mightyOresund Bridge.

Northern lights dazzleTechnological innovation andnatural beauty help define a vast country, writes Luisa Tam

Sweden’s beautiful capitalStockholm is sprawled across14 islands, while the midnightsun (below) is a naturalphenomenon in summer inScandinavian countries.

On the 25th anniversary of the SwedishChamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Iconvey my best wishes to the Chamber,as well as to all the partners and friendsof Sweden in Hong Kong.

This year marks a milestone for theSwedish Chamber of Commerce in HongKong. The Chamber has grown from 44founding companies in 1986 to 170today – quite an impressive figure for achamber representing businesses froma country of Sweden’s size! At the sametime, trade and investment flowsbetween Sweden and Hong Kong andthe number of Swedes residing in HongKong has grown accordingly.

Sweden and Hong Kong are bothvery open economies, and as such havelearned to benefit from the greatadvantages of international trade.

Swedish companies tend to gointernational very early on, which canbe witnessed in Hong Kong and thenearby region. This is one of the keyfactors behind Sweden’s economicstrength and competitiveness.

Other important factors are a high general education level, top-notch engineering skills and flatorganisational structures that allow forcreative workplaces. Swedenconsistently ranks among the world’stop nations in terms of innovation, ICTand competitiveness.

I am happy to note that two high-level delegations from Hong Kong havevisited Sweden in order to study issuessuch as public transportation, greentechnology and sustainabledevelopment. These are just a fewexamples of areas where we will seemore co-operation between Swedenand Hong Kong in future.

Finally, I would like to congratulatethe Swedish Chamber of Commerce inHong Kong, its members andmanagement for all that they haveaccomplished during their first 25years. I very much look forward toworking with the Chamber, Swedishbusinesses and all our partners in HongKong for the years to come.

Jörgen Halldin Consul General of Swedenin Hong Kong and Macau

MESSAGE

In 1950, Sweden became the firstWestern country to forge diplomaticrelations with the mainland andtrading ties between the two nationsdate back more than 300 years.

In the early days, Swedenimported porcelain, tea and silk inexchange for timber and iron, andby the 19th century began to exportmanufactured products to China.

Hong Kong has long been animportant trade partner and astepping stone for Swedishcompanies to do business with therest of Asia.

“Hong Kong ticks all the rightboxes when it comes to conductingbusiness; it’s an open and dynamicsociety, its business practices are fairand transparent, and it has a strongand effective legal system,” saysJörgen Halldin, consul general ofSweden in Hong Kong and Macau.

Sweden’s exports to Hong Kongamounted to US$340 million in thefirst six months of this year, 10 percent up from the same period last year, including mainlytelecommunications, hi-techequipment and furniture. But therewas a 4 per cent drop in importsfrom Hong Kong in the first half ofthis year that involved engineeringproducts and manufactured goods.

As the Swedish Chamber ofCommerce celebrates its 25th yearof promoting bilateral traderelations in Hong Kong today, it

should be proud that trade andinvestment between the two placesis steadily growing and that HongKong remains an important tradeand business hub for Sweden.

The Swedish community ofabout 1,000 comprises mostlybusinesspeople who are active indeveloping the mainland andregional markets.

Vice-chairman of the SwedishChamber of Commerce, NiclasMöttus Olsson, says Sweden’s stableand strong economy and its highlyeducated population and workforceare huge attractions for long-terminvestors worldwide.

“Whatever we do we do it well, soquality is the prerequisite and that’sa huge plus for overseas investors,”Olsson says. “And we have a verytransparent business environment –a handshake is a handshake.

“We are a nation founded onmanufacturing goods and thus R&Dand innovation are the backbone ofour economy.”

Hong Kong and Sweden have alot in common. Hongkongers andSwedes are both highly efficient,hard-working and entrepreneurial.The societies are similarly open, fairand diverse with a good mix of manydifferent cultures and immigrantswho have contributed to the successof the places, Olsson points out.

Swedes also take their job veryseriously and are very loyal to theircompanies. It is quite common for them to stay with the samecompany for 20 to 30 years.

As Sweden is known for its open,accessible and often informal workculture with an easygoingenvironment, punctuality andefficiency are highly valued.

“We also dislike conflicts at theworkplace and, like the Chinese, weput a lot of emphasis on givingpeople face and do not like to argue

openly,” says Olsson. Hong Kong, he adds, is the gateway to themainland and the rest of Asia, andwill remain an important tradingplatform for Sweden in the longterm because of its neutral positionin terms of politics and many otheraspects that make doing businessenjoyable and easy.

Tourism is also on a growthtrend. Last year, 54,590 people fromSweden visited Hong Kong, anincrease of 11.8 per cent comparedto the previous year.

There are significant educationalexchanges taking place. About 200 to 250 Hong Kong students are studying in Sweden and thereare 50 and 100 Swedish students in Hong Kong.

Most Swedish universitiesconduct their programmes inEnglish and they rank among someof the finest educational institutionsin Europe. They have plenty ofstudent exchange programmes andaward scholarships and grants foroverseas students. For Hong Kongresidents who want to studySwedish, a three-year certificatecourse is offered by the University ofHong Kong’s School of ModernLanguages and Cultures.

There’s increasingly close co-operation between Hong Kongand Sweden on the environmentalfront, with Hong Kong signing aSustainability Charter with the cityof Malmo to strengthen efforts topromote sustainable developmentand environmental protection.

HK still an important steppingstone for trade with Sweden

Like the Chinese,we put a lot ofemphasis on giving people face NICLAS MÖTTUS OLSSON, VICE-CHAIRMAN,SWEDISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Luisa Tam

Swedish companies are rightly seenas pioneers in many aspects ofcorporate social responsibility (CSR),recognising and accepting the widerobligations that are very much a partof international business.

“With size comes responsibilityand influence,” says Marcus Wilert,who heads CSR programmedevelopment in the Far East forfashion retailer H&M. “We do ourbest to ensure the clothes we offerhave been made, transported andsold under good working conditions,and with limited impact on theenvironment.”

Wilert notes that in a globaleconomy, it is not a question ofwhether companies like his shouldhave a manufacturing and salespresence in developing markets. Theissue is how to go about it. The goalmust be to set a positiveexample in eachcommunity andmake a long-termimpact that extendsbeyond productionor revenue targets.

To help eachdepartment findnew ways ofpromotingsocially and

environmentally sustainablepractices, the companyintroduced seven broadcommitments last year.

“By shifting the focusinternally, CSR is nowintegrated into everything wedo,” Wilert says.

“It is shared and managedby every department, whilehead office provides expertise

and support for the process.” H&M has joined the Fair

Wage Network to press for betterpayment for all workers acrossthe entire garment sector. “Thechallenge is to present our visionand goals and demonstrate[how the proposed action]links to our core business.Suppliers who see the value of

sustainability often make greatstrides to develop and improve theiroperations,” Wilert says.

Thommy Jarlefelt, Hong Kong-based managing director of ICAGlobal Sourcing, is similarlyconvinced of the need to regard CSRas fundamental gauge of what makesa good business.

As a participant in the UnitedNations Global Compact, hiscompany is alert to issues thatstretch from the observance ofhuman rights to anti-corruptionmeasures and protecting theenvironment.

“Sustainable development notonly means reducing our ownimpact on the environment andsociety, but also that of ourcustomers,” Jarlefelt says.

Pioneers of social responsibility

H&M’s Consciouscollection for autumnis made entirely ofenvironmentallyadapted materialssuch as organic hemp,recycled wool, organiccotton, organic linenand tencel.

ICA Global Sourcing carries out inspection work in food factories in China.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John Cremer

SPECIAL REPORTS2 Friday, November 4, 2011

Sponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports

Leisure can be more luxury thanlifestyle in today’s fast-paced world.Understanding this, the DometicGroup is raising the bar in providingthe utmost comfort and convenience

in land- and sea-related leisure activities.Working in close co-operation with clients indeveloping innovations, Dometic Group hasbecome one of the world’s leading providersof leisure products for the recreational vehicle(RV), automotive and marine segments.

Tracing its history back to 1922, DometicGroup has successfully harnessed technologyto develop innovative products in threebusiness segments.

As an original equipment manufacturer(OEM) for the RV segment, Dometic Group’sproducts include refrigerators, airconditioners, roof lights, blinds, doors andlighting systems. It also manufactures stoves,kitchen counters, portable coolers, awnings,sanitation systems, generators, travel power,inverters and chargers. The company alsoprovides after-market services, ensuringoperational efficiency for products.

The RV segment makes up 50 per cent ofDometic Group’s business. The first tomanufacture refrigerators for RVs, DometicGroup is a recognised pioneer in the RVindustry with a world market share of 70 to 75 per cent. The company marketsproducts under the Dometic and WAECObrands.

Testifying to the group’s expertise in theRV segment, every RV produced in Europe, theAmericas, Africa and Asia-Pacific has at leastone Dometic product on board. The group’sclient base includes Cruiser RV, Winnebago,Hymer Group, Knaus Tabbert Group andConcorde, among others.

“For RVs, traditional markets used to beWestern Europe, the Americas and Australia.We see growth, particularly in after-market,”says CEO Fredrik Möller. “On new markets,like China, there is a growth opportunity. We

have everything new manufacturers need tomake an RV and are the largest supplier forthis industry worldwide.”

Dometic Group’s marine segmentcomprises 10 per cent of the company’sbusiness. Under this segment, the groupmanufactures boat air conditioners, custom-chilled water systems, marine sanitationsystems, marine refrigerators and coolingunits and other galley products. Theseproducts are sold under the brand namesDometic, Marine Air, Cruisair, Condaria and SeaLand.

The company’s various marine productscan be found on boats of the Chinesecoastguard, Chinese customs, the UnitedStates navy, the Mexican coastguard and onmost of the pleasure boats requiring goodclimate on board.

Under the automotive segment, DometicGroup is a first-tier OEM in mobile refrigerationand mobile electronics. The groupmanufactures car accessories, rear-viewsystems, cruise control, comfort and safetysolutions and air conditioning service stations.

Dometic Group works with truck and carmanufacturers to design and customisevehicles for optimum performance. Key

customers in the truck market include Daimler,Paccar, Volvo, Renault, MAN and John Deere.In the car market, Dometic Group works withAudi, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Ford, LandRover, Porsche, Rolls-Royce and Volkswagen.

Apart from its three core segments,Dometic Group also has a retail division forbusiness-to-business and end-consumersales; a lodging division for marketingnoiseless and vibration-free refrigerators tothe hotel sector and the Leisure Tech divisionfor product development, production,warehousing, logistics and distribution.

With extensive sales and productionlocations worldwide, Dometic Group is bullishin pursuing international growth opportunitiesfor its businesses.

Aside from its growing RV market, themainland is an important manufacturinglocation for the company. “There are 3,000 RVsin China, but we see annual productionincreasing dramatically over the years,” saysRutger Wachtmeister, executive vice-president for marketing and sales.

Dometic Group has been active on themainland since 1991with 2,000 employees. It opened a sales office in Beijing and willopen another in Shanghai. It also hasmanufacturing facilities in Shenzhen and Zhuhai.

The company’s local presence helpsstrengthen ties with customers on themainland. The group’s Shenzhen factory, forinstance, supplies mobile refrigerators forAudi, BMW and Mercedes vehicles andequipment for Porsche, BMW and Bentley.

Looking to sell and manufacture moreproducts on the mainland, Dometic Groupseeks distributors to help establish a stablesales network. Apart from product sales, thecompany also seeks to increase after-marketservice sales to achieve its growth target of 80 per cent.

“We have driven the industries in whichwe are active with new products, new ideasand new technologies. We will continue doingso to achieve our aim of becoming a strategicpartner to our customers,” Möller says.

Dometic takes land, sealeisure to higher level

Fredrik Möller, CEO

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Reports by Elaine Deng and Anna Mori

Communicating a message clearly is crucialin building a successful brand. Global printingspecialist Elanders sees itself as a catalystthat helps its clientele get their message across to their target markets through printedmedia.

Elanders has more than a century ofexpertise in the printing industry and hasexpanded its products and services to includeinformation and marketing materials,packaging, manuals and product informationpamphlets. The company also offerspersonalised print materials, art and graphicsservices and translation services.

To support its clients’ internationalgrowth, Elanders expanded early to establishproduction units in key regions. Elanders ispresent in Brazil, Germany, Hungary, Italy,Norway, Poland, Sweden, Britain, the UnitedStates and on the mainland.

“We have developed from being a localSwedish printer to a global printingcompany,” says Magnus Nilsson, Elanderspresident and CEO. “It is natural for bigcompanies to choose Elanders because wecan serve them globally. We need to be ableto serve the global and local demands of ourcustomers so we built a company culture that

is a mix of Swedish and the local culture ofour target markets.”

Being a global company has enabledElanders to help its customers develop newmaterials. “If we do something special inBrazil that we think could be interesting forcustomers in China, we can show them,”

Nilsson says. “It is about management know-how. We can help clients with productand solutions development.”

Industrial customers make up the majorityof Elanders’ clientele. Elanders supplies toglobal automotive brands such as Volvo,BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Saab. Italso serves electronics heavyweights such asSamsung and Sony Ericsson.

