Protonen #1/2023- english

Protonen

#1/2023

We are Proton!

Kangaroo jumping and elk hunting

Climate footprint calculations create competitive advantage

Positive energy

Scania and Proton Engineering join forces for electrification journey

“It’s a bit like a marriage.” Supplier Stålrör on how to succeed together.

Learning to fly

In 1903, the Wright Brothers designed the first powered aeroplane. It only took two people to accomplish this feat. Two highly skilled and ambitious people admittedly, but two nonetheless. Today, the process of designing an aeroplane is completely different. Teams of dozens, if not hundreds, of people work on the engine alone.

The amount of knowledge in any given field has increased rapidly over the past 100 years, and the amount of knowledge we can absorb is limited. Our knowledge has therefore become increasingly specialised and the percentage of knowledge each person has in a given field has become less and less. This is a powerful and accelerating phenomenon.

Everything suggests that specialisation is here to stay; nobody can master the full breadth and depth of knowledge that goes into making an aircraft engine. This is why teams of people with different specialisations work together on these projects. An engine would never achieve the level of performance we take for granted if one person designed the whole thing alone, never mind a whole aeroplane.

When it comes to finding solutions and new ways forward, collaboration has never been as vital, and it is absolutely crucial to building a safe aeroplane. The same is true in many fields. Those who master the art of collaboration, and who continue to hone their collaborative skills, are the ones who contribute most to innovative and

sustainable solutions, growth and new jobs. It is therefore imperative that each and every one of us works to ensure a healthy, flourishing climate of collaboration. How can I help to improve collaboration with my colleagues? Am I making a positive difference for us? These are important questions we must ask ourselves; at the same time, let us not forget that it is through our shared job satisfaction that we invent and develop an aeroplane and, perhaps, even learn to fly!

It is no coincidence that Proton’s guiding light is collaboration.

Enjoy succeeding together!

David Gustafsson

“

When it comes to finding solutions and new ways forward, collaboration has never been as vital, and it is absolutely crucial to building a safe aeroplane.”

Scania and Proton Engineering join forces for electrification journey

PROTON ENGINEERING

Proton Engineering is the chosen partner as Scania embarks on its great transition to electrified vehicles. Camilla Linderberg, Scania’s sourcing manager promises a fast-moving journey with many exciting curves along the way. “This project will place completely new demands on our suppliers in terms of speed, flexibility and feedback.”

The electrification of freight and passenger transport is key to society’s green transition. As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of heavy goods vehicles and buses, Swedish company Scania is one of the driving forces behind this transition.

“We are currently running a major electrification project that encompasses all types of vehicles: electric trucks, electric buses, as well as charging infrastructure. The idea is that we will be able to help our customers future-proof their vehicle fleet. As part of this project, Proton Engineering has been nominated for the delivery of a great many articles," says Camilla Linderberg, sourcing manager at Scania in Södertälje.

Linderberg has been working in purchasing in Scania’s truck business for seven years, the last two with a focus on projects.

“I also worked as a prototype buyer for a period, meaning that I have had contact with Proton Engineering since I started at Scania. We are delighted to have such a versatile supplier that can offer series and prototype production.”

Continual change

Although Scania and Proton Engineering have been collaborating since the 1960s, with the new electrification project they are stepping into a new era together. The order is for series production of components for Scania’s new electric trucks, with the focus on pipes, Proton Engineering’s main area of expertise. At the same time, the company has also been entrusted with the production of prototypes for Scania’s new electric buses. Linderberg notes that the transition from traditional internal combustion engines to

electricity will affect the entire supply chain.

“One of the challenges is that this is the first time we've done this. We simply cannot see the full picture. Our work is therefore based on the strategy of continuous improvement throughout the project. We are well aware that there will be changes, something that also places high demands on suppliers. They must be very flexible and able to make changes to components as and when we update the design. They must be committed and quick to communicate, so we don’t lose momentum anywhere along the supply chain. This means that they in turn must keep their a tight rein on their subcontractors. Naturally, we need all articles in place for a truck to roll off the production line.”

Positive energy

Proton Engineering’s team in Skillingaryd welcome the challenge and are looking forward to the change. “It will be all go – all the time,” says project manager Jonathan Bardh, who works in sales in Skillingaryd.

Text Amelie Bergman / Photo Scania

Jonathan Bardh, project manager and salesperson at Proton Engineering

“There will be many changes, which means that each series will be shorter. This presents a challenge for all subcontractors in the automotive industry, where we are used to having long series rolling off the production line over an extended period. There will be constant product development. If we don’t keep pace and see whats coming, we won’t be able to keep up.”

Bardh agrees wholeheartedly that communication skills are just as important as engineering skills and product knowledge.

“The road to receiving an order is long and it has involved many meetings, inquiries and negotiations. In my experience, our dialogue with Scania is characterised by transparency and honesty from both sides and I believe that this has been important to our collaboration. My responsibility is to act as the link between Proton Engineering and

Scania and I would say that we are in touch on an almost daily basis. Then, of course, we maintain a close dialogue internally here at Proton. We really are a close-knit team that takes on the challenge together. This project has generated a lot of positive energy.”

Reducing carbon footprints, thinking more locally Linderberg is at pains to point out that, for Scania, a procurement is never simply about the price.

“We take a helicopter view. We consider many parameters: price, lead times and reliability, feedback, quality and sustainability management. Sustainability is a very important issue for us and our customers. We already rank our suppliers on sustainability and we are preparing more in-depth collaboration with our suppliers

to further reduce carbon footprints.”

