5 minute read
A word from the CEO
PROTON GROUP
Global growth – together
Organisation and business model
The Proton Group is a family-owned business group with the Malveholm family as the largest owners. Its operations are divided into five business areas: Edge, Engineering, Finishing, Lighting and Structure, which operate in a variety of industries that are all linked to industrial production. Several companies operate in the business areas, each with free reins to conduct their own businesses and their sustainability programmes under their own responsibility. To support these operations, the Proton Group has established a special service company, Proton Services, which provides expertise in finance, HR, IT, marketing and management.
In their specific fields of expertise, the companies in the five business areas have customers in an array of industries, which serve as suppliers, product owners or consultants to the automotive, construction, property and furniture sectors. Proton Group customers are primarily located in Europe, but some are in Asia, North and South America. Some long-term customers include names such as Ahlsell, Alfa Laval, Autoliv, Gunnebo Fastening, Hestra Inredningar, IKEA, Kockums Maskin, Koenigsegg, Kongsberg, MAN, Nevs, Renault, Rexel, Scania, Shiloh, Tesla, Thule, Volvo Trucks and Volvo Construction Equipment.
One of the core ideas of the Proton Group is that the business areas can benefit from each other’s strengths by working together on sustainability, sharing of skills and business development. The wide range of business activities also helps to make the group somewhat recession-proof and allows it to move sustainability investment funds between businesses where needed.
ORGANISATION
Proton Structure
GH Svetsteknik Teknikrör
Proton Lighting
Proton Lighting Proton Lighting, Finland
Proton Services
Proton Engineering
Proton Engineering Proton Engineering, Lithuania
Proton Edge
Proton Technology JL Safety Cedoc
Proton Finishing
PF Anderstorp PF Eskilstuna PF Forsheda PF Hillerstorp PF Industripulver PF Alsab
EMPLOYEES IN 2021 419 EMPLOYEES
22 12 15
88 95
184
2021 SALES SEK 697M
33 23
169
187 295
PROTON GROUP
Strategic presence in the Nordics and Baltics
SWEDEN
FINLAND
Eskilstuna
Skara
Mölndal
Hillerstorp Anderstorp
Forsheda Bankeryd Skillingaryd
Värnamo
Proton Group headquarters
Klaipèda Helsinki
LITHUANIA
Growth strategy
The Proton Group pursues an active growth strategy with the aim of doubling sales every ten years. The sales target for 2030 is SEK 1.5 billion. This growth is to be achieved organically and through acquisitions, and through an increased global presence.
• We develop companies with unique abilities that are, or have reasonable potential to be, leading in their field. • We invest in companies that have, or have the potential for, good dividends, long-term growth and limited risk. • We have a healthy financial base that is stable in the long term. • We are long-term owners with no ultimate time limit. • We have operations in a variety of industries to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience. • The dedication and knowledge of our staff are crucial to our development.
This makes a decentralised organisation natural to us.
These strategies are steps towards these goals:
1. Strong business areas with their own, motivated management and clear focus on results. 2. Long-term resilient financial basis:
SOLIDITY
>35%
YIELD CAPITAL EMPLOYED >15%
NET INDEBTEDNESS <1.5x
EBITDA
No single industry is to make up more than 1/3 of sales at the aggregate group level. 3. We actively seek new acquisitions based on our primary strategy. 4. The group supports the business areas and their subsidiaries with funding, analysis and resources in finance, HR, IT, marketing and management.
PROTON GROUP
History
The Proton Group was founded in 1990 when a number of stakeholders, including Leif Malveholm, bought out a group of ten industrial companies and delisted them from the stock exchange. The aim was to build an industrial group with several pillars to stand on. The existing base was the surface finishing companies that currently make up the business area Proton Finishing. The strategy was to invest in environmental improvement measures, as the group owners expected that tighter environmental regulations would make it harder for smaller companies in the business to compete. Part of that strategy involved creating synergies between the surface finishing business and the construction business, which is now the business area Proton Engineering. Throughout its history, the Proton Group has faced both opportunities and setbacks, but it has always succeeded in offering stability to its customers and employees. The Proton Group has maintained an AAA credit rating for more than 25 years. After a series of significant investments in environmental and other measures, as well as divestments of non-strategic assets, the Proton Group is well-equipped for future growth.
1990
The Proton Group is founded.
2008
The Proton Group is hard hit by the recession.
2000
Record sales and profit. SEK 782m/SEK 55m and 723 employees.
2011
Generation change – ownership passes to Leif Malveholm’s children Daniel, Marcus and Sanna.
2015
The Proton Group’s 25th anniversary.
2020
The Proton Group acquires Gunnar Hansson Svetsteknik and Teknikrör in Kinna.
2019
The Proton Group acquires JL Safety and CEDOC.
2021
The Proton Group acquires Alsab.
OUR BUSINESS AREAS