Diversifying its product portfolio further,Elanders is expanding its solutions inpackaging. The company develops exclusivepackaging for its growing customer base inthe food, cosmetics and medical industries.This helps customers strengthen theirproducts and their brands. Elanders is alsoincreasingly catering directly to consumerswith personalised print products.

Elanders is committed to its mainlandbusiness for the future growth of thecompany. “We need to be strong in Chinabecause many of our customers are thereand we want to serve them the best way wecan,” Nilsson says. “China is a growingmarket and Chinese companies are nowgoing global. With our global network, we canhelp their expansion plans and service theirgrowing needs.”

Elanders evolves from local to global printing expert

Magnus Nilsson, president and CEO

The key success factors inbusiness-to-businesscontract manufacturing aredeep roots in industry andproduct developmentcapabilities. PartnerTech,Europe’s leading contractmanufacturer in machining,electronics, sheet metalworking and systemsintegration, has taken thebusiness to the next levelwith global reach.

“We have the Nordicreputation for quality andwe can bring it all over theworld,” says LeifThorwaldsson, president and CEO ofPartnerTech. “We make it possible forcustomers to focus on creating very goodideas and very good marketing. They cangrow much faster when they do it togetherwith us.”

Headquartered in Vellinge, Sweden,PartnerTech operates customer centres anddistribution points on the mainland and in theUnited States, Britain, Finland, Norway and

Poland, aside from thethree customer centres inSweden. With broadexpertise, it focuses ondefence and maritime,medical technology andinstrumentation, point ofsale applications, cleantechnology, industry andinformation technology.

The company providescustomised solutions, froma single process to a totalsolution, depending onclient needs. Its range ofservices includes sourcing,design, manufacturing,

logistics and after-sales. With its strategiclocations, PartnerTech enables clients to gainaccess to any market in the world by offeringproducts attuned to local demand.

“We are one of the few players withapplication knowledge about morecomplicated equipment,” Thorwaldsson says.“The backbone of our company is total qualitymanagement. You need to have this on a verygood level, especially for the defence and

medical industries, to be in this business. Oursis top-notch.”

This is why the company is also wellpositioned to ensure quality certification forits clients’ products and provides best valuewith full lifecycle product development. Itsbusiness proposition as a contractmanufacturer has always been to createoperational and cost efficiencies as clientsgrow.

PartnerTech is keen on expanding on themainland where it has a long-standingcollaboration with 3CEM for volumemanufacturing requirements. The companymaintains its own trading office in Hong Kongand a purchasing office in Chang’an,Dongguan. Production is done at 3CEM’sGuangzhou facility. It plans to hire more localengineering talent to build up systemintegration capabilities for a full marketlaunch.

“We have the resources in place todevelop, produce, sell and build up to a fullPartnerTech operation over there,”Thorwaldsson says. “We will expand at thepace of new businesses that are opening forour customers and for us. That is a win-win.”

Ideas take shape with PartnerTech’s B2B manufacturing

Leif Thorwaldsson, president and CEO

Addressing one of theworld’s biggest problems –the lack of toilet access for2.6 billion people –Peepoople’s mission is tosave lives by providinghygienic, dignified andaffordable sanitation to themost vulnerable.

The company’s answeris a self-sanitising andbiodegradable bag calledPeepoo, a simple yetinnovative solutiondesigned as a practicalsingle-use toilet thatprevents the incidence and spread of diseaseat the source. Each Peepoo measures 14x38centimetres, weighs 10 grams and contains athin gauze and urea powder inside the bag,which kills lethal disease-causing pathogensand enables efficient conversion into safefertiliser.

“Peepoople directlyaddresses lack ofsanitation, which causestremendous health andenvironmental problemsworldwide,” says CEOKarin Ruiz. “With specialemphasis on women andchildren, we focus onproviding safe and practicalsanitation in urban slums,schools, disaster relief andrefugee camps.”

Quickly obtainingpatents and gainingpositive response,

Peepoople initiated successful field tests inKenya, Bangladesh and Haiti. This wasfollowed by the first launch of a large-scaleproject involving 20,000 daily users in Kibera,Kenya, one of Africa’s largest informalsettlements.

With rapid and unsustainable growth of

many cities and frequent natural disasters,Asia stands out among Peepoople’s targetmarkets. Peepoo is ideally suited for disasterpreparation and relief, especially in urbanenvironments that have been struck byearthquakes or flooding. It is small,lightweight, and does not require a fixedinfrastructure or water.

“Mobile, flexible and rapidimplementation of a secure sanitation solutionis needed on a massive scale in the event of adisaster,” Ruiz says.

Peepoople works closely with localcommunities, governments and non-government organisations. It looks forward toco-operating with more partners that aim tomake a difference through social andfinancial support.

“We envision reaching out to millions ofpeople in the next five years, taking abusiness approach to solving big socialproblems and securing sustainability for thelong term,” Ruiz says.

Advancing global sanitation one Peepoo at a time

Karin Ruiz, CEO

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Friday, November 4, 2011 S3

SPECIAL REPORT: SWEDEN COUNTRY REPORTSponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports

Founded as an educational institution to fill the demand for well-educated employees of its surrounding industries and organisations,Mälardalen University has become aninternational campus with a “local-global”edge.

“This local-global connection is somethingthat is unique for us," says Karin Röding,Mälardalen University vice-chancellor. Thefirst university in the world to be awardedenvironmental certification, Mälardalen is oneof Sweden’s premier educational institutions.

Mälardalen’s partnership withhomegrown industry giants such as ABB,Ericsson and Volvo and foreign organisationsprovides students with real-life industryexperience. Its strong focus on technology,engineering and natural sciences allowsMälardalen to attract a steady number ofstudents from around the world. BeingSweden’s largest educator of nurses equallyopens up interesting co-operation with healthorganisations in the region and abroad.

Entrepreneurship is another strong focus

area of Mälardalen, which trains students to be innovative and equips them for higheremployability.

“There is a freedom in Swedish highereducation that students appreciate,” Rödingsays. “We give them the opportunity to explore

possibilities for their own entrepreneurialthoughts, innovative ways of thinking and howthey can be better by analysing and puttingtheir ideas into action.”

Mälardalen plans to share thisentrepreneurial strength with its foreignstudents. Apart from offering education inbachelor’s, master’s and doctorate levels, theuniversity also gives students the opportunityto create their own businesses with the help ofa variety of consultants and an incubatorservice.

More students from abroad arerecognising Sweden’s conducive learningenvironment. Mälardalen is leveraging on thisstrong interest by strengthening itspartnerships with East China University ofScience and Technology and ZhejiangUniversity in Hangzhou. It seeks to have morejoint studies with its partners and attract moremainland students to its programmes.

“It is important that we work thoroughlywith our partners,” Röding says. “We will findmore areas where we can co-operate.”

Karin Röding, vice-chancellor

Mälardalen University attractsstudents with local-global thrust

With rapid industrialisation and increasingdisaster risks for new and ailing infrastructurein Asia, MALÅ Geoscience is ramping upservices for ground penetrating radar (GPR)solutions.

“As legislation to manage and protectassets takes shape across Asia, MALÅGeoscience will provide technologies toensure infrastructure is safe – before, duringand after construction,” says NiclasIngemarsson, CEO of MALÅ Geoscience.

Backed by 80 years of geophysicalresearch and strong ties with mineralexploration in Europe’s premier zone, MALÅGeoscience leads innovation in the GPR fieldand is the global business leader with clients in113 countries.

GPR is used to create accuraterepresentations of the subsurface and has awide range of applications in industries suchas construction and mining. MALÅGeoscience equipment facilitatesmaintenance programmes and helpsdetermine project feasibility of civil works.Used in mining to quickly derive resourceestimates of mineral deposits, MALÅ

Geoscience’s GPR solutions have aidedmineral prospecting in Indonesia. Withtunnelling work on the mainland spanningabout 2,000 projects, including majorconstruction such as the Qinghai-Tibet railway,MALÅ Geoscience has a deep understandingof local infrastructure practices, giving it

headway for a broader role in the mainland’sindustrialisation.

GPR is also used in archaeology as a non-invasive tool for heritage explorations.MALÅ Geoscience’s 3D array solution hasfound fame with high-profile discoveries inBritain and Austria’s gladiator school ruins.

With additional applications spanninggeotechnical and environmental mapping,defence and advanced research, GPRsolutions help inform decision-making towardsreducing project costs, minimisingenvironmental damage and promoting public safety.

As infrastructure safety and inspectiongain traction in Asia, MALÅ Geoscience isbuilding up its local workforce to supportgovernments in the region and offer morecomprehensive training and after-salesservice to a growing clientele.

“The integration of GPR solutions into ourclients’ processes is essential to conductefficient, safe and cost-effective projects,”Ingemarsson says. With Asia ripe for GPRsolutions, MALÅ Geoscience hopes to furtheradvance quality enforcement in the region.

MALÅ Geoscience GPRsolutions ensure safety

Niclas Ingemarsson, CEO

Reliable service and technical expertise havemade Kvaser a highly trusted provider ofadvanced and cost-efficient controller areanetwork (CAN) solutions. Kvaser was one ofthe pioneers in the development of advancedcontrol systems.

CAN is a message-based protocol forserial communication, which was firstdeveloped by Bosch in 1986. Originallydesigned for the automotive industry, it hasbeen widely used in other applications suchas industrial automation, medical equipmentand mobile machines. It has resolved manydata consistency-related problems andprovided a wide range of benefits to its endusers.

“Whenever you make distributed controlsystems, the obvious choice is to base it onCAN,” says Lars-Berno Fredriksson, Kvaser’s co-founder and president.

Kvaser’s 25-year experience indeveloping CAN products has catapulted itas a top provider of CAN interfaces andsoftware. Kvaser’s interfaces are tailor-fit tothe technical requirements of its end-users

and provided by knowledgeable salesrepresentatives. Kvaser’s hardware uses thesame reliable application programminginterface (API), which makes it easier tointegrate its software to any product.

With its powerful API, Kvaser earned thetrust of partners and original equipmentmanufacturers. These include Sweden’sleading bus and truck manufacturer Scaniaand Mercury Marine of the United States.The company has also collaborated withAccurate Technologies, which uses itsinterface for the development of carcalibration software. Most European toolsuppliers in the automotive industry supportand use Kvaser products. Companies in theoil, factory automation, medical and off-roadindustries are also among Kvaser’scustomers.

Kvaser has partnered with six companieson the mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong.With the mainland seen as having a majorCAN industry, Kvaser will establish itssupport engineering team there to providelocal customers with on-time delivery and 24-hour support by qualified technicalassociates and sales representatives.

“When it comes to our products, clientscan always get support from us whereverthey have purchased,” Fredriksson says.

Kvaser leads in Controller Area Network solutions

Lars-Berno Fredriksson, co-founderand president

A personalised approach to service hasalways been at the heart of TerminusSpedition and Transport’s operations. As theleader in freight forwarding consolidationfrom the Far East to Gothenburg, Terminusdelivers services that create a positive andlasting impact on the overall business of itsclients.

Terminus provides end-to-endtransportation and logistics solutions,including sea and air freight, distribution,storage, customs clearance and door-to-doordelivery.

Since its establishment in 1987, Terminushas played a key role in facilitating traderelations between Sweden and Asia throughits import and export shipping services.

Terminus attributes its success to itsemployees’ dedication to their clients. “Wefoster relationships with our clients andpartners to provide personalised services,and adapt our services to the individualcustomer’s wishes and requirements,” says

customer concerns.” Given tight delivery schedules in the

forwarding industry, the company recognisesthe importance of quick turnaround time, notonly in terms of communication but also inactual service delivery. This is whereTerminus’ unique method of servicing itsclients has made a difference.

Building relationships with agents to forma strong global network has also helpedTerminus serve clients in many portsworldwide.

Terminus services eight ports in Chinawith direct consolidation service toGothenburg. These include Tianjin, Qingdao,Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Shenzhen,Guangzhou and Hong Kong. The company isalso present in Singapore, Bangladesh andThailand ports.

Historically focused on imports from theFar East, Terminus aims to leverage itsexisting agent partnerships to support itsgrowing export business.

managing director Stefan Augustsson. “Ouremployees are skilled in every step of thechain to ensure that they can always address

Stefan Augustsson, managing director

Terminus delivers personalised transport and logistics services

It takes more than creativity and an eye forcapturing vibrant images to get a perfect shot.Without proper equipment, even the mostpicturesque subject can appear lacklustre. As the world’s leading manufacturer ofphotography lighting systems, Profotoenhances a photographer’s vision with state-of-the art light shaping technology.

Profoto understands that photographersgo to great lengths in shooting photos and hasdeveloped intuitive and easy-to-use productsthat fit their workflow. The companyconstantly develops technologicalinnovations to ensure it stays ahead ofindustry trends.

“There are new ideas in the market all thetime,” says Anders Frölander, vice-presidentfor sales. “It is important for us to work withcustomers because they give importantinsights into new trends and feedback inimproving our portfolio.”

Profoto has three business segmentstargeting professional photographers. These

are rental and fashion photography,commercial photography and wedding andportrait photography. The rental and fashionphotography segment is the biggest revenue

driver for the company. Profoto holds two-thirds of the global market share for rentals.