Given the global situation and the aftermath of the pandemic, Scania has also begun to think locally.

“This implies focusing more on local suppliers, and by that I mean not only in Sweden but around Europe. We are dependent on having suppliers who can deliver quickly. Of course, rising logistics costs also have an impact.”

“An exciting journey”

“This is just the beginning of an exciting journey and I am happy for Proton Engineering’s sake that they have jumped aboard. Here at Scania, we believe that it is vital to have suppliers who are not lagging behind but understand that their customers want and are prepared to keep up with the times,” says Linderberg.

“We really are a close-knit team that takes on the challenge together. This project has generated a lot of positive energy.”

Successful roll-out of new business management system

The change of business management system within the Proton Group is in full swing and several business areas have already implemented Microsoft Dynamics 365. Proton Technology is very pleased with the results. “We can see many advantages to the new system, which has further improved the structure of our work,” says laboratory engineer Femmy Fällgren.

With its focus on quality and testing, Proton Technology is a business that truly appreciates orderliness. According to Femmy Fällgren, if possible, the situation is now even more conducive to keeping things shipshape.

“Among other things, it has become easier to keep track of multiple items that the customer wants to test simultaneously within the framework of each project. We will also be able to follow the items’ path through the various test cabinets to see exactly where they are at the moment.”

Appreciative customers

Proton Technology’s customers have also noticed the change, including even better information. The new business management system auto-generates an email to the customer when their goods arrive in Bankeryd. Eventually, it may even be possible to allow customers to follow their products’ path through the process, so that they know exactly how far they have progressed through the test procedure.

“We’re not there yet, but we’ve received very positive feedback from our customers about emails confirming incoming goods,

so this type of information is clearly appreciated,” says Femmy, who notes that, while some fine-tuning remains, for its part, Proton Technology feels that the switch to a new business management system has gone well.

Effects soon visible

Stefan Karlsson, business developer at the Proton Group, underlines that introducing a new business management system demands a great deal of work and energy from all involved.

“Switching business management system is a tough journey and everyone has given it their all. In fact, we are on schedule.

It has been rolled out to Proton Services, Proton Technology, JL Safety, Cedoc and Weldin and we have begun work at Proton Lighting.

Proton Lighting should be ready in spring 2024, Proton Finishing in spring 2025 and Proton Engineering in spring 2026.

In a couple of months, once routines are settled, I think most people will begin to see the effects. It requires a little patience, so hang in there!” urges Stefan, who is well aware that change takes time and hard work.

“This type of change may feel like a burden and one can’t expect everything to always go smoothly. But once we’re done, we will have raised the business to a higher level.” Because change pays, of that he is convinced.

“I usually ask people after a year if they would like to go back to the old business management system. Usually, the vast majority say no. The benefits of the new system outweigh the inconvenience.”

Text Amelie Bergman / Photos Martin Johansson

Orderliness is the hallmark of Proton Technology and, if possible, the new business management system has further improved things.

Sustainability must never become a paper tiger”

Proton Finishing’s sustainability developer Sandra Vatn, sales manager Anders Olsson and Jan Strandesjö, quality and environment manager at Beslag & Metall, are at the forefront of delivering climate-impactcalculated components to the automotive industry.

Customers of Proton Finishing can now find a calculation of the climate footprint for surface treating their products in their quote. The calculations cover all processes at production line level for each individual item. Jan Strandesjö, quality and environment manager at Beslag & Metall, is absolutely delighted with the new arrangement.

“We are really pleased to be able to take this step together!”

Over recent years, Proton Finishing has set a number of highly ambitious, some might say overreaching, goals designed to lead the surface treatment industry into the future. One of them was to become the first company in the industry to offer customers climate footprint calculations. And now, they are there. Proton Finishing can now report the climate footprint of all of its production lines.

“We can report the climate footprint of a product based on the production line it was manufactured on. All we need from the customer is the size of the area being treated,” explains Sandra Vatn, sustainability developer at Proton Finishing.

“It’s been tough”

While it may sound relatively simple, it has required the combined forces of all production units.

“A great deal of data needs to be unearthed concerning our processes. The first

stage was difficult, as we decided to split it at production line level. Of course, it would have been much easier to just calculate the total for the entire plant – but customers are interested in their particular products. To create customer and climate benefits, we were forced to do our homework. And once all the data is available and a method decided on, it’s easy,” says Vatn, who is keen to point out the work is also highly significant for Proton Finishing’s own improvement work.

“We have gained a fantastic basis for our own sustainability work with prioritised measures.”

Sustainability pioneers

Proton Finishing’s initiative was just what Beslag & Metall in Ekenässjön was looking for. The company is a market leader in stamped sheet metal components for the automotive industry. Customers include Scania, Volvo Trucks and Volvo Cars.

“Proton Finishing is our surface treatment partner alongside our own paint shop. We do the large volumes of power coating in our own paint shop in Ulricehamn. Proton Finishing helps us with electrolytic surface treatment, as well as some painting,” says Jan Strandesjö, quality and sustainability manager at Beslag & Metall.

Beslag & Metall currently uses five of Proton Finishing’s six production units and Strandesjö is enthusiastic about the fact that climate footprint has been calculated at production line level.

