Hi Lars!
Tell us about your current role and the journey that’s brought you this far
I joined the company in 2008, as Freight Manager. I replaced an employee who had been working there for 48 years, which gave me an early understanding that at Alleima, employees want to stay.
Prior to my present role, I explored different positions. I was the project manager for implementing IT systems within the logistics area in connection with an ERP change at the Alleima site in Scranton, USA. Hence, my wife, and three children lived in Clarks Summit for a period.
After this challenge, I wanted to explore leadership even more and got the chance to take on the role of logistics manager at the Alleima Rock Drill Steel Unit. Then I had a 3-year stay as Production Manager at the Oil & Gas site in Sandviken. Back in 2018, I joined Alleima Rock Drill Steel Unit again as Work Manager this time. Safety, production, technology development, logistics, and customer contacts were key parts of the assignment.
Today, I am the Site Manager at Alleima Söderfors, manufacturing bars with a diameter of less than 80 millimeters in high-performance materials such as nickel base alloys and remelted stainless steel. Furthermore, we have a lot more machines and capabilities.
Your view on how it is to work at Alleima?
In the decentralized organization, I have great opportunities to influence my everyday life. My priorities are clear, but how I go about and achieve them is up to me and my unit to decide.
I like this way of working and know that autonomy, good cooperation, and a sense of belonging between different units contribute to us enjoying our workplace. In addition, so many dedicated colleagues are knowledgeable and helpful, all helping and challenging each other and developing ourselves together.
What drives you?
My watchword that I have been living for my whole life is development, I have a strong desire for personal development, trying new things or doing things in a new way.
I also feel proud and happy when we deliver great results because I know how much hard work is behind it. For me, it's about long-term pushing towards understandable and common goals in the business and creating a culture that promotes high commitment and motivated staff.
I work with setting a structure in the form of clear roles, expectations, and clear responsibilities and continuously give feedback based on defined goals. I believe this, seasoned with a welcoming and inclusive work climate where everyone is equally valued, is the key to success for a sustainable and pleasant working life.
Which is your favorite core value (We Care. We Deliver. We Evolve.) and why?
All three are great value words, but the one I like best is "We care". Caring and expressing myself are important to me as I associate silence and indifference with a lack of commitment. It's about creating a climate where I can say what I think without being reprimanded, that a different way of thinking is always ok, and that we must listen to people's different opinions and take advantage of our diversity.
In addition, we care so much about different things at Alleima, such as safety, the working environment, each other, the machines, the technology, and much more. In short, it is a core value that has many different contexts.