Profoto markets its products in 50countries worldwide. “The most importantstep is working through distributors in eachcountry,” says area manager MichaelFryland. “We have a partner in each country.”

In line with its vision to be the No 1imported photographic light equipment brandon the mainland, the company seeks toincrease its global footprint throughpartnerships with distributors, particularly inAsia. Profoto has observed a big increase insales in China, South Korea and the rest of theregion. It aims to replicate the strategy itimplemented in other developed markets togain a major share in rentals.

“We strive to make our products availablein numerous stores for sale and for rent,”Frölander says. “It is crucial to have astronger presence in the region since we want to encourage more photographers to use our products.”

Capture photographs in a new light with Profoto

Anders Frölander, vice-president for sales

Setting its sights on Asia as the newdriving force for its core industries,Stena is intensifying its globaloperations as it fortifies its Asianties. The company is expanding its

capabilities in shipping, offshore drilling,property, finance, recycling, environmentalservices and trade.

One of Sweden’s largest family-ownedcorporate groups, Stena is targeting growingmarkets such as the mainland, where it hasbeen operating successfully for more than 50years.

“We aim to double businesses in Asiaevery year, and in turn, double our overallrevenues every five years,” says Stena CEODan Sten Olsson. “We see big opportunities inthe region and will pursue these through ourstrategic plans.”

The Stena Group comprises Stena, StenaSessan and Stena Metall, which togetherhave about 18,500 employees and annualrevenues exceeding HK$50 billion.

Wholly owned by the Sten A Olsson familysince 1939, the group has steadily growninternationally with subsidiaries acrossEurope, North America and Asia.

Stena has six active subsidiaries on themainland, specialising mostly in shipbuilding,waste handling solutions and related services.

It had several ships built in Dalian, and islooking forward to more repeat business withmainland shipyards.

It has also installed undergroundhousehold waste transportation systems inGuangzhou and the Tianjin Eco-City, andentrance control automatic doors for theGuangzhou Metro subway lines.

The company is active in thetransportation and tanker industries, countingSinopec and COSCO among its major clients.Anticipating further growth in oil

transportation, environmental and energysectors for the rest of Asia, Stena has drillingprojects in Malaysia and Indonesia.

“You have to be in the growing marketsand build a strong domestic position whereveryou are,” says managing director MartinSvalstedt. “It is important for us to employlocal people who know the way around thebusiness and incorporate Stena’s values. Thisensures that we deliver high quality beyondour customers’ expectations.”

Aiming to become part of such growth,Stena has developed close relationships withjoint-venture partners and establishedrepresentative offices in Beijing, Shanghai,Hong Kong and Singapore.

“We seek relationships where there can

be true added value as opposed to superficialvalue,” Olsson says. “Similarly with ourcustomers, we foster our relationship bylistening to them – understanding what theyneed and pioneering innovations and designsthat fit with a new meaning for them.”

Stena is also busy growing variousbusinesses in Europe and the United States.Among its accomplishments this year are thedelivery of four new passenger ferries for itsEuropean routes, deep-water drilling in the USand South America, and expansion of itstanker business. The only company that cansupply drill ships for harsh environments,Stena is developing a drill ship for Arcticoperations and has ordered seven additionalSuezmax tankers to boost its capabilities.

“We are proud to have earned the loyaltyof our customers,” Olsson says. “We carrymore than 40 million ferry passengers yearly,do repeat business for all major industries inScandinavia and Poland, and cater to oilmajors such as Chevron and Total.”

To support its expansion, Stena investsmore than HK$11.68 billion in new assets,companies, research and development (R&D)annually, a large portion of which goes to itsfastest-growing segment – recycling,environment and trading.

Emphasising its commitment to providecomplete waste handling solutions, thecompany continues to find ways to recyclenot only scrap and paper but also chemical,industrial and electronic waste. The largestelectronic waste processor in Europe, Stena spends about HK$50 million annually in developing new products from discardedmaterials.

Stena also strives to help expand the useof alternative energy sources, includingenvironment-friendly fuel and wind power. Itinstalls five to 10 windmills per year and willdouble this number in the future.

The company initiates extensive R&Dactivities in co-operation with industryplayers, local authorities and academicinstitutions, including Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg University, Linköping University, Lund University and the University of Kalmar.

“Similar to how the Chinese valuediligence and investment for the future, Stenaespouses the philosophy to work hard tosupport oneself, satisfy clients andemployees, and invest in society – with thenext generation always in mind,” Olsson says.“We want to grow while preserving ourvalues as a family company by continuing tocare for details, our clients and employees.”

Stena Sphere expands in Asia fortifying business ties

Dan Sten Olsson, CEO

With uncompromising commitment to quality,Precimeter Control’s key mission is tomeasure and control the flow of molten metalin an automatic casting system. Thecompany’s casting technology is used invarious industries worldwide.

Working with new methods to improvethe quality of metal casting, the hi-techcompany delivers great value to clients suchas aluminium manufacturer Sapa Group. “Byusing our equipment in the casting process,we enable our customers to use less metaland gain the best quality for their products,”says CEO and expert engineer JanStrömbeck.

There are several advantages to

implementing an automatic casting system forbusinesses in the foundry industry, such asBoeing and Airbus. It provides enhancedquality and safety, traceability andrepeatability, proper documentation of theprocess, raw material savings and evenbetter use of manpower.

“Using Precimeter’s technology, you needless metal or less thickness to get the samestability and quality, which means bigsavings,” Strömbeck says.

Precimeter constantly innovates, withabout 20 per cent of its revenues committedto research and development. The companyis developing a completely automated castingsystem, which integrates the metal flow

control, sensors and actuators in onemachine. It is also working on a furnace batchcontrol system that can measure the amountof metal burning inside the furnace.

The company has a representative officein Shanghai and has a growing list of clientson the mainland including Chalco HenanAluminum, Chalco Guangxi Aluminum andAsia Aluminum (China). The mainlandcontributes 5 to 10 per cent to Precimeter’sglobal sales and the company is looking into working with more Chinese companies in the future.

“We have many customers in China.More and more companies are realising greatgains in using our products,” Strömbeck says.

Precimeter raises quality in metal casting

Jan Strömbeck, CEO

S4 Friday, November 4, 2011

SPECIAL REPORT: SWEDEN COUNTRY REPORTSponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports

AarhusKarlshamn (AAK) aims to be part of takingthe Asian food industry to the next level withdirect access to high value-added specialitysolutions through a new sales office inShanghai.

As a global leader in the speciality vegetable fatsindustry, AAK brings about the beneficial effects of fat withits technological expertise and in-depth knowledge ofvegetable oils. It works with a multinational client base foreliminating transfats and reducing saturated fats in foodingredients and chocolate and confectionery products. Italso delivers biolubricants for industrial use.

“We have a lot to offer with our understanding ofspeciality fats,” says Arne Frank, AAK president and CEO.“Our innovation comes with our ability to make newfunctionalities for our customers’ products. Through ourknowledge, we generate more value for them.”

AAK works closely with its clients to create and delivercustomised solutions that make each client’s product standout in the market. For instance, it can help create chocolatessuited to Southeast Asia’s tropical climate with ingredientsthat raise the products’ melting point. With its expertise onthe shea nut and its health benefits, AAK can also helpcustomers offer mother’s milk replacers that lead to fewercolic incidences among small children.

“Our vision as a company is to be the first choice forvalue-added vegetable oil solutions,” Frank says. “Thismeans we need to be the best option for our customers.”

Aside from shea nut derived from supportedcommunities in Africa, AAK uses sunflower, palm oil, canolaor rapeseed and coconut oil as raw materials. With the useof cost effective cocoa butter equivalents, AAK helps cutcustomers’ operational costs while delivering consistentlyhigh quality. Given the low presence of saturated fat inrapeseed, the company is exploring more solutions usingthis ingredient.

AAK is keen on developing more health-orientedproducts for the Asian market by continuing to work closelywith its global client base and exploring opportunities withlocal players. It is ready with trans-free solutions forchocolate and confectionery fats, bakery, food service, dairyfat alternatives, mother’s milk replacers and cosmetics.Other focus areas for the region are environmentally friendlylubrificant oils.

“We focus on trying to get the functionality and makingsure to deliver it as healthily as possible,” Frank says.

As a founding member of the Roundtable on SustainablePalm Oils with executive board functions since thebeginning, AAK leads the food manufacturing industry inmaking progress count for farm workers and communities.

AAK adds value to vegetable oils

Arne Frank, president and CEO

With 155 years invested in relationshipbanking, SEB serves as the Nordic link forcapital market solutions in Asia. The leadingplayer in Nordic investment banking andcapital markets, SEB reopened in Hong Kongin August to provide lending, trade finance,cash management, capital markets and primebrokerage services to corporate and financialinstitutions. The branch complements SEB’slong-standing corporate banking andcurrency trading activities on the mainland.

“Our heritage is in investment bankingand the capital markets with the fifthgeneration of the Wallenberg family at thehelm,” says Annika Falkengren, CEO of SEB.“We are present in more than 20 internationalfinancial centres to support this legacy. Ourgoal is to ensure global support for Nordicbusinesses and be a partner to financialinstitutions.”

SEB entered Asia in the 1970s throughSingapore. It expanded to the mainland in the1980s, initially in Beijing and then moving toShanghai, to better support its Nordic andGerman clients. Traditionally the house bankfor large corporations in Sweden, SEB alsoservices small and medium Nordicenterprises, which have increasinglyventured overseas. With the Hong Kongbranch, SEB aims to also serve the needs ofAsian institutions eyeing investmentopportunities in the Nordic countries.

“Whether it is a central bank or acorporation, we try to be the door opener to

the Nordic countries,” Falkengren says. “Weare the No 1sub-custodian bank in the Nordicregion and in Nordic research and corporateloans. We are also a leading European primebroker and among the top 15 globally incurrency trading. Chinese investors can relyon us for mergers and acquisitions services inthe Nordic area.”

Feted last year for excellence in stockbroking and financial advising onScandinavian concerns and in corporatebanking for both the Nordic and Balticregions, SEB is keen on building morerelationships with Asian institutions.

“We are very open-minded in buildingrelationships,” Falkengren says. “They maynot be profitable for many years but it isimportant to uphold our legacy as thereliable partner of corporateinstitutions.”

SEB is one of Europe’s bestcapitalised banks. Its operating profitreached HK$13.5 billion last year andgrew by 7 per cent year-on-yearduring the second quarter.

“We stick to our clients ingood times and in bad times,and our results show theirappreciation,” Falkengrensays.

SEB bridges Asia with Nordic capital markets

Annika Falkengren, CEO

When it comes to marineexpertise, SF MarinaSystem understands howto develop customisedsolutions for the marinaindustry. A full serviceprovider, this Swedishcompany designs, buildsand operates marinasworldwide.

Representing twotrademarks, SF Marina andPontoona, the companyhas been manufacturingfloating concrete structuresfor more than 90 years. Itspecialises in concrete pontoons and floatingconcrete marinas. In co-operation with itsaffiliates, SF Marina has successfullycompleted more than 500 installations since1983.

“What separates us from any generalsupplier is our expertise in the heavy duty

segment,” says presidentLars Gunnar Odhe. “Webuild floating breakwatersand other floating concretestructures that can be usedfor many different purposessuch as ferry landings andfishing harbours. We arealso the leading floatingconcrete breakwatercompany with the biggestand most advancedproducts.”

With keen know-how inweight, floatationtechnology and strength,

SF Marina has been involved in variousprojects, such as a floating village inStockholm and a floating hotel in Gothenburg.SF Marina also supplied to the JeongokMarina in Seoul. The company is well-knownon the mainland marina market for its work onthe Qingdao Olympic Marina.

“We are established on all continents andwe adjust according to specific needs,” Odhesays. “The Arctic water is very cold anddifferent from the Mediterranean water,which has more corrosion. We modify ourbasic concept depending on a particulargeographic location.”

SF Marina has sales networks andrepresentatives all over Europe. It is alsopresent in 30 locations worldwide, includingthe United States, Mexico, the Middle East,Argentina, the Caribbean, Japan, SouthKorea, New Zealand and Australia. Thecompany is keen on having a strongerpresence on the mainland by establishingpartnerships with local Chinese businessmenwho have impressive sales abilities and localconnections.

“We bring the product and theknowledge, but we rely on our localpartners,” Odhe says. “It is about having long-term and meaningful work relationshipsthat make the business successful.”

SF Marina grows globalbusiness through partnerships

Lars Gunnar Odhe, president

The trusted supplier behindthe world’s leading mining,construction and offshorecompanies, CeDe Grouptargets Asia as its next bigdestination. Equipped with anew product portfolioshowcasing specialisedapplications and completemachines, the company isset to broaden its foothold inthe region.

“CeDe’s strategy inChina and Southeast Asia isto continue its growth byclosely co-operating withcustomers through our high level of expertiseand focus on design, product developmentand assembly production,” says presidentGöran Bredinger. “Leveraging ourcompetence in engineering and production,

we can respond to themarket’s specificrequirements – fromconcept to finished product– while providing clientswith competitiveadvantages through ourflexibility and unique skillsset.”