“Beslag & Metall is a third-generation family business and we have a long tradition of developing alongside our customers – not least when it comes to environmental efforts. We have been certified in compliance with ISO 14001 for over 20 years and we are used to being audited for sustainability requirements. As such, we were well-prepared when the automotive industry began to work actively on sustainability issues,” explains Strandesjö.

Right now, intensive efforts are underway to increase the percentage of fossil-free materials and to further improve energy efficiency. Naturally, the roof is equipped

“We have gained a fantastic basis for our own sustainability work with prioritised measures.”

Text Amelie Bergman / Photo Richard Lindor, Duo Studio

The giant press literally spits out advanced stamped and punched components. If the customer wishes, Beslag & Metall has the capacity to mass produce in real time, matching the pace of the customer’s own production and assembly lines.

with solar panels and in the gigantic press – the largest in Europe and in itself worth a visit to Ekenässjön – braking energy is recovered and returned to the system.

“The fact is, when we commissioned the press in 2015, it made no impression whatsoever on the electricity grid, despite the fact that it is such an energy-intensive process. This is mainly due to the energy recovery and, today, we are very grateful that we were so forward-thinking!”

“Inundated with questions”

Strandesjö sees Proton Finishing’s initiative as another opportunity for the company to remain one step ahead through close collaboration between subcontractors.

“Right now, we are being inundated with questions about CO2 emissions from our customers. We have made our own efforts to map the climate footprint of our operations and, naturally, we look on it very positively when our suppliers are able to do the same thing. Proton Finishing reports its climate footprint in a highly skilled manner and the response from our customers have been very positive. In fact, one of them stated that we are the first company to be able to present results in this way, which is, of course, the result of good teamwork,” says Strandesjö, who believes that active sustainability work and concrete results – such as climate footprint calculations – have become a competitive advantage.

“We recently won an order from Scandia worth SEK 150 million and high quality, high delivery capacity and successful sustainability work were decisive.”

Rolled steel coil is the raw material processed by Beslag & Metall in its presses. In many cases, this is sent to Proton Finishing for surface treatment. Beslag & Metall is currently working intensively to identify more fossil-free alternatives.

The Schuler servo press is one of the largest in Europe, exerting 2,500 tonnes of pressure and with bed dimensions of 7 × 2.5 metres. Tools are swapped externally for extremely fast changes. The press is also very energy efficient, as braking energy is recovered and returned to the production system.

Proton Finishing reports its climate footprint in a highly skilled manner and the response from our customers have been very positive.”

New tendering standard

Jan Strandesjö notes that collaboration

“between subcontractors” is crucial, not only to common success but also to the development of the industry as a whole.

“It is vital that sustainability never becomes a paper tiger without any real benefit. And at Beslag & Metall and Proton Finishing, we have succeeded in creating that benefit together. To work sustainably is to create an economically justifiable business. The moment you avoid consuming a resource, you have actually saved money,” says Strandesjö. Anders Olsson, sales manager at Proton Finishing, agrees.

“In all honesty, it feels great to get there first – and to earn the customer’s appreciation for what we’ve done. Even potential customers seem to have picked up on it and we are receiving many positive reactions and curious inquiries. The next planned step is to report details of climate footprint at the tendering stage, giving customers an even better basis on which to make decisions.

Details ready for surface treatment. Proton Finishing is Beslag & Metall’s surface treatment partner, alongside the company’s inhouse paint shop. All of Proton Finishing’s production units perform electrolytic coating and powder coating.

Apologies, dear customers, but you all lack a little imagination when it comes to naming parts. All are named after their function, so Beslag & Metall has its own naming system based on appearance and character. What about “Candy Cane” and the beam “Valkyrie”?

“It’s a matter of collaboration and working together. When we collaborate, it brings us together and motivates us to trust one another, so that we can get the work done and achieve optimal results. And we do it together.”

Inga Petreikyte, quality and environment manager,

“It’s about give and take, everyone getting a piece of the cake.”

“To me, it means that we have good team spirit.”

Enjoy succeeding together!®

We asked our employees, customers and suppliers for their reflections on our motto, enjoy succeeding together. What does it stand for and what does it mean to them?

“Speaking of sustainability, above all, Proton Finishing has been very successful in its sustainability management. In our opinion, Proton Finishing has progressed further than anyone else in the surface treatment industry. It is also a part of their work that has contributed to us being able to speak to our customers in a good way and be able to offer good and complete auditing."

Jan Strandesjö, quality and environmental manager at Beslag & Metall, one of Proton Finishing’s customers

“That we do things together and succeed"

Conny

Proton Lithuania

Marika Ekberg, assembler, Proton Engineering

Strandgård, maintenance engineer, Proton Engineering

Magdalena Norell, production leader, Proton Engineering

“If you’re not engaged, you won’t succeed. All functions and individuals are equally important and have an equal role to play. Everyone is needed,”

“For me, enjoy succeeding together means appreciating and enjoying success together with your colleagues. Not striving for individual success but rather taking pleasure in sharing success with others. Being able to work in a positive work environment where people support each other, collaborate and enjoy reaching common goals."

Sara Beslic, HR partner, Proton Group

Jennie Stark, production leader, Proton Engineering

“The ability to work together across borders”

Thomas Andersson, operations manager, Proton Engineering

“It’s when we as people can contribute to Proton’s success and it can offer its customers added value that we have a good day at work. If things go well for Proton, things go well for us!”

Thomas Eriksson, sales manager at Stålrör, one of Proton Engineering’s suppliers.