Slated to launchtunnelling machines anddrilling rigs on the mainlandand Southeast Asia nextyear, the company aims tobring the same value-addedproducts on which its global

clients have come to rely. Known for itscustomised, high-productivity, safe and cost-effective turnkey solutions, CeDe worksclosely with key players such as Atlas Copcoand Volvo CE on product development, design

and manufacturing.“We have everything integrated in our

business: commitment, entrepreneurship andbig ears that listen to what the market needs,”Bredinger says. “We create added value forour clients so that they can use the machinesas much as possible for several differentapplications and new technologies.”

Working with local partners to promote itsequipment in the region’s growing industrialsector, CeDe looks forward to building morerelationships in the construction equipmentsegments. The company is also on the lookoutfor qualified subcontractors, seeing themainland as a potential assembly andproduction hub that can complement its in-house design and manufacturing facilities inSweden.

“Our goal is to establish our brand in Chinaand grow between 30 and 50 per cent annuallyin the next five years,” Bredinger says.

CeDe seeking local partners as it plans Asian expansion

Göran Bredinger, president

From deserts to tropical countries andtemperate regions, more customersare turning to Tour & Andersson (TA)when it comes to indoor climatecontrol. Boasting a growing base

of diverse customers and projects such as the Burj Khalifa, Oslo Opera House andHeathrow Terminal 5, TA eyes Asia as its next big destination.

TA brings more than 100 years ofexperience in manufacturing valves andfittings. It has risen as a leading specialist in hydronic balancing, which optimises abuilding’s heating and cooling systems todeliver the desired indoor climate withminimum use of energy. Acquired byindustrial giant IMI in 1997, TA is joined by Pneumatex, Flow Design and TheodorHeimeier Metallwerk as the group’srenowned indoor specialists under the brand TA Hydronics.

“Our strong engineering backgroundenables us to offer the best indoor climatesolutions – from the design phase to aftersales and maintenance,” says FredrikBäckström, managing director and businessunit director for Northern Europe. “TA’sunique measuring technology and capabilitiesadd value to our products. We provideknowledge to the hydronic distribution in buildings, increasing heating, ventilationand air conditioning system efficiency by upto 30 per cent and passing on the benefits to the customers.”

TA’s comprehensive solutions are

designed for industrial and commercialapplications. The portfolio features balancingand temperature control devices, shut-offvalves and couplings, and system design andcalculation software tools that complementTA’s hardware. Among TA’s recentbreakthroughs is its pressure independentbalancing and control valve, the TBV-CMP,which provides efficient hydronic control.

The company develops specialisedproducts targeted at different geographicalmarkets, including a new technology thatcan measure energy. Its network ofengineers provide field training forcustomers, more than 160,000 of whomhave attended TA’s seminars and trainingworldwide in the last three years.

TA has a factory in Sweden, and isrepresented by sales offices and partners inmore than 50 countries. It looks forward togrowth opportunities in Asia,particularly on the mainland,where it completed majorprojects for Beijing Hotel,Shenzhen Stock ExchangeBuilding, Beijing ChinaMobile building, NationalMuseum of China andTianjin Culture Center. Itwelcomes newsuppliers and potentialmergers andacquisitions.

“We have grown25 per cent in China

Fredrik Bäckström,managing directorand business unitdirector forNorthern Europe

TA improves indoor climatewith innovative hydronicbalancing solutions

in the last two years, and expect to growfurther as the market gains betterunderstanding of our products’ benefits,”Bäckström says. “We aim to find additionalpartners and develop more sales people andengineers in China – and double our turnoverin Asia in the next five years.”

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SPECIAL REPORTFriday, November 4, 2011 S5

Sponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports

People get what they pay for, butthere should be no compromiseswhen it comes to health care. With its high accuracy andprecision products, HemoCue

is raising the bar on patient care towardsanaemia and diabetes management andcurbing antibiotic abuse.

“The availability of laboratory accuracy atpoint of care has a big cost saving potentialfor society,” says Niels Christiansen,HemoCue managing director. “We areworking on continuously improving the qualityof life for patients throughout the world by constantly bringing laboratory qualitytesting at the point of care. It does not existvery much today and we think that isextremely important.”

Owned by United States-based laboratorygiant Quest Diagnostics, HemoCue iscelebrating 30 years in the market next year.Its success is founded on two coretechnologies: the unique microcuvette andpatented measurement systems. HemoCue’splastic cuvettes are small unbreakabledevices containing complex chemistry forlaboratory-grade testing. Its measurementsystems are durable devices calibrated at thecompany’s factory that require noadjustments during their service life.

Fusing highly integrated automatedmachines with nanotechnology capabilities,HemoCue produces portable devices thatdeliver very precise results quickly, from 10seconds to three minutes depending on thediagnostic test being performed. Its productsmeasure haemoglobin, glucose and whiteblood cell (WBC) count in whole blood andalbumin in urine accurately with minimalintervention.

With their ease of use and consistentresults, HemoCue’s diagnostic systems havebecome integral for primary care physicians,the company’s biggest customer segment.Hospitals and blood banks in 120 countries,most especially in Western Europe and NorthAmerica, also rely on HemoCue devices.

These instruments are used in critical care,dialysis, neonatal care, obstetrics-gynaecology, general practice and diabetescare. The company also works closely withaid organisations and non-governmentalorganisations such as the World HealthOrganization, UNICEF and Médecins SansFrontières on public health care screeningprogrammes.

“We can leverage the same cuvettetechnology but for different measurementprinciples. It is a matter of getting the rightchemistry and conversion into ameasurement system through to be able togive a diagnostic value that is important forthe doctors and patients,” Christiansen says.“Many have tried to copy our systems, but it isnot that easy to get the same accuracy thatwe have developed.”

HemoCue’s latest innovation is the WBCDifferential Counter that does a five-partdifferential similar to a large haematologyanalyser, except it is done by a portabledevice that delivers test results within threeminutes. The new WBC system was launchedlast December and remains unmatched in the

market. It is available in Europe and someparts of Asia. HemoCue is obtainingregulatory approval to distribute it on themainland.

The company is working with key opinionleaders in the medical field to build greaterawareness about the importance of accuratetesting at the point-of-care in developingcountries and regions with high populationgrowth. It sees huge potential for anaemia,diabetes and infectious disease control asdoctors incorporate point-of-care testing intheir practice.

“I think there’s a lot of potential forevolving as the economies grow. As peopleget wealthier, they will also want betterhealthcare,” Christiansen says. For instance,HemoCue’s new WBC system will enabledoctors to quickly determine if a patient withfever has a bacterial or viral infection. Thisalone can help curb the unnecessary use ofantibiotics to deal with disease. “The questionis what’s right for the patient, what’s right forthe population and how to do it effectively,”Christiansen says. Antibiotic abuse couldprove globally disastrous for infectiousdisease control.

HemoCue is expanding its presence inAsia. It is keen on working with local strategicpartners in the clinical chemistry field toenhance its reach in the region. It is open toforging a joint-venture partnership, anacquisition or a strong collaboration with adistribution company.

“These relationships are very importantand they go hand-in-hand with having theright distribution networks. We are building upour own organisation because the mid-termvision is that we will not be successful inChina unless we have a strong physicalpresence. We cannot sit in Sweden andbelieve that we can address the Chinesemarket,” Christiansen says. His vision is todevelop the same strong brand recognitionamong Asian hospitals and medical officialsas HemoCue already has in Europe and theUnited States.

HemoCue raises themedical bar with itspoint of care accuracy

Niels Christiansen, managing director

International at heart, entrepreneurial in mind– this vision guides Jönköping InternationalBusiness School (JIBS) in fostering acosmopolitan student body equipped toaddress the challenges of a global economy.Through a strong research programmecombined with real-world practicalapplications, JIBS has established a globalplatform that creates a multiculturalenvironment for students.

As the business school under JönköpingUniversity, JIBS provides cutting-edgecourses, which prepare students for differentbusiness settings. JIBS offers English-taughtbachelor, master and doctoral programmes inthe fields of business administration,economics, commercial law, informatics and statistics.

JIBS boasts a growing internationalpopulace. Nationals from 72 countriescomprise 30 per cent of the student body,while international faculty form 32 per cent ofthe total teaching staff.

“When students choose to go to othercountries to immerse themselves in anotherculture, why do you think they choose JIBS?It is our international spirit and focus onbusiness research that attracts them,” saysAgneta Bladh, managing director and dean of JIBS.

Students at JIBS are able to gainexposure through the university’s proximity toand close relationships with the businesscommunity. “The relationship betweenSweden and Asia is growing. An internshipand other practical learning at a local orregional company can provide internationalstudents with experiences that are useful forsimilar small to medium enterprises in theirhome country,” Bladh says.

Together with JIBS’ international spirit, its extensive collaborations with theinternational business community have also prepared many alumni for their careersin global corporations. “You are trained tointeract with different cultures at JIBS, and I think that is an asset for students,” Bladhsays.

JIBS has established several researchinstitutes, serving as venues for collaborationwith research centres around the world.These include its Centre for Family Enterpriseand Ownership, Centre for Entrepreneurshipand Spatial Economics, Centre of Excellencefor Science and Innovation Studies andMedia Management and TransformationCentre (MMTC). The MMTC has anindependent branch on the mainland atTsinghua University.

JIBS has partnerships with universities in China such as Nankai University, ShanghaiUniversity, Sun Yat-sen University, LingnanCollege, Tsinghua University, WuhanUniversity and the City University of Hong Kong.

JIBS is looking to attract moreinternational students and partner universitiesto support its vision. “We strive to be one ofthe most recognised international businessschools in the world,” Bladh says.

JIBS instils entrepreneurshipculture among its students

Agneta Bladh, managing director and dean

Communication is essentialfor the maritime sector.Despite challengingweather conditions,vessels need a robustsystem that guaranteessteady connection with theoutside world.

Mobile satellitecommunications companyC2SAT has risen to thechallenge by enablinguninterrupted and reliablecommunication through itsunique technology.Established in 2000, C2SATis one of the leadingsuppliers of very smallaperture terminal (VSAT) antennas to themaritime market.

“With growing demand for bandwidth

in the maritime sector, thereis a need for more powerfulantennas,” says CEOFredrik Nygren. “Ourantennas are fast, robustand provide superbaccuracy.”

C2SAT’s technologyenables vessel crew andpassengers more effectiveuse of broadband internet,online businesstransactions and otherforms of communication.

C2SAT’s patented 4-axes stabilised VSATantenna enables a morereliable satellite

communication unlike the commonly used 3-axes antenna. The 4-axes technologyallows the radio equipment to move freely and

to maintain an optimal position towards thesatellite without big and sudden movementseven during harsh conditions and at highelevation. The 4-axes system does notexperience dead angles or high elevationproblems.

The company has built a strong networkof international customers. Reaching out toAsia, C2SAT started manufacturing inSingapore in 2009, and officially opened itsproduction site there last year. C2SAT signeda licence agreement with a local partner inShanghai, where it opened a representativeoffice.

Aiming to become one of the top threesuppliers of VSAT antennas for the maritimemarket, C2SAT continues to broaden its reachinto the Asian market through partnershipswith local manufacturers and distributors.C2SAT can offer customers a 90-day free trialto experience its technology.

C2SAT ensures reliability of maritime communications

Fredrik Nygren, CEO

The mainland is recognisedas one of the top paperproducers in the world.

Helping in the country’sdevelopment of modernpaper machine clothing isSwedish weaving loommaker Texo.

The company is knownas the most completesupplier in the weavingloom industry because ofits long history, extensiveproduct knowledge, strongaftermarket support andcutting-edge technology.Texo has established astrong presence in the Asia-Pacific region,particularly on the mainland, which accounts

for the majority of itsmarket.

Texo has been doingextensive research anddevelopment to introduce awider range of innovativeproducts for the past threeyears. Such initiativessupport the company’s aimto increase its sales ahundredfold this year. Oneof its latest offerings is theTransCent model, a state-of-the art fabric-formingmachine that is the fastestin the world. An addedecological feature of the

TransCent is its cooling system wherein thewater that brings down the temperature of the

machine can also be used to heat tap water or the factory itself.

“Our machines are designed to last notonly for a few years but for over an extendedperiod of time, taking into consideration thetrends of the future,” says Texo presidentAnders Svensson.

Showing its commitment to the mainland,Texo established an office in Shanghai in 2008to serve its Chinese clients. Texo has enteredinto a joint-venture agreement with a localpartner this year to manufacture for thedomestic market. With this partnership, Texoaims to grow on the mainland by producingcompetitively-priced looms.

“This joint venture will grow in the future,”Svensson says. “We will be manufacturingmore machines and source supplies for thesemachines in China.”

Texo eyes sales hike with new TransCent model

Anders Svensson, president

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SPECIAL REPORT: SWEDEN COUNTRY REPORTS6 Friday, November 4, 2011

Sponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports

From grand pianos to boatcabins, kitchen cabinetsand a host of other things,Sweden’s coated abrasivesspecialist Ekamant bringsspecial lustre and textureto surface finishes.Founded in 1928 and basedin Markaryd, Ekamantproduces many differentkinds of abrasives to satisfythe specific requirementsof the wood industry andother industrialapplications.

The choice of abrasivedepends upon what the user is sanding andwhat kind of surface is desired. “There canbe untreated wood, treated wood or treatedwood with lacquer. We offer the whole rangeof abrasives, from very rough to very fine,when you need a higher surface quality,”Ekamant CEO Per Thorsell says.

The company’s products for the woodindustry can be found in large manufacturingplants to small wood workshops worldwide,from the mainland to the United States.Ekamant’s origins are in the wood industry,which remains the source of its mainbusiness. It also has a growing presence inthe metal, composite and automotive areas.

Employing around 430 people, Ekamantconsiders the long experience of the

company and of itsindividual workers a mostvaluable asset. “We havepeople who have workedwith us for many years, sothere is a lot of internalknow-how on theproduction line. We arevery particular, andeverything has to be 100per cent correct,” Thorsellsays.

Thorsell underscoresthe expertise that goes intothe development of topquality abrasives.

“Ekamant’s desire to always produce betterand higher quality abrasives, the longexperience and deep technical know-how, incombination with close co-operation withcustomers, continue to make Ekamant agrowing and successful company,” he says.

To minimise the cost of exporting beltsdirectly from its factory in Sweden, Ekamanthas subsidiaries all over the world thatconvert the reels of abrasives into ready-made products for the local markets.

One of the most important andsuccessful markets for the company isSoutheast Asia. Present in Indonesia formany years, Ekamant is one of the marketleaders in the country’s wood industry. Themainland also plays a key role in Ekamant’s

international operations. Ekamant enteredthe mainland in 1997 and has a strong andstable business with conversion factories inBeijing and Shenzhen. It has also establishedsales offices in other regions to expand itsdistribution and customer networksthroughout the mainland. “We owe a lot toour strong local subsidiaries and distributionnetworks, and to everything they have doneto build up the trust of our customers,”Thorsell says.

“Delivering a high level of service is atthe heart of all our activities and plans. Allour sales people are technical specialistswith extensive knowledge of abrasives andits applications. They can offer advice onhow to run and make the right adjustments tothe sanding machines.”

Thorsell believes that Southeast Asia willgrow even stronger for the company andcontinue to be an important market. Ekamantis leveraging the company’s business historyin Indonesia and on the mainland, and itsflourishing operations in Malaysia, Thailand,Vietnam and Singapore. The company isconfident that its strong teams and theservice facilities set up in the local marketswill build a good base for further expansion.

This strategy and the company’s mindset– to always preserve the company’s highreputation for quality and service – willmatter most for Ekamant’s growth prospectsover the long term.

Per Thorsell, CEO

Ekamant leads global coated abrasives production

Recognising thatcollaboration and criticalthinking lead to progress,Karlstad University fosters aknowledge-based approachto the study of a broadrange of subjects.

“The sun is the symbolof the university becausewe seek enlightenment andgrowth,” says vice-chancellor Kerstin Norén.

The university is deeplyrooted in Sweden’s traditionof teacher training, whichbegan in the city of Karlstadin 1843. Before it was established in 1976,Karlstad University was a unit of GothenburgUniversity for almost a decade.

Steeped in research along traditionalacademic disciplines and in multidisciplinaryfields, Karlstad University prospers throughsocial contribution. It pursues close ties with

private enterprises throughestablished industryclusters and state agenciesin Sweden. Its mostsuccessful work includesresearch in servicemanagement and valuecreation through service,computer security,forrestrial development,materials science, regionaldevelopment and evolvinggender roles.

By nurturing practicalresearch and doctoralstudies, Karlstad University

has grown its international student populationto 300. The university encourages its Europeanstudents to enhance their education byventuring internationally through any of its 200partner universities. It also fosters opennessamong research groups, staff and students toinculcate critical thinking.

“We are geared towards co-operatingwith society. This is why we try to develop abroad knowledge base at the university,”Norén says.

The university launched Sweden’s secondConfucius Institute in March. Jointly run withthe Southwest Jiaotong University, theinstitute seeks to heighten understanding of the mainland’s language and culture tofurther economic ties between Sweden and the mainland.

Karlstad is already a venue for co-operation in the pulp and paper, informationtechnology, energy and steel industries. Itdoes joint research work with the South ChinaUniversity of Technology on advancingpapermaking machines and the culture of energy efficiency.

“As one of the youngest universities in Sweden, we hope to be more modern and more adventurous in challenging theestablished and exploring the unknown,”Norén says.

Knowledge-based study key to progress

Kerstin Norén, vice-chancellor

ContextVision continues todevelop and deliveraccurate medical imagingsolutions that areinvaluable in the clinicalsetting. As part of itscommitment to the medicalimaging industry,ContextVision continuouslyadvances imagingenhancementtechnologies.

Spun-off from researchat Linköping University’sImage ProcessingLaboratory in 1983,ContextVision provides original equipmentmanufacturers (OEMs) with imageenhancement solutions for digital X-ray,magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),computed tomography (CT) and ultrasoundtechnologies.

ContextVision uses proprietary GOP

technology, whichexamines each pixel orvoxel in an image in relationto the wider context inwhich they appear. WithGOP technology, noise canbe suppressed and the truestructure of an image canbe emphasised.

“We are committed toproviding new imagingsolutions to create moremedical and clinical value,”says Anita Tollstadius,president and CEO. “Wetake time to understand

end-user situations and clinical needs to helpOEMs become successful.”

ContextVision unveiled its new ultrasoundenhancement image family, US PLUSViewthis year. This enables OEMs to deliver newultrasound image enhancement capabilitiesto their customers, including deeper

penetration and a completely new way toenhance structures in specific tissues.

As the global trend in medical imagingshifts from analogue to digital, ContextVisionsees huge growth opportunities on themainland. The company established a salesoffice on the mainland six years ago but it hasbeen serving the market for 10 years.

ContextVision’s foray into the mainlandhas also led it to forge a partnership withNeusoft. The partnership has helped broadenContextVision’s product range beyondimaging enhancement solutions and enabledthe company to offer information technologyproducts such as the Mammo computer-aided detection systems.

“With our partnership with Neusoft, weare able to contribute even further toimproving the quality and clinical value ofimages,” Tollstadius says. “We are committedto the Chinese market, and we hope to helpChinese companies grow as they becomesuccessful internationally.”

ContextVision adds muchvalue to medical images

Anita Tollstadius, president and CEO

Establishing a strong brandto create an identity thatdistinctively stands outfrom the competition is asequally important asmanufacturing high-qualitygoods. From labels topackaging — everymarketing accessory canbe a tool to communicate amessage to the consumers.The Nilorn Group is a one-stop shop brandingspecialist helping theworld’s garment and textilecompanies create cohesivebranding through creative and tailor-madedesign, development and logistics solutions.

Nilorn has been selling paper, silicone,leather, textile and metal labels, lanyards,badges and packaging for over four

decades. The companyhelps cultivate an effectivevisual communicationstrategy or trademark lookthat attracts consumers.Nilorn also guaranteesquick turnaround time,reliability and cost-effective distribution anddelivery through its Websolutions.

“The slogan of Nilorn is‘adding value to the brand’.We develop labels andbranding that last thelifetime of the garment

to continuously reflect brand identity,” says CEO Claes af Wetterstedt.

Given widespread cases of brandcounterfeiting, Nilorn protects a brand’sintegrity through a labelling solution that

differentiates an original from a copiedgarment. Through distinctive weavings on thelabel, consumers are assured that they arebuying original garments.

Nilorn forecasts growth in Asia as itsstrong European customer base moves itsproduction to the region. With its Hong Kongoffice — the largest unit in the companywhich doubled its turnover in the past fiveyears — Nilorn is poised to cater to its clients’local requirements. Its Shanghai office willalso strengthen Nilorn’s growth strategy inChina and the rest of Asia.

“We want to grow further in WesternEurope but we also see long-term growth inChina. We are the best partner when it comesto branding products. Nilorn can help them tocreate a unique brand story. With ourexperience, we can help them becomesuccessful Chinese or international brands,”Wetterstedt says.

Nilorn strengthens brandsthrough long-lasting labels

Claes af Wetterstedt, CEO

With tools to ensure thefeasibility of infrastructureinvestments, AirborneHydrography (AHAB) hopesto become part of Asia’sdevelopment.

AHAB is Europe’s maincommercial manufacturerof airborne light detectionand ranging (Lidar) systemsfor bathymetric surveys.Bathymetry measures thedepth of oceans and lakes,a scoping exercise that canhelp optimise infrastructuresystems such as roads,railroads, oil and gas pipelines and powerdistribution lines.

“Bathymetric Lidar offers an opportunityto survey large areas along the coast costefficiently and accurately,” says AndersEkelund, AHAB managing director.

AHAB is the developerand manufacturer of theDragonEye and HawkEyeLidar systems. Usingbathymetric Lidar instead ofship-borne sonar is ideal forsurveying large shallowwater coastal areas. Itprovides a cost efficiencythat boat surveys cannotachieve on shallow waters,especially in areas litteredwith islands and shoals.AHAB’s DragonEye tool isused for land surveys whilethe HawkEye is for coastal

use or simultaneous land and sea surveys. AHAB’s client base consists of

international surveying companies doingresource mapping usually for governmentauthorities. AHAB offers leasing options toease the cost barrier to its state-of-the-art

equipment. It also provides technical supportin local project areas, such as comprehensivecoastal surveys done in Portugal, Australiaand Madagascar.

With its representative office inHangzhou, AHAB works with universities in Taiwan and Jilin province to demonstrateits technology. It has distributors on themainland and in South Korea.

AHAB sees hydrographic equipmentspecialists and topographic survey experts on the mainland as potential partners. It iskeen on working with state and localgovernments in Asia to help unlock theregion’s vast untapped resources. It aims to develop more applications of its technologywith research institutions.

“We have a long-term knowledge baseinvested in our technology and we arecontinuously developing it for moreapplications. It is a passion for us,” Ekelund says.

AHAB brings advanced lasersurveying technology to Asia

Anders Ekelund, managing director

Harnessing Sweden’sknow-how as a leadingbiogas nation,Scandinavian Biogas hasdeveloped groundbreakingtechnology that increasesthe production of biogas bya factor of three to fivetimes in wastewatertreatment plants. Thecompany’s foray into Asiaturns up untold possibilitiesto deal with mountingwaste while attainingenergy security.

“We can solve some ofAsia’s waste problem bytransforming organic waste into renewableenergy,” says Anders Tuvlind, head ofmarketing and new projects at ScandinavianBiogas.

Founded in 2005, Scandinavian Biogasrepresents Sweden’s top experts in waste-to-

energy generation. Thecompany has successfullyprocessed more than 200waste matter combinationsat its research anddevelopment department.

Scandinavian Biogasspent five years developingits patented co-digestiontechnology based onanaerobic digestion thatoptimises how micro-organisms convert anywaste combination intobiogas. This know-how, incombination withtechnologies such as

ultrasound treatment and cryogenic gascleaning, has enabled large-scale biogasproduction with high biogas yields.

The company has implemented thesetechnologies at the Youngyun plant in Ulsan,South Korea. This lessens the volume of

sludge going into landfills or incinerators,which are major sources of harmfulgreenhouse gases. With improvedefficiencies, the Youngyun plant generates 12 million normal cubic metres (Nm3) ofbiogas a year from only 2.5 million Nm3 beforeScandinavian Biogas adjustments. Anupcoming project in Varberg, Sweden willdeal with several waste combinations for abiogas plant slated to be part of themunicipality’s electricity grid.

With these innovations, ScandinavianBiogas presents opportunities for indigenousenergy production in Asia. ScandinavianBiogas has found a joint-venture partner onthe mainland and is looking towards Japan,South Korea and Taiwan for expansion. Itaims to partner with local governments,sewage plant operators and manufacturerslargely in the food and biofuel industries toprocess a range of household and industrialwastes. It hopes to attain zero waste in thepulp and paper industries.

Scandinavian Biogas optimiseswaste-to-energy production

Anders Tuvlind, head ofmarketing and new projects

Elby Kwok Drewsen knows travel can be amoving experience. An industry stakeholderfor more than 20 years, she has taken tourismto the next level with her own brand ofdestination management.

“I consider my company as a vehicle forglobalisation,” says Drewsen, ScandinavianPerspectives managing director of thecompany she founded to bring Scandinaviacloser to international tourists. “What we aredoing is soft politics, bringing people togetherto understand each other’s culture.” Drewsenhas won back-to-back awards for buildingthese links.

Scandinavian Perspectives specialises increating purpose-driven itineraries for studyand training groups, business delegations andtourists who prefer individualised tours withtheir families and friends.

With the mainland as its main market,Scandinavian Perspectives has arrangedcountless business-to-business meetings forits customers. It has also served as amatchmaker for top corporate executives andlocal government officials in both regions. Itarranges technical visits along the lines ofsocial responsibility and welfare, design andarchitecture, education and health care,environment, infrastructure and city planning,and science and technology – all areas ofSwedish expertise.

“We understand the mentality andexpectation from China. We arrangetechnical visits that leverage our vastScandinavian network across manyindustries to guarantee a high quality ofmeetings for our clients,” Drewsen says.