“It’s a matter of working together, having fun at work and job satisfaction.”

Kim and Ahn, assemblers, Proton Lighting

Understanding starts with breakfast

Text and photo Amelie Bergman

Equal opportunities and equality are grand concepts that can easily drift off into the ether. At Proton Lighting, these concepts have been brought down to earth and put into practice. A good breakfast or a brisk walk may provide fresh perspectives on the job.

Every day at 10 am, everyone at Proton Engineering in Värnamo downs tools and puts on their coats. It is time for a brisk ten-minute walk around the factory and, come rain or shine, regardless of the season and despite being voluntary, almost everybody joins in.

“For many years, we had exercise drills, but this is better. As I said, it’s not compulsory but, in my experience, most people look forward to their little morning walk. We have also noticed major changes in both physical and mental health,” says Agan Sela, health, safety and quality manager at Proton Lighting.

Mapping important issues

During 2021, a pilot project was conducted at Proton Lighting to map areas employees considered important to wellbeing and job satisfaction.

“Among other things, we held an exercise in which they were asked to write down what they considered important on post-it notes. This grew into a considerable pile that we then sorted to ascertain the most important issues: opportunities for development, a reasonable wage, security, a sense of community, respect, good health with less stress, and shared coffee breaks,” says Agan.

Group-wide policy

For Proton Group HR manager Mari Lundqvist, it goes without saying:

“The most important thing isn’t drawing up nice-looking documents and plans.

Success in providing equal opportunities is based on talking about the issues within the organisation. It should feel natural.”

The lessons of the pilot project, together with annual employee surveys, have provided the foundation for Proton’s new group-wide Equal Opportunities Policy.

“During 2023, all managers and staff in our various business areas will receive training on our Code of Conduct and equal opportunities work. Everyone should feel secure in the knowledge of how to proceed should they feel that their dignity has been violated, and of how our whistle-blower policy works, says Lundqvist, who underlines that it is not the policy in itself that gets the job done. This is something employees must do together, and the work is never done.

“In the Proton Group, we therefore undertake many activities that touch on various social issues and that can contribute to reflection. Thoughts and ideas that can then become second nature.”

Building a sense of community

The post-it note pilot project was the starting point for a successful project called the Year of Health. While this was fundamentally a health project, in hindsight it clearly had significant social impact. The morning walk is one of the activities included the project that have now been made permanent. Another is the monthly communal breakfast.

According to Anh Le, a member of the production support team, this has been very rewarding, and not only for health:

“Nobody talks about work, we joke a lot. You get to know and understand one another better, which also makes it much easier to treat one another with respect and patience on the shopfloor. You know that a colleague needs a little time with the language and that you might need to explain something one more time.

She believes that language is an important element of equal opportunities work.

“Vietnamese, Bosnian, Thai... we have many different mother tongues here at Proton Lighting, and knowledge of Swedish varies depending on how long you’ve been working. That’s why we always try to speak Swedish, both while working and on breaks. It’s important to use the same language, so we don’t misunderstand each other.

For Anh, equal treatment is the same thing as job satisfaction.

“Everyone respecting and speaking to one another. For me personally, it’s also important to have the opportunity to develop and learn more.”

Right now, she is looking forward to a training course on quality.

Rotation has an effect

Agan Sela explains that skills development takes place on several levels: internally, on subjects such as quality and electrical safety, and, for those who are interested, externally in collaboration with, among others, Campus Värnamo.

“Another important element of skills development, participation and health is job rotation. We have established rotation as a standing concept. It’s not just a matter of reducing musculoskeletal injuries, but also of broadening one’s knowledge, about both your and your colleagues’ jobs. And its great for the culture.”

“We have noticed major changes in both physical and mental health.”

“Nobody talks about work, we joke a lot. You get to know and understand one another better, which also makes it much easier to treat one another with respect and patience on the shopfloor.”

Agan Sela, health, safety and quality manager, and Anh Le, production support, at Proton Lighting.

the feeling after a workout, when you are tired but elated”

In all likelihood, few readers are familiar with Kangoo Jumps, a sport that uses boots with springs for a trampoline effect. The boot was invented by a Canadian doctor with the intention of aiding the rehabilitation of sports injuries and to reduce the impact on joints when doing exercise such as running. The sport appears to have caught on at certain gyms, although far from all.

One of those who is active in the sport is Inga Petreikyte, quality and environment manager at Proton Engineering in Lithuania. Once or twice a week, she trains with a group of women. Inga decided to give it a try after seeing and advert while on holiday and after only a few sessions, she knew she wanted to continue.

Kangoo Jumps is a very effective workout with a number of benefits, including being gentle on the joints. Training normally involves choreography and good music, almost like a dance.

“Kangoo Jump gives me loads of energy and helps me to improve my balance and coordination, improves my posture and burns lots of calories into the bargain.

The sport is not very common in Lithuania, which according to Inga is because it is relatively expensive. The boots and accessories are expensive, so only a handful of gyms offer the sport. Bur what is it about the sport that keeps her coming back?

“I love exercising and all the good things that go with it. By training with others, you learn about teamwork, leadership and community. Constantly challenging oneself to improve and achieve a goal leads to personal growth. I also love the feeling after a workout, when you are tired but elated.”

Exercising with others has a lot of benefits. Training with this happy crew has taught Inga a great deal about teamwork, leadership and, above all, community.