Scandinavian Perspectives works with its sister company Lotus Travel to provide one-stop solutions for their growing clientele.With offices in Beijing and Shanghai,Scandinavian Perspectives handles touristsfrom the mainland while Lotus Travelarranges tours to the mainland.

Drewsen is keen on tapping more into therapidly growing high-net-worth individuals onthe mainland who are looking for in-depth,special interest and themed travels.

She is also moving into other emergingmarkets such as India to present the best ofScandinavia.

Scandinavian Perspectives will soon offeronline booking to broaden its reach.

Destinationmanagementas soft politics

Elby Kwok Drewsen, managing director

When WilliamChalmersestablishedChalmersUniversity of

Technology in 1829, heenvisioned a progressiveeducational institution whereunderprivileged yet talentedstudents could maximise theirpotential.

Almost two centurieslater, Chalmers remains one of Sweden’s strongholds of higher education,cultivating students who canmake a positive impact onsustainable developmentlocally and internationally.

Being Sweden’s only private university,Chalmers’ close relationship with the businesscommunity ensures it can contribute toshaping next-generation knowledge andtechnology. It collaborates with companies

such as Volvo, SKF Group and Stena to enablebusinesses to develop newcompetitive advantages andways to compete in the globalarena.

A proponent of theknowledge triangle, Chalmersconsiders combiningeducation, research andinnovation as the waytowards a knowledge-basedsociety. “Academia shouldtake responsibility to includeuniversities inside industryclusters,” says KarinMarkides, president and CEO.“In line with this, we ensure

Chalmers fosters an open innovationenvironment, becoming a venue for competingcompanies to meet in neutral places anddevelop new standards and solutions.”

Chalmers aims to address globalchallenges for a sustainable future through

eight “areas of advance”. These are energy,materials science, nanoscience andnanotechnology, production, transport, lifescience, information and communicationstechnology and built environment. TheSwedish government is funding the first fiveareas to undertake projects on a nationalscale. The other three will also address futurechallenges.

Aside from industry and government ties,Chalmers also has strong relationships withuniversities globally. Chalmers works closelywith Shanghai Jiao Tong University and TongjiUniversity on the mainland, as well asNanyang Technology University, University ofTokyo and Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology on research and studentdevelopment.

“We have fostered these partnerships asalliances for global sustainability,” Markidessays. “We encourage the public and privatesectors to co-operate towards this goal.Chalmers will continue doing its part inproviding open meeting places.”

Chalmers University ofTechnology paves way for sustainable future

Karin Markides, president and CEO

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Friday, November 4, 2011 S7

SPECIAL REPORT: SWEDEN COUNTRY REPORTSponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports

O perating in Greater China since 1982with more than the usual client-centric and decentralised approachto banking, Handelsbanken hastracked four decades of profitability

and emerged on Bloomberg’s list as the second-strongest bank in the world.

Besides customer satisfaction,Handelsbanken’s client-centric approach hasbrought financial strength and top ratings in riskmanagement and cost-effectiveness. Thesewere the criteria set by Bloomberg in its poll forthe world’s strongest banks. Handelsbankenplaced second on the list, which was publishedin May this year.

Handelsbanken summarises its winningphilosophy in the tagline “the branch is thebank”. Unlike most banks, it does not operatebased on budgets or bonuses, but on a set ofbenchmarks determined by the head of eachlocal branch. This decentralised approachplaces both opportunity and responsibility in localhands. Through an empowered local branch,customers get the benefit of fast decision-making.

Another trademark for Handelsbanken is the

personal service tailored to boost eachcustomer’s business success. Corporatecustomers have access to an account managerand a full range of banking services in all relevantcurrencies, including the renminbi. As the firstNordic bank in Asia, Handelsbanken started toissue renminbi bonds in February this year.

Recognised as the Nordic bank that firstreached out to Asia, Handelsbanken also has thewidest presence in the region, with offices inShanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing and Taipei. It isdistinguished in Hong Kong as the only Nordicbank that did not leave because of the 1997 Asianfinancial crisis.

As its Nordic client base moves furtherinland, so does Handelsbanken.

“We are in Greater China for the long run,”says Dan Lindwall, head of Handelsbanken inGreater China and general manager of its HongKong branch. “It’s really the customers that takeus to where we eventually go. Given our long-standing presence, we have local expertise andare very comfortable with rules and regulationson the mainland and in Hong Kong.

“We can easily help our Nordic clienteleestablish themselves in the region.” Dan Lindwall, head of Handelsbanken in Greater China

Handelsbanken ranks among world’s strongest banks

Carl-Henric Svanberg, chairman of BP, andMikael Ohlsson, CEO of IKEA Group, have onething in common – both are alumni ofLinköping University (LiU). Built on thetradition of innovation and research, LiUembodies not only excellence in educationbut also the driving force behind Sweden’sworld-class institutions.

Situated in Sweden’s twin cities ofLinköping and Norrköping, LiU campuses linkthe cities’ rich history and the university’scutting-edge technology background.Established in 1975, the university quicklygained a reputation as an innovative centrefor interdisciplinary approach, new studyprogrammes and problem-based learning.

LiU has a broad base in engineeringsciences and business administration. It is thecountry’s pioneer in industrial engineeringand management and has a strong profile incomputer science and electrical engineering.

The university attracts students frommore than 70 countries. It has more than27,000 students, about 2,000 of whom are

international enrolees in various exchangeand master’s programmes.

“We have high academic standards andare in touch with business values and the

society, keeping contacts with industrieswhere our alumni become integral parts ofthe international workforce,” says director ofcommunications Lars Holberg. “Suchexchange of ideas between academia andbusiness makes innovation spread faster; thatis why we try to develop both sides.”

The ABB Group, Ericsson and LGElectronics are among LiU’s industrialpartners. The university welcomes morepartnerships with academic and businesssectors. It also maintains long-termconnections worldwide through itssuccessful alumni.

“Having international students and Asiantalents provides strategic importance for us.We encourage students to take advantage of the competitive edge that LiU offers – high-quality education with close ties tobusinesses,” Holberg says. “We also lookforward to recruiting more personnel in thenext five years as we grow our researchphase and embark on excitingdevelopments.”

Innovative LiU reinventshigher education withinterdisciplinary approach

Lars Holberg, director of communications

Leveraging its expertise as a leadingmanufacturer of burners, flue gas cleaningand combustion equipment, Petro iscontributing its Swedish technologiestowards a sustainable future in Asia. ThePetro group comprises Petrokraft andsubsidiaries Petro Miljö and Petro ETT.

Petrokraft has specialised in the flamecombustion of fossil fuels for more than 45 years, supplying to a wide range ofindustries including marine, paper andenergy. With burners still in operation sincethe company’s inception, Petrokraft provesthat quality and reliability have been thecornerstones of its success.

Following a Swedish political decision,the company has rapidly expanded itscapabilities in flame combustion ofrenewable fuels.

Through the Selective Non-CatalyticReduction (SNCR) technology of Petro Miljö,the company is already helping the mainlandachieve new and stringent environmentalstandards.

SNCR significantly minimises thenitrogen oxides (NOx) released in the airwhen fuel for boilers, incinerators and otherequipment is burned for industrial,

commercial or domestic use. Petro Miljöspecialises in clean and high-efficiencyremoval, with up to 80 per cent NOxreduction. Thirteen Petro systems arealready operating on the mainland.

Petro ETT, the company’s secondsubsidiary, is one of the leading suppliers ofgrate firing technologies for biofuels. Petrois able to combine its core technologiesfrom its companies to form a total solutionfor its customers.

With substantial growth potential for itstechnologies, Petro seeks partnerships withlocal engineering companies. “We see thatwe can do a lot of things for China,” saysRoger Karlsson, president. “Our projectscannot be done from Sweden so we needlocal partners who can take our product andmake a whole system.”

Petrokraft guarantees after-salessupport through its subsidiaries. “We areengineering people who care,” Karlssonsays. “Our goal is to never leave a customerwith a problem.”

Petro companies offer environmentaltechnologies for a sustainable future

Roger Karlsson, president

Providing customised power supply solutionssince 1992, SM Power energises productsranging from battery chargers to sewingmachines, base stations, projectors, x-rayequipment and torpedoes. The company isintensifying its growth as it ventures intoemerging industries and markets.

SM Power “stretches the laws ofphysics” and develops application-specificproducts using 30 per cent fewercomponents than competitors – an ingenuitythat yields reliable yet compact and cost-efficient solutions. Powering devices forhome and office, industrial, multimedia,telecommunications, medical, defence andoffshore applications, it is trusted by globalbrands such as Dometic, Nokia, Siemens,InFocus, Philips and Exide.

“We fulfil customers’ requirements withcost-smart solutions through rapid responseand development,” says CEO BertilDahlström Erdenius. “We provide optimisedsolutions for the clients’ power supplyneeds.”

SM Power performs research and

development in Sweden. It has an office inHong Kong, which oversees high-qualityproduction at seven ISO 9001- and 14001-certified subcontracted factories inGuangdong.

Seeing the global uptrend in electronicvehicles and offshore marine and heavyequipment, the company is actively pursuingopportunities where it can extend its role asa reliable long-term power supply partner. Itis among the leading global car chargersuppliers through Exide, which is the world’s biggest automotive batterymanufacturer.

To improve its production on themainland, SM Power is seeking potentialpartners that can help streamline operationsthrough broader manufacturing anddistribution networks. It also sees themainland as a key market in the future,particularly with growing industries forelectric cars and scooters, forklift trucks andsewing machines.

“The China market is big and it willbecome even bigger,” Erdenius says. “Afuture partnership there will hopefully openopportunities to explore the market,especially as domestic consumption anddemand for high-quality products continueto increase.”

SM Power energises electronics industry

Bertil Dahlström Erdenius, CEO

Providing people with disabilities access tobasic services such as health care andeducation is a constant challenge. Theprohibitive cost of retrofitting existingbuildings and vehicles with traditionalwheelchair ramps has often stalled mostpublic and private initiatives to comply withglobal accessibility standards. Makingsignificant contributions to improvingaccessibility with its revolutionary modularramps system is industry pioneer FeAl.

FeAl, the leading manufacturer ofaluminium wheelchair ramps, transportsolutions and fixed module-system ramps,has developed a cost-effective alternative totraditional ramps. With its built-in anti-sliptechnology, the company relies on astreamlined production process to bringdown cost.

“We have a wide range of products thatwe export to more than 40 countries, fromwheelchair and threshold ramps and coversto foldable loading ramps that can withstand

a load of up to 800kg,” says Mats Sundstedt,CEO of FeAl. “By controlling the entireproduction chain, we are able to offer lower

prices and faster delivery times and ensurequality control.”

This strategy is not the only driving forcebehind the firm’s success. FeAl’s network ofdistributors allows the company to customiseits solutions to better address its clients’needs. Seeing opportunities on the mainland,FeAl is seeking partnerships to pursue itsexpansion into the southern region.

FeAl has also formed strategicrelationships with organisations such as theChina Disabled Persons Federation (CDPF).The company is opening a centre in co-operation with the CDPF and the SwedishInstitute of Assisted Technology this month toeducate mainland consumers about itsproducts and technologies.

“Through our product range, we hope tomake all public areas accessible for thedisabled and elderly. Educating people aboutthe challenges faced by those withdisabilities can help spur change, and wewant to be a part of that,” Sundstedt says.

FeAl ramps up efforts to improve accessibility

Mats Sundstedt, CEO

Maintaining a clean working environmentthat is healthy for both workers andmachinery is often cumbersome and costlyfor many manufacturers. Thanks to 3nine’ssolutions, more companies are not onlybenefiting from hygienic facilities but are alsosaving on valuable time, costs andproductivity.

The company specialises in oil mistcollectors, catering to the manufacturingindustries. Based on centrifugal separation ofliquids using rotating disc stacks, themachines combine 3nine’s patentedtechnologies to purify the air by 99.9 per centand prevent workshops from having oilysurfaces.

The environment-friendly collectorsallow plants to reuse separated oil mists,reduce filter usage, recycle clean air anddecrease heating consumption.

“Our products improve manufacturingenvironments, making workshops clean andhealthy for workers without making a largedent on the manufacturers’ budget,” says

CEO Torbjörn Nordström. Compact andlighter than its competitors, 3nine’s oil mistcollectors can be mounted directly on otherequipment to save production space. Theserequire little maintenance, using a high-

efficiency particulate air filter that needschanging only every two to four years. Eachmachine can perform continuously on a dailybasis without any downtime for the machinetools that it serves.

Ten years into operation, 3nine hasalready earned the trust of majorinternational players such as Bosch,Siemens and Sandvik. As its businessexpands eastwards, the company projectsdemand from the metal-working industry inAsia.

The company will launch a subsidiary inBeijing to support the flourishing mainlandmarket and, in the future, the South Koreanand Japanese markets.

It also aims to collaborate with machinetool manufacturers in the region.

“3nine aims to expand four or five timesin the next five years,” Nordström says. “Wehave identified at least 40 applications andwe will work closely with customers todevelop machines that fit theseapplications.”