Text Emma Ohliw / Photo Private

The Kangoo Jumps training method gave me a taste for more I love

Inga Petreikyte, quality and environment manager at Proton Engineering in Lithuania, does a Kangoo Jump session once or twice a week.

Hunting the food you put on the table feels good”

Hunting in various forms is one of the great interests of Jennie Stark, who works as a production leader at Proton Engineering in Skillingaryd. Originally from Lekeryd, it was Jennie’s partner who convinced her to move to the countryside outside Taberg. It was also through her partner that she found another love, hunting. In Jennie’s family, which now includes two children, everyone is interested in hunting in one way or another. Of course, dachshund is also a member of the family and always joins them on elk hunting expeditions.

As Jennie is also a car enthusiast, working as a production leader at Proton Engineering suits her especially well, as the company’s main customer base is in the automotive industry. Being at the sharp end where everything is happening suits Jennie perfectly. This is equally true in her role as production leader, where she spends most of her time on the shopfloor, as it is when she is hunting in the wild.

How often do you hunt?

“Before the children arrived, I hunted more or less every day during the hunting season. Now I hunt whenever the opportunity presents itself, sometimes with my partner but usually alone.”

Jennie’s interest in hunting was sparked when she took part in an elk hunt in 2006; after that, she was hooked. She passed her hunting exam a few years ago.

“When you hunt elk, you gain a fantastic community in the hunting team you belong to, which in itself is fantastic. That said, I do appreciate being alone in nature, which is often the case as I mainly hunt deer. There’s something about being out in natural surroundings and hunting the food you put on the table. It somehow feels good and natural.”

Would you say there are any similarities between your job and your great interest?

“I would. For example, as part of a hunting team, you have an equally large and important role, whether you are on watch, beating or actually bagging the elk. Everyone is working towards the same, common goal and you can't succeed without one another. It’s exactly the same at work. It takes everyone. When hunting, you also have to make quick but well-thought-out decisions – something I need to do at work as well.”

Text Emma Ohliw / Photo Private

Whenever something exciting happens in the forest, seven-year-old Melenie and nine-year-old Felix are quickly on the scene.

After“Before the installation, we were averaging around 49 kWh per day. With the new sensor-controlled luminaires, we have come as low as 4.2 kWh per day.”

Hans Malmros, regional key account manager at Ahlsell

Tenants delighted with lighting:

The garage feels much safer

When Landskronahem decided to update the lighting in its garages, the switch to LED luminaires from Exaktor was a real bonus, reducing energy consumption by as much as 71 per cent. Motion sensor control cut consumption by a further 22 per cent.

The fact that 17 million old fluorescent tubes are being gradually phased out due to new EU directives will make an immediate difference to electricity consumption as the new LED luminaires are installed. And cheaper electricity bills are not the only benefit.

“We have received tremendous feedback from our tenants, who now feel much safer in the garage,” says Daniel Nordstedt.

Motion sensors make a big different Daniel is an IT and technology coordinator with public housing company Landskronahem. He is a member of the company’s energy group, which like may others in these times has been struggling with soaring energy prices.

“We looked at how we could make savings by becoming more energy-efficient and eventually arrived at lighting, particularly in our garages," says Daniel.

Landskronahem has seven garages adjacent to its properties and when an

inventory was conducted of lighting it quickly became apparent that there were major shortcomings, especially in control systems.

“For example, we noticed that some garages were lit up around the clock. We knew that motion sensors would make a difference so we contacted Ahlsell for advice on selecting new luminaires,” says Daniel.

Lighting optimisation program

As one of the Nordic region’s leading distributer of technical installation products, Ahlsell has a central department with salespeople who specialise in lighting. These lighting specialists design the project on site and propose suitable products that result in customised, energy-saving solutions. In the case of Landskronahem, the solution was Exaktor luminaires from Proton Lighting. Hans Malmros, regional key account manager at Ahlsell, explains:

“We use Exaktor a great deal as it suits many of our customers’ purposes. Not only that, but we have also received excellent help from Rickard Bengtsson, who has become something of an extended arm for us.

Indeed, as Proton Lighting’s regional sales rep for southern Sweden, Rickard Bengtsson has definitely had a hand in things. Rickard assisted by programming lighting optimisation in all garages in which Exaktor luminaires were installed. He also maintained close contact with Daniel, going through all of the technical solutions.

“Daniel is a bit of a tech nerd and picks up things really quickly,” says Rickard.

Upgraded with the latest control system

It certainly is true that Daniel like technology. When the time came to install the system in the last of the garages, the very latest Exaktor LED luminaire was available, upgraded with the Koolmesh control system. Daniel is particularly effusive about the new control system.

“It’s easy to program. The entire installation is very easy to keep track of and I’ve received good support from Rickard on how to manage the installation after commissioning. I like the fact that it’s so easy to read energy consumption and adjust the lighting,” says Daniel.

According to Rickard, the new, upgraded Koolmesh system has many advantages:

“With Bluetooth 4.0. you have a shorter range between luminaires and easy access to remote control of the installation. It’s quite simply much better.”

Daniel continues:

“The new system seems to be both more stable and faster when it comes to running all of the luminaires in the network.”

From 49 to 4.2 kWh per day

The final installation is so recent that, at the time of writing, there are very few statistics available. However, when Daniel logs in to the system and looks at hourly energy consumption on individual days, the figures speak for themselves.

“Before the installation, we were averaging around 49 kWh per day. With the new sensor-controlled luminaires, we have come down as low as 4.2 kWh per day,” says Daniel.