Clean work environment through 3nine

Torbjörn Nordström, CEO

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S8 Friday, November 4, 2011

SPECIAL REPORT: SWEDEN COUNTRY REPORTSponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports

Undeterred by limited resources,Nils-Eric Anderberg founded FMTmore than 45 years ago. FMT hassince developed into one of theworld’s leading innovators of

passenger boarding bridge systems forcommercial aircraft and passenger vessels.The Swedish company offers its creative andtailor-made solutions for airports and seaportsaround the world for safe, cost-effective andfast turnaround.

The most sophisticated and largest portsin the world use FMT’s groundbreakingproducts. Its patented laser-based guidancesystem for airports allows high precisionaircraft parking at the gate. The integratedaircraft gate system is capable of connectinglarge aircraft to three boarding bridgessimultaneously, thereby improving passengerturnaround time to within 30 minutes.

FMT’s efficient computer controlledvehicle-free gate support system provides full

service to an aircraft on ground stops. Thisreduces the number of vehicles servicing theaircraft resulting in lower costs and reducedcarbon emissions.

“We are continuously working andseeking new ways to make airports andseaports more cost-efficient and environmentfriendly,” says Anderberg, FMT president and CEO.

FMT’s airport bridge systems servicemajor international airports including theHong Kong International Airport and ZhuhaiAirport, which was the first airport to implement the vehicle-free gate supportsystem.

Designed specially for cruise ships, FMT’spatented mobile gangways for seaportsprovide passengers with the highest degreeof safety, flexibility and comfort. Its air-conditioned glass tunnels automaticallyadjust to ship and tidal fluctuations. Thesehuge gangways are set up in Port Everglades

in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Port ofGalveston in Texas. These are capable ofboarding passengers of large cruise shipssuch as the MS Oasis of the Seas, one of thelargest cruise ships in the world.

The mainland plans to build at least 45new airports in the next five years to serve thecountry’s increasing number of travellers.Foreseeing the growing trend, FMT aims tofocus on the country’s port development. Thecompany has already established a subsidiaryin Hong Kong and is exploring the possibilityof partnering with a reliable local enterprise tofurther promote FMT’s solutions to China portoperators. FMT is also contracted to build fivegangways at the Hong Kong port by 2013.

As the mainland’s economy flourishes and the spending ability of the peopleimproves, FMT is gearing for newopportunities when the country emerges asone of the largest markets for passengercruise ships in the future.

FMT puts the focus firmly onmainland port development

Nils-Eric Anderberg, president and CEO

Running a successful organisation requiresbalancing the demands of customers,employees, company management and itsstakeholders. “Teleopti’s workforcemanagement solutions allow companies tomeet these demands, resulting in a positivecombination of great customer service,motivated employees and optimal operationalpractices,” says CEO Olle Düring.

Teleopti helps organisations such as callcentres streamline operations throughworkforce management solutions. Thesespan from forecasting, scheduling andoptimising calls, to agent involvement andadministration, intraday management,reporting and performance management.

Following the evolution of workforcemanagement beyond projecting call volumesand creating staff’s shift plans, Teleopti hasexpanded the scope of its portfolio. Designedto augment an organisation’s workforceoptimisation approach, the company’sworkforce management solution Teleopti CCCmanages multiple contact channels, mediaand skills, and virtual contact centres andagents.

As a development leader in strategicworkforce management, Teleopti isrecognised in the industry for its user-friendlyand flexible solutions and support for openstandards. Teleopti can even extend its

applications to clients’ back offices, branchesand retail stores.

Complementing its flagship portfolio areTeleopti’s telecommunications expensemanagement solutions. Led by the TeleoptiPro software, these control telephony costs,monitor quality and manage allcommunication devices and services withany telephony type.

“Responding to the needs of ourcustomers, we customise our solutionsaccording to local market requirements andprovide support in multiple locations and

languages,” Düring says. Teleopti CCC istoday available in more than 20 languages,including Chinese.

More than 500 companies in 70 countriesacross the globe have incorporated Teleopti’sexpertise into their daily operations. Amongthese, China-based leading travel solutionsprovider Cococ improved customer servicesand contact centre morale with Teleopti CCC.Turkey-based call centre Callus sawincreased productivity and lower agentattrition upon deployment of Teleopti CCC.Russian client VimpelCom Group increasedschedule adherence by 20 per cent, whileEurope’s P&O Ferries saved 30 per cent oncontact centre budget. DHL, Thomas Cookand Fortis also rely on Teleopti to producesimilar improvements in their operations.

The mainland is one of the biggest growthmarkets for Teleopti. Cococ, UnionPayMerchant Service (ChinaUMS) and Lenovoare among local customers it serves from itsBeijing office. Teleopti has formedpartnerships with telecom giant Huawei, andis poised to pursue the growing local callcentre market through major operators ChinaMobile, China Telecom and China Unicom.

“We recognise China as a booming callcentre segment, and can help companiescontinue growing their customer base. Ourtools can boost their business by 10 to 30 percent through better planning, forecasting andstrategic decisions,” Düring says.

Teleopti pursues China’s growing call centre market

Olle Düring, CEO

Working with industry to deliver innovation,Lund University nurtures global citizens tobecome a force in world development. Withits strong international policy, the universityfosters cutting-edge technology throughinteractive learning.

“Global classrooms will be very importantto industry and to society’s future,” says Per Eriksson, vice-chancellor and professor at Lund.

Sweden’s leading research universitysince 1666, Lund is emerging as the scientificcapital of Europe with its comprehensiveexpertise. Its long tradition of innovationincludes the Bluetooth technology for mobilecommunications launched globally by SonyEricsson. Lund hosts Sweden’s top-notchfirms at its Ideon Science Park. ThroughIdeon and the upcoming next-generationsynchrotron radiation facility – MAX IV andthe European Spallation Source – to belocated at the university, Lund is poised toshape the future of materials sciences withinthe next 10 years.

As an incubator of world-changing ideas,Lund values long-term relationships on a

global scale. It has 680 partner universities inmore than 50 countries, and as such hostsdiverse cultures in its campus. Theuniversity’s open system, a non-hierarchical

approach to learning, makes Lund a choicedestination for international students.

Offering more than 90 master’sprogrammes in English, Lund has a vibrantexchange programme with Chineseuniversities. Its partners include PekingUniversity, Fudan University, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Beijing University, ZhejiangUniversity, Tsing Hua University and theUniversity of Hong Kong.

Sustainability courses, ranging fromurban design to environmental sciences,attract the most number of Chinese students.Lund’s strongest disciplines include materialssciences, medicine, philosophy andengineering. Among Lund’s standing researchcollaboration with mainland universities is acentre for innovation and photonics atZhejiang University.

“We hear from the students that they geta true international experience here,” saysRichard Stenelo, Lund’s deputy director forexternal relations. “They feel integrated andlearn interactively with their peers and ourteachers who are experienced researchers intheir field.”

Lund University fosters innovationthrough its global classrooms

Per Eriksson, vice-chancellor and professor

Holding patients’ lives in their hands,surgeons take on tremendous responsibilityeach time they enter an operating room. Acritical factor in preparing surgeons for thischallenge is surgical training – anincreasingly dynamic field in medicine.

A rising name in cutting-edge surgicaltraining through virtual reality (VR)simulation, Surgical Science enablessurgeons to hone their skills in a safe andwell-structured environment beforeoperating on humans. Established by asurgeon and specialised software engineersin 1999, it develops digital training aids forvarious laparoscopy and endoscopyprocedures.

“Our goal is to provide training thatproduces proficient surgeons more quicklyand efficiently than costly trial-and-errortraditional means,” says managing directorTed Ternander. “We put the patients’ safetyfirst, while helping the medical communitybenefit from our products’ ethical andeconomical advantages.”

Surgical Science released its firstsimulators called LapSim in 2001, followed byan array of improvements including userinterface upgrades and add-on modules fora wider set of VR procedures. Usingadvanced 3D technology, LapSim providesstudents a realistically interactive virtual

working environment with tailored coursesthat are easily created or modified to specifictraining needs or curriculum. It is the only toolof its kind that has been proven by publishedstudies to build up the skills of novicesurgeons for actual operations.

The company has more than 350installations worldwide, and sees growinginterest in developing regions, particularlyHong Kong and the mainland, along withWestern Europe, the United States and

Japan. Maintaining close ties with distributionnetworks and related associations, it alsoseeks medical device and education partnersas it expands into new applications andmarkets.

“We aim to be a part of China’s improvinghealth care initiatives,” Ternander says.“Educating the market is of foremostimportance – and training centres,universities and other academic venues arekey in advancing simulation training.”

Simulated training helps toproduce proficient surgeons

Tomas Ragnarsson (left), vice-president, sales and Ted Ternander, managing director

Much like air, around which it has built acomprehensive product portfolio over thepast six decades, air movement solutionsspecialist Fergas is “everywhere”.

“By everywhere, we mean that it doesnot matter what application or wherecustomers are – we are the global experts inmoving air,” says president and CEO RikardWallman. “Whether it is a fan in a projector,dishwasher or car seat, we deliver productsthat solve our customers’ problems.”

Rooted in a tradition of innovation, in-depth customer relations and soundbusiness ethic, the family-owned companyhas evolved from a tool and die makerestablished in 1949. Servicing the heating,appliance and automotive markets, itprovides a diverse range of crossflowblowers and blower wheels.

Fergas also offers patented inventions,including the AirBlaster blower, which wasinvented by the company’s founder LennartWallman for vehicle seat ventilation.Integrated in the ClimaSeat system, thepowerful AirBlaster draws air through theseat’s fabric, removing heat and moistureand effectively reducing the need for strongair conditioning and energy consumption.

As a global supplier, Fergas hasmanufacturing facilities in Europe, NorthAmerica and China, and commercial andtechnical representation worldwide. Itfounded Fergas Asia Pacific through a jointventure with Beckett Air in 2005 to be closeto its customers, and has a sales office inHong Kong and a wholly-owned foreignenterprise in Dongguan.

The company collaborates with majorcarmakers such as Audi, Volkswagen andVolvo, and looks forward to expanding itsautomotive segment in China. It also targetsthe market’s vast appliance industry, and istapping into more local resources such asengineers, agents and partners.

“China has been and will continue to besubstantial for us,” Wallman says. “We arefinding new ways into the market, adaptingour product offerings to suit Chineserequirements.”

Fergas is also pursuing intensifiedoperations in Russia, India and SouthAmerica.

Rikard Wallman, president and CEO

Fergasbreezestowardsglobalexpansion

Renewable energy will fulfil its potential if itdelivers cost-efficient solutions for energyintensive industries. With this in mind, Cortusdeveloped sustainable biomass gasificationtechnologies to help the process and powerindustries cut their carbon footprint with theirown waste.

“Energy can be available in a muchsimpler way,” says Rolf Ljunggren, Cortusfounder and CEO. “We’re addressing someof the fundamental shortcomings oftraditional gasification processes.”

Founded in 2006, Cortus holds fivepatents for WoodRoll, its core technologythat produces cleaner synthesis gas orsyngas. It is distinguished for a gasificationprocess that separates drying, pyrolysis andthe actual conversion of organic waste. Thecompany has proven its technology withordinary wood chips, recycled wood andsludge from pulping industries includingchemical and fibre waste.

With the flexibility injected to the fuelgeneration process, Cortus’ technologyleads to essential cost efficiencies. “In theend, there can be actual savings in goingfrom fossil fuels to renewable fuels,”Ljunggren says. “It is important to see thepotential in any waste material.”

Cortus has won a 12-year contract tosupply biogas at a lime kiln factory inSweden. The project will demonstrate itstechnology with a 5-megawatt (MW)biomass plant to be installed next year,which can be expanded to 25MW. Cortus is also working on a 500-kilowatt installationof its technology. Its other pursuits include a combined heat and power project in

Estonia, a coal-fired project in Poland and a recycling project with special gasificationin Spain.

Building on experience in installing a co-production plant in California, Cortus is in early talks with mainland players onbiomass conversion. It is keen on forging tieswith local engineering companies andforward-thinking local governments tointroduce its solutions on the mainland,particularly for coal-fired power plants.

“The vision for us is to establish ouroperations in Sweden and be able to moveinto growing markets with good partners,”Ljunggren says.

Cortus innovates onbiomass gasification

Rolf Ljunggren, founder and CEO

Mainland authorities have been proactive inimplementing new road safety laws in aneffort to curb road traffic injuries, one of theleading causes of death there. Supporting thisinitiative is brake system manufacturer Haldexwith its vision to develop safer and morereliable commercial vehicles.

The company specialises in foundationbrakes and air control systems for heavyvehicles such as automatic brake adjusters,anti-lock brake systems (ABS) and discbrakes. Haldex is the global leader inautomatic brake adjusters, a criticalcomponent in maintaining effective brakingperformance on air brake systems. Disc brakeand ABS products are gaining acceptance onthe mainland, especially in the bus segment.

“Everyone wants to operate safe andreliable vehicles. Our brake system solutionswill certainly improve the operation ofcommercial vehicles and help reduce roadaccidents in China,” says Haldex presidentand CEO Jay Longbottom.

In order to be more focused and produce

better results, Haldex has reorganised. Thecommercial vehicle systems and hydraulicsystems divisions have become independentcompanies trading under the names Haldexand Concentric. The traction systems divisionwas sold to BorgWarner. Longbottom, formerdivision head of commercial vehicle systems,assumed leadership of the new Haldex inJune.

Haldex aims to be the global commercialvehicle industry’s preferred choice for brakingsolutions. Recognising the significance of themainland market for its success, Haldex hasentrusted the management of its operation onthe mainland to local managers. Its local headsales office is located in Shanghai, with sixother offices spread throughout the country.Its main production facility in Suzhou allowsHaldex to supply customers across the Asianregion.

“The new Haldex is singularly focused,”Longbottom says. “Our goal is to be the leaderin commercial vehicle braking systems inChina.”

Haldex contributes to safe andreliable commercial vehicles

Jay Longbottom, president and CEO

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SPECIAL REPORT: SWEDEN COUNTRY REPORTSponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports

Hearing loss is no longer animpediment given technologicalbreakthroughs that enable thedeaf or hearing impaired to enjoylife free of inconveniences.

Bellman & Symfon has been instrumental inbringing about this change.

The company has developed simple andflexible solutions that go beyond thefunctionality of traditional hearing aids.“Hearing instruments are fine products butoperate only within a few metres from thesound source and you normally never usehearing instruments in the bath or when yousleep. Recognising this, we developed arange of products to work around this fact,”says Peter Jungvid, president and CEO.

One of these products is the Bellman Visit,a wireless alerting system that signals thosewith impaired hearing in home and workenvironments in events of emergency oralarm. Using digital technology to develop itsproducts, the company launched the firstdigital personal amplifier in the world.

Bellman & Symfon is renowned for its

functional design. Aside from closecollaboration with hospitals, Bellman &Symfon fosters long-term relationships withits distributors to ensure it develops the rightproducts for each market.

One of its latest products, the BellmanAudio Domino, won the Grand Award ofDesign in Sweden this year. It is a personalhearing system that uses digital state-of-the-art sound processing and wirelesstechnology to bring out speech in difficultlistening situations.

Bellman & Symfon also creates tailor-made hearing protectors. Recommended formusicians, these devices preserve soundquality while protecting the ears from veryloud sounds.

The company sees great opportunities ineducating the mainland market about hearingprotection.

Having established an office inGuangzhou in 2008, it seeks additionalpartnerships with distributors to help with itsadvocacy. Bellman & Symfon also plans totarget Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan asfuture growth markets.

“We welcome long-term partnershipswith companies that are seriously committedto help people protect or assist their hearing,”Jungvid says.

Hearing better withBellman & Symfon

Peter Jungvid, president and CEO

Aluminium extrusion technology has thepotential to bring unprecedented efficienciesto the mainland’s transportation sector. “Withfuel economy becoming increasinglyimportant, an aluminium solution for masstransportation, railway carriages and trucktrailers would have enormous implicationsfrom an environmental standpoint,” saysSvein Tore Holsether, president and CEO ofSapa Group.

A world-leading extrusions specialist,Sapa has formed a joint venture (JV) withAluminium Corporation of China (Chalco) tobring Sweden’s friction stir weldingtechnology to the mainland. Both parties haveinvested HK$784 million to build a fullyintegrated aluminium extrusion andfabrication plant in Chongqing. The facility will

Sapa entered the mainland in 1996 initiallywith heat transfer solutions and has workedwith Chalco since then. With the upcomingstate-of-the-art JV facility, Sapa hopes to be amajor player in the rollout of the mainland’shigh-speed rail network.

“With our technical competence andknowledge in this field from our activities inEurope and North America and Chalco’scommercial and railway infrastructureknowledge, it is a perfect marriage,”Holsether says. “We have a good history anda good relationship, and we see hugeopportunities for growth.”

Already the No 1aluminium extrusionspecialist in Europe and North America, Sapalooks to secure a similar position in Asiawithin a few years.

have research and development capabilitiesin line with Sapa’s tradition of producinginnovative solutions.

Sapa works closely with customers todesign aluminium solutions for profiles andbuilding and heat transfer systems. Thecompany serves a broad range of industries,mainly construction and building, vehicle,mass transportation and telecommunications.With the leaps in solar energy development,Sapa also meets increasing market demandfor aluminium mounting systems.

“In this day and age, the combination ofaluminium and extrusion is very exciting aswe consider aspects of recyclability, strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. Theapplications are almost limitless,” Holsethersays.

Sapa Group sees mainland ripe for new aluminium era

Svein Tore Holsether, president and CEO

For industries manufacturing temperature-sensitive goods, such as the pharmaceutical,biotechnology and food-related sectors, amain supply chain concern is maintaining thevalue and integrity of the product en route toconsumers. Eliminating this problem,Envirotainer pioneered active temperature-controlled air transportation solutions to helpcompanies expand their global distributionnetwork without worrying aboutcompromising quality.

Envirotainer has always been a drivingforce in the air cargo cold chain with its activethermal systems and containers custom-builtfor wide body aircrafts. Compared to passivesystems which use insulated boxes withcoolants, active temperature-controlledcontainers make use of dry ice or electriccompressors and thermostats to controltemperature.

Passive systems make up 80 per cent ofthe cold chain market. Envirotainer seestremendous growth opportunities as morecompanies realise the benefits of usingcontainers with active systems. Out of the

20 per cent market share of active systems,Envirotainer has cornered 90 per cent.

“We are outpacing the growth of themarket through our continuing innovation andexpanding global network,” says CEO Niklas

Prager. Growing at approximately 20 per cent,Envirotainer is gradually taking market shareaway from passive systems.

Envirotainer has a wide global networkand an open platform of airlines and logisticspartners to ensure the high availability of itscontainers. Combined with the superiorreliability of its containers, it enables trueglobal transportation of temperature-sensitivepharmaceuticals.

With the shift in manufacturing activitiesfrom West to East, Envirotainer sees India andthe mainland as attractive markets forinbound and outbound shipments. Thecompany believes that these developingcountries can match the growth of moremature markets, provided they can streamline their regulatory policies andestablish stable transportation and cold chaininfrastructure.

“With a partner such as Envirotainer,these countries will be able to play a moreimportant role in the global pharmaceuticalarena and move up to higher valueproduction,” Prager says.

Envirotainer heralds next wavein cold chain management

Niklas Prager, CEO

One of the world’s leading manufacturers ofsingle-circumference, single-width weboffset presses, Solna Offset is solidifying itsposition as it pushes its capabilities ininnovation and export strategy.

Catering to the newspaper and bookprinting market, the privately-owned companyprovides various product concepts for cold-set and heat-set production and long-grainbook printing. It has evolved from a sheetfedmanufacturer established in 1946, expandingits portfolio covering basic manual presses tothe industry’s fastest single-round, single-width units featuring complete automationand system integration. It also offers after-sales products, spare parts and services.

Acquired by Swiss press manufacturerWifag Maschinenfabrik early this year, Solna

Initially entering Hong Kong throughSweden-based trading house Ekpac, whichwas also recently acquired by Wifag, Solnagradually made a mark in China’s printingindustry.

Responding to the market’s increasingdemand for high-end automated machines, ithas risen as the country’s second-leadingpress supplier.

“We are strongly committed to China –being a pioneer in the region in many aspects,including the development of special pressesfor book production and completelyautomated lines,” Karlsson says. “Movingforward, we will continue working closelywith our customers, recruiting and developingpeople and becoming a true internationalcompany.”

is projected to achieve new heights and anunprecedented global reach as it leveragesthe two key players’ combined resources.

“Solna has found new opportunitiesthrough Wifag, with which we now have thewidest range of newspaper presses in themarket,” says Solna and Wifag CEO JörgenKarlsson. “The consolidated strength has also enabled us to bring digital technologyinto new machines – and propped up Solnaas the industry’s leader in product andtechnology.”

The company has been export-orientedsince early in its operation, with overseassales generating more than 90 per cent oftotal annual turnover. It identifies China as amajor market, where it has grown withcustomers since 1976.

Solna combines Wifag strength in China strategy

Jörgen Karlsson, CEO

The mainland’s initiative to adopt greendevelopment in the paper industry puts Nossin a strong position to offer its expertise. Withextensive knowledge and advanced fibredevelopment products and systems, Noss is arecognised expert in paper processinstallations and improvement systems.

The family-owned enterprise started inStockholm in 1949 as a research anddevelopment outfit for the fibre industry. Itinitially focused on developing energyefficient products and building compactmachines that require minimum maintenance.This foundation, built on innovation, led to thedevelopment of the world’s first pressurisedhydrocyclone system called the Radiclone.

Attracting more than 500 pulp and papermills worldwide, Noss specialises in newmachines and installations and in rebuildingand improving existing systems. As a reliablepartner, Noss listens closely to its clients suchas International Paper in the United States,Sun Paper on the mainland, Asia Pulp &Paper and Asia Pacific Resources

International in Indonesia and Nordiccompany Stora Enso.

“We add value to the business of ourcustomers,” says Noss president Jon

Wikdahl. “We improve together with ourcustomers. We strive to help them quickly gettheir return on investment.”

The company’s slogan, “five processes, a thousand solutions”, describes the fivemajor processes of Noss: hydrocycloning,screening, deaeration, dewatering andfractionation. By combining differentprocesses and machines, Noss is able to offer more than 200 individual systemsolutions in various applications such aschemical and mechanical pulping, virgin andsecondary based paper grades, tissue andpaper board.

Active in the growing Asian market, Nosshas established sales and service offices inTokyo, Jakarta and Shanghai. Noss continuesto attract more clients on the mainland whereit has more than 40 installations. The companyis expanding to other countries such asThailand, South Korea and Vietnam where itseeks to collaborate with technicallyproficient agents with experience in the localpulp and paper industry.

Noss ensures optimum operationsfor pulp and paper industry

Jon Wikdahl, president

Turning ‘green’ need not be acostly undertaking for theshipping industry. With the helpof maritime waste managementexpert Uson Marine, companiesare able to comply withinternational environmentalpolicies. They can also increaseprofitability through costefficiency and new businesses.

“Uson Marine is at theforefront of everything related toenvironmental and marinebusiness issues,” says CEOClaes Rudling. ”We help ourclients comply with relevantrules and regulations, limit theirenvironmental impact, attract customers and consequently increasetheir revenues.”

One of the first and few of its kind in the industry, Uson Marineleverages more than 25 years of expertise and is recognised amongSweden’s fastest-growing companies. Specialising in food and drysolid waste management, chute systems and related support services,it provides custom-made solutions for various installations andapplications.

The company services ship and rig owners, offshore operators andshipyards across Europe and Asia. It provides worldwide supportthrough its network of representatives. Hong Kong-based Health LeadDevelopment helps Uson Marine reach China’s busiest shipyards suchas Dalian, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

With the mission to spread environmental consciousness globally,Uson Marine also provides consultancy services to companies thatseek documentation and certification required by the InternationalMaritime Organization. It likewise supports clients that voluntarily heedextra measures to become eco-friendly as a value-added differentiatorin the competitive shipping market.

Uson Marine aims to further explore Asia’s largely untappedmarket, and grow at least five times its size in the next five years. Itplans to establish a representative office in Asia, particularly on themainland, where the ship-owning and shipyard industries arecontinuing to expand.

“It is rewarding to work on something that we believe will be goodfor the environment,” Rudling says. “With the rising interest fromcustomers, we look forward to seeing enormous growth over thecoming years.”

Uson Marine combinesenvironmental responsibilitywith profitability

Claes Rudling, CEO

An established player in Japan’sbuilding industry, Bergkvist-Insjön is looking to the mainlandto expand its business in Asia. Itis introducing sawn products forthe state-of-the-art productionof glued laminated timber(glulam) for industrial use. Thecompany also provides rawmaterial for other industrialpurposes such as furnitureproduction.

“We make sure that woodsourcing is made in asustainable way so we arealways in the process ofcreating supply chainswherever the possibilities are,”says Peter Eklund, Bergkvist-Insjön managing director.

Started in 1926, Bergkvist-Insjön operates one of the largestfamily-owned sawmills in Sweden, which is among the top six in thatmarket. Backed by four generations of lumbering expertise, thecompany stepped up in 2006 by transforming its sawmill into a leadinghi-tech facility in Europe with focus on Asian markets.

Bergkvist-Insjön produces glulam raw material with spruce andpine wood engineered to client-specified dimensions. Itsmanufacturing output is in the range of 380,000 cubic metres per year. With its subsidiary trading business Bergkvist-Växjö, thecompany delivers a wide variety of durable wood to the global market.

“Our strategy has always been export-led. We create the productaccording to the customers’ need and we make sure to fulfil theirshort-term requirements. This builds long-term business,” Eklundsays.

Japan accounts for about 45 per cent of the company’s turnover.Aside from Europe, other markets include North Africa and themainland.

Bergkvist-Insjön entered the mainland in 2008 and launched itslocal business at the Shanghai Expo. It plans to expand its sales forceand explore opportunities in the mainland’s high-end flooring andfurniture industries. Its hi-tech sawmill is well positioned to supportsales on the mainland.

“As a family business, we can make long-run decisions and don’thave to create immediate payback on everything. We are committedto creating long-lasting connections in China,” Eklund says.

Bergkvist-Insjön introducesstate-of-the-art durablewood for laminated beams

Peter Eklund, managingdirector

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