The garage is divided into 12 zones, within which lighting is adapted based on motion and presence.

“The thing that really strikes you on entering the garage is the new, improved lighting,” says Hans.

Hans and Rikard have noticed similar improvements when collaborating on LED lighting projects and installations in schools, sports halls and other public environments. For example, the new classroom lighting at Sunds Upper-Secondary School in Vellinge has proved a great success, going from a low of 58 lux with the old fluorescent tubes to the present 1,000 lux with Exaktor LED lighting.

“There are many psychological factors associated with having the right light that not everyone is aware of. It's great to hear just how enthusiastic teachers and students alike are," says Rickard.

Text Gabriella Mellergårdh / Photo Ahlsell, private

Rickard Bengtsson, Proton Lighting

It should be so safe that our children could work here!”

That’s how unequivocal they are about safety at quick coupling specialist CEJN in Skövde. JL Safety is CEJN’s longstanding machine safety partner.

To ensure machine safety in conjunction with designing new and refurbishing existing production lines, the company has a wellestablished collaboration with JL Safety. CEJN has also chosen to use Cedoc software, which along with JL Safety is part of the Proton Group’s Edge business area.

“From a production engineering perspective, we are in a unique position. CEJN steps in when many others have given up. When the customer is stuck and needs something out of the ordinary, they come to us. This means that we have designed a production process based on high mix, low volume – and vice versa in some ranges –which will be a combination of automation and manual production," explains Johan Magnusson.

Founded in 1955, quick connect coupling specialist CEJN is now a global brand. With sales offices in 17 countries and representation in many more, you can find CEJN’s products in many different applications all over the world. Still, the company’s head office, R&D and all production remains in Skövde, Sweden.

“You might say that CEJN’s products are everywhere in everyday life, even where one might least expect it,” says Johan Magnusson, technical manager of the assembly group at CEJN.

“We are good at transporting different media through quick couplings and systems. Compressed air is one example; our quick couplings are found in compressed air systems and hose reels. Hydraulic oil is another medium where we offer quick couplings for

both medium and high pressure hydraulics, such as plant and bolt preload.

We are also big in liquid cooling – in server halls, for example – and in wind power, where our products are used in cooling systems for converters and in the hydraulic couplings that secure the entire wind turbine. Now I think about it, I’m sure our quick couplings have also played a role in the manufacture of the large rotors as well, as they are used in the compressed air systems that powered polishing machines.”

Collaborative robots

One of the secrets behind CEJN's success is that the company has always had the courage and willingness to adopt new production techniques.

While, when faced with the transition, many others hesitated, CEJN was quick to switch to a hybrid model with collaborative robots.

“When we chose to do so in 2014, many others were hesitant, partly due to uncertainty about how to assess risk. JL Safety, however, was alert to developments. They realised that this was something new to Swedish industry and accompanied us on the journey. This was an amazing success that, among other things, resulted in a robot network.”

A self-learning organisation

Robert Turesson is a production engineer at CEJN and the person who works most often with JL Safety on various projects. His main point of contact is machine safety specialist Kenneth Ahllund.

Text Amelie Bergman / Photo CEJN, JL Safety

My job is most enjoyable when I can work with customers with a genuine interest in machine safety and who see the benefits of it, not least from a sustainability perspective.”

Kenneth Ahllund, machine safety specialist, JL Safety

“

“We view JL Safety as our competence resource, supporting us in both small and large projects. I usually design in CAD. Kenneth will then step in an make a risk assessment together with the project group. In fact, one of the major projects we carried out together was awarded the 2019 Swedish Assembly Award. JL Safety was very much involved in and contributed to the project,” says Robert, who points out that the learning process is very much part of the strategy.

“All of the issues we resolve along the way are entered into a database, meaning that we can consult ourselves on these issues and constantly develop in the field of machine safety. Collaboration with JL Safety provides safety at detail level but also keeps CEJN updated on standards and ensures that we make a correct assessment that is consistent across different project managers and end users. Thanks to this collaboration, we feel secure when we put a CE label on the machines that we install or refurbish for our own use.”

“Genuine

commitment”

For his part, JL Safety’s Kenneth Ahllund, enjoys the teamwork of collaborating with CEJN to the fullest.

“My job is most enjoyable when I can work with customers with a genuine interest in machine safety and who see the benefits of it, not least from a sustainability perspective. A safe workplace is an attractive workplace. The gang at CEJN are fond of saying that their production should be so safe that they would consider allowing their children to work here. I think that’s a nice way to put it.”

CEJN & JL SAFETY OFFER SOME TIPS

The most common problem is that various types of guards are missing, something that can be difficult to detect for both the producer and the person rebuilding the machine. Watch out for crushing, cutting and other injury risks.

Double-check electrical safety – an area that is often overlooked.

CEJN’s Robert Turesson and Johan Magnusson view collaboration with JL Safety and Cedoc as a way to remain updated and ensure that the Machinery Directive is always complied with in the organisation. They have also established a working method that ensures that the organisation constantly learns and benefits from experience via an inhouse database.

Typical CEJN automation, with a combination of human labour and collaborative robots.

Proton Finishing launches

climate footprint calculations

On page 9 of Protonen, you can learn more about Proton Finishing’s efforts to offer customers climate footprint calculations. This has required extensive work and Proton Finishing has mapped each of its production lines. It is also possible to see how much of the climate footprint is caused by fossil-based energy and the percentage of bioenergy. Needless to say, the idea is to use the calculations as a point of departure for continued sustainability work!

Climate footprint kg Co2e/dm2

New colleagues

Proton Engineering

Emir Begicevic

Jennie Stark

Anette Widriksson

Halit Ferizi

Jari Soininen

Proton Finishing ALSAB

Mohammad Ghozlan

Cazzandra Hassmund

Proton Finishing Anderstorp

Emelie Johansson

Milovan Gligic

Proton Finishing Hillerstorp

Hussein Al Othman

Nina Carlsson

Proton Finishing Industripulver

Jaber Aljairoudi

Haetham Alghaffan

Yahya Aljiroudi

Fehmi Isa

Ian Eskils

Katlen Nielsen

Proton Technology

Johan Wahlberg

Anders Sandberg

JL Safety

Anna Bolander

Björn Holmgren

Cedoc

Klara Linderoth

Proton Lighting

Markus Sykora

Adam Hagström

My Pham

Rasmus Andtbacka

Eric Lundberg

Proton Services

Sarah Beslic

Weldin Gothenburg

Peter Fahar

Dennis Austrhelm

Emil Ström

You haven’t missed our

Offering the best of both worlds

At the turn of the year, the two companies Gunnar Hansson Svetsteknik and Teknikrör i Kinna merged to form Weldin Gothenburg. The reason for the merger was to create a more efficient, flexible and stronger organisation, thus improving conditions for the further development of the company and customer offering. In conjunction with the merger and name change, the company received a new graphic profile and a new website, as well as moving into fresh new offices and workshops on the Storås Industrial Estate in Gothenburg.

The merger of these two companies means that they can now offer the market the best of both worlds: pipe engineering with welding expertise. With almost 30 years of experience in technically advanced holistic solutions and installations of pipes and steel structures, Weldin can offer a wealth of expertise and highly specialised skills.

“Our pipe engineers are both pipefitters and welders, so our customers are mainly in process and manufacturing industries, the food industry, medical technology industry and companies working with infrastructure,” says Weldin CEO Peter Fahar.

Peter was appointed CEO of Weldin in April this year. He is also business area manager for Proton Structure, Weldin’s parent organisation. In his role, Peter has strategic responsibility for the company’s development and, above all, operational responsibility for sales, marketing and project management. He can also call on an extensive network built up during many years working in various management positions, primarily in the building industry. So, how did he come to be working at Weldin?

“I came here because I wanted to work in a medium-sized company that retains a sense of family, something the Proton Group certainly has. I am really enjoying working at the company and my experience and extensive network and the expertise and know-how Weldin’s employees create optimal conditions for us in the market. We have big plans for growth and place great store in customer care, and we see that we can grow organically with our customers. We are investing heavily in honing our customer offer and, through dialogue with our customers, becoming the best at what we do in the industry.”

The umbrella – the symbol and heart of Proton

An umbrella may seem like a simple, everyday object, something we often take for granted. However, since the beginning of 1990, it has symbolised and reflected the diversity of our business, expertise and people.

Just as the umbrella shields us from both the rain and sun, so our various business areas offer services and solutions in several fields. The characteristics of the umbrella make it adaptable to different weather conditions. It can be large and robust enough to deal with high winds, or small and light enough to conveniently carry. Similarly, Proton offers unique solutions and expertise to meet varied challenges and needs.

Structurally, the umbrella also requires various components and mechanisms to function effectively, just as working life demands a mixture of different skills and knowledge. We need diverse competences and abilities that work together to achieve success.

Thirdly, the umbrella represents a diverse workforce. We are convinced that by embracing diversity and including a variety of perspectives and experiences, we can create a richer and more dynamic corporate culture. And world. All of these components are vital pieces of the puzzle that contribute to the whole. They are what makes Proton what it is.

So, next time you see an umbrella, we hope that it reminds you of the importance of diversity. With us, every business, competence and individual can bloom and collaborate.

Weldin Gothenburg – a new company name post-merger

Peter Fahar, CEO of Weldin

People make the difference”

Collaboration between Stålrör and Proton Engineering is a textbook example of how to succeed together.

“It’s a bit like a marriage. It demands mutual respect and good dialogue to nurture the relationship,” says Tomas Eriksson, sales manager at the Stålror Group.

Stålrör does exactly what it says on the tin. Stålrör means steel pipe in Swedish and the Stålrör Group stocks, cuts and delivers pipes to the Swedish engineering industry.

That said, Thomas Eriksson is keen to emphasise that we are not talking about a traditional wholesaler.

“The entire idea of our business is to build long-term relationships and work very closely with our customers. We need to know the minutiae of our customers’ needs and challenges and adapt accordingly. Half of our inventory is customer-specific and we adapt quickly and flexibly to the customer’s circumstances. It’s crucial that we have this

technical understanding. Proton Engineering has its own unique flow that places demands on materials – there is no one-size-fits-all solution.”

This has proven to be a winning concept: visit any manufacturing company and you are likely to come across a pallet from the Stålrör Group, they are as good as

Text Amelie Bergman / Photo Stålrör

Stålrör specialise in steel pipes and rods, which are held in stock, cut and delivered to Swedish manufacturing companies. The company’s business idea is based on working closely with the customer – half of its inventory is customer-specific.

industry standard. This small family started in Halmstad in 1966; today, it has grown to 53 employees.

Valuable expertise

The company’s relationship with Proton Engineering is long standing and based on mutual trust. These days, they deliver a number of basic items in the form of straight steel pipe in various sizes and qualities, which Proton Engineering then bends and processes on behalf of its customers.

But, of course, as Proton Engineering purchasing manager Fabian Furberg underlines, it is not the pipe that makes the difference but the people.

“We are experts at bending and endshaping. Thomas and the team at Stålrör are experts on pipes and we depend on their expertise. We may have some idea when we make an inquiry but they may well make

suggest another choice of material or another solution that will improve quality and flow and have a better price, so everyone in the supply chain benefits in the long run. Of course, Proton Engineering and Stålrör have a common goal and that is to achieve the best possible result for the end customer.”

Mutual trust

It sounds simple, but how to get there? Thomas and Fabian agree that everything depends on dialogue.

“We must talk to each other all the time. Through constant dialogue, we at Stålrör can understand the challenges and opportunities a project holds and arrive at the best possible contribution we can make,” says Thomas.

“It’s very important to us that Proton makes its needs and requirements clear. Having a long-term relationship also creates a sense of security. It’s like any other marriage. You get to know one another and each other’s way of doing things and you

have to give and take. Occasionally there will be obstacles along the way that you need to navigate. We have created a shared history; Proton Engineering has been there supporting us when we needed help and we are therefore ready to go the extra mile for Proton. All of our 53 employees have a relationship with Proton and are ready to offer any support they can if something needs to be resolved.”

“When we can use our expertise to help Proton Engineering create added value for its customers, it makes us happy and proud!” says Tomas Eriksson, sales manager at the Stålrör

“We have created a shared history; Proton Engineering has been there supporting us when we needed help and we are therefore ready to go the extra mile for Proton.”

Group.

Hello!

Some of you may recognise me, some may not. My name is Sarah Beslic, I am 24 years old and have been on placement in the HR Department at the Proton Group for the past 10 weeks. At the time of writing, I am in my final semester of the three-year Human Resource Management Programme at Linnaeus University in Växjö.

I usually say in jest that it was fate that brought me to Proton. I began searching for a placement in Värnamo during autumn 2022. Proton was one of the companies that interested me and that I contacted. Naturally, I was delighted when Proton’s HR manager, Mari Lundqvist, got in touch and at my first meeting with Mari she offered me a placement with her in the HR Department. Six months later, here I sit having completed my 10-week placement.

Mari has really taken me through everything an HR function might conceivably be required to do. It has involved everything from writing recruitment ads and employment contracts to conducting interviews and attending various meetings at which I have been welcome to offer my own thoughts and opinions. At first, I was simply glad to have the opportunity to be here but everything I have been allowed to do during these weeks has truly exceeded my expectations!

After three years of study, it feels somewhat daunting to throw oneself in adult life “for real”. Study has been a large part of my life over recent years and life as a student differs from working life in many ways. This placement has therefore provided a good and smooth transition from study to working life, by allowing me to apply the theoretical knowledge I have learned in school to the “real world”.

My placement here at Proton has of course been the best part of my entire study period and, for this, I have Maria and everyone else in the company to thank! Better still, I do not need to leave my time at Proton behind me on leaving my placement. This is just the beginning of my journey, as from 7 June I will be working as an HR partner together with the rest of the HR department. For that, I am incredibly grateful and I look forward to what is to come!

“Collaborating with schools and universities is tremendously important to us. To a large extent, it’s a matter of securing long-term skills provision and attracting young, highly motivated people to Proton. If we can also offer students an insight into working life, to practically apply the theories they’ve learned, then I think it’s our responsibility as an employer to do so. And, of course, meeting and working with young people provides a lot of energy. As a company, we need people who think differently if we are to thrive and develop and this is something that young people from different backgrounds can really contribute. I would say that, the more diverse we are, the more we can learn from one another.

Having Sara here at Proton on a work placement has been incredibly rewarding. She has demonstrated great courage, but also wisdom, in the tasks she has been given. Her learning capacity has been enormous and she is already involved in recruitments and really contributing to the discussions we have internally. I’ve learned a great deal through her and it’s great fun and very energising to have young people around. There’s an openness to youth that I sometimes miss in us older people, so that’s something I’m trying to embrace myself and live by a little more.

Aside from that, we are absolutely delighted that Sara has started work with us!”

Mari Lundqvist, HR manager at the Proton Group

Sarah Beslic

It’s great fun and very energising to have young people around.”

A few comments on our growth Plenty of scope for investment and acquisition

Many observers expect high inflation and rapidly rising interest rates to stabilise during 2023, before falling during 2024. Various indicators clearly point to an economic downturn, with a weak recovery expected next year.

For the Proton Group, the economic situation has left its mark in the form of fewer orders, especially from the building sector, while the automotive sector continues to show strong demand. Financial performance remains good since the second half of 2022.

Turnover for the second half of 2023 is forecast to be just over SEK 430 million, an improvement of SEK 38 million on the same period last year. Projected operating profit for the second half of 2023 is SEK 23 million, which is SEK 3.7 million lower than the same period last year.

A continued healthy cash flow in combination with a low debt-to-equity ratio leaves the group with plenty of scope for investment and acquisition.

I wish you all a warm and pleasant summer, Hans Ågren, CFO of the Proton Group

PO Box 1002, SE-331 29

Värnamo, SWEDEN

+46 370 69 56 20, info@proton.se

protongroup.com