Protonen #2/2022 - english

Protonen

#2/2022

We at Proton Learn more about the Protons outside work!

Engineering hits new top speeds with Koenigsegg

We’re gearing up our sustainability game

Enjoy the together!party See pictures from a great evening together

When one is struggling another is steaming ahead

The sky shifts between dark clouds and clear blue. It’s hard to say if it will rain or not. How many times have I carried my umbrella around unopened, just in case? Better safe than sorry!

The umbrella in our Proton logo is a symbol of gathering all of our businesses under one umbrella. But it means much more than that to us. The purpose of bringing together businesses from different industries is to remain strong when unexpected things occur. When one is struggling, another is steaming ahead. These differences protect us from unforeseen events and difficulties.

It’s the same way with us individuals. We’re all different, everyone of us is unique, and no one is a copy of anyone else. Not in terms of what we work with, what job we do or who we are as individuals. The range of skills and people under our umbrella make us strong as a group, so we can protect each other.

Sometimes it's really nice to not think about work and to just enjoy being together. I thought it was wonderful to spend an evening with you all that was just about having fun together. One of my favourite moments that evening was when a colleague said, “I really only know a couple of people here, but it feels like everyone is my friend.”

It made me happy, proud and touched. Sometimes things just work out extremely well.

Our workplace is what we make it. There is no better feeling than when you do a good job together with others. Whether you’re partying or working, the old saying is true: shared fun is twice the fun! At work and in the world.

David Gustafsson, CEO

One of my favourite moments that evening was when a colleague said, “I really only know a couple of people here, but it feels like everyone is my friend.

From zero to four hundred – to zero – in 31.49 seconds

There aren’t many megacars in the world, but Swedish Koenigsegg is one of them. The happy owner of a Koenigsegg Jesko is also enjoying top-notch tube bending technology, made in Skillingaryd.

By Amelie Bergman / Photo Koenigsegg

Koenigsegg only chooses the very best suppliers.

Say the name Koenigsegg to a car enthusiast and they’ll never stop talking. Koenigsegg Automotive is Sweden’s only, and one of the world’s very few manufacturers of supercars. Or as they call them, megacars.

A megacar is just what it sounds like: A real luxury vehicle with ultra-innovative technology and design. A megacar has to be faster and more attractive than its competitors. It must press the boundaries of what’s possible and set new standards of performance.

In Koenigsegg’s case it’s about handcrafted cars with advanced metals and carbon fibre frames. The company’s founder, Christian von Koenigsegg, manufactured his first car in 1994, when he was just 22 years old. Since then, the development have advanced at rocket pace and Koenigsegg is one of the world’s leading brands in the segment today. And it is still a family owned business.

“Haute couture”

“Koenigsegg is ‘haute couture’, each car is unique,” says Shino Lövstad Waldegren, Junior Strategic Purchaser at Koenigsegg. “When we develop a new model, we first create a prototype to present to the market. The customers – often collectors who have previously owned Koenigsegg cars – order their personal models, which are built

entirely to their specifications in terms of equipment, colours and detailing.” Shino, who is originally from Japan, has many years of experience in the automotive industry and has also worked for Honda in the UK.

Sourcing for a Swedish-manufactured megacar is something entirely different.

“From a purchasing perspective, this is as far from mass production as you can get,” she says. “So it is important for us to find long-term suppliers who understand and enjoy the challenge of producing high-quality prototypes and details in small series at a relevant cost. We work with a network of carefully selected suppliers, the vast majority of them Swedish, in fact.”

A precision crafted product

One of the selected suppliers is Proton Engineering in Skillingaryd. Exactly what the company manufactures for Koenigsegg is top secret, of course. But if you buy a Koenigsegg Jesko, you can rest assured that part of your investment contains first-class engineering from Skillingaryd.

The Jesko was launched at the Geneva International Motor Show in 2019 and was an instant hit. Intended for track driving, the car has a 5-litre V8 twin turbo engine and is named after Christian von Koenigsegg’s father. The Jesko Absolut version is the fastest Koenigsegg car to date, with a top speed of over 500 kph.

Proton Engineering on a study visit at Koenigsegg. On the far left is Sales Manager Iosif Hampel and on the far right is Shino Lövstad Waldegren, who is the Junior Strategic Purchaser at Koenigsegg.

PHOTO: PROTON ENGINEERING

PROTON ENGINEERING

Koenigsegg and Proton Engineering have collaborated before, for example on Koenigsegg prototypes. This time the collaboration is about serial manufacturing, albeit in much shorter series than Proton Engineering usually delivers to major truck manufacturers like Volvo and Scania.

Last spring, Koenigsegg visited Proton Engineering in Skillingaryd, and before the partnership was up and running Proton Engineering’s development team got to visit Koenigsegg’s manufacturing site in Ängelholm as well.

“The cars are extremely cool, but personally I think the Koenigsegg factory was unbelievable,” says Proton Engineering’s sales manager Iosif Hampel. “They don’t have traditional production lines, just a few work stations where each car is assembled one by one, with supreme precision. It’s automotive craft of a whole different level, and we’re very proud to be a part of meeting their needs with our own expertise.”

A matter of prestige

No matter who the customer is, whether it

is a major truck manufacturer ordering giant volumes or an exclusive sports car maker that produces such short series that can be counted on the fingers of one hand, every relationship is based on trust, Iosif says.

“We are entering into a partnership, where we are contributing our expertise in tube bending, end forming, welding and surface treatment. It’s a matter of professional pride on both sides. Koenigsegg’s designers are incredibly skilled and have clear demands and standards. What we can contribute is suggestions for materials and manufacturing that don’t affect the design, but make the features better. If we can create an even more clever design by welding in a different way – that’s where our skills make a difference.”

And of course it’s also a matter of prestige.

“Having the faith of a premium brand like Koenigsegg and working with this type of vehicle is a boon to the Proton Engineering brand and opens the door to other customers. But the most important thing of all is the inspiration! We’re incredibly impressed by the way Koenigsegg operates. Seeing their production is super cool. Or maybe I should say mega cool!” Iosif laughs.

Last spring Koenigsegg announced that they plan to further expand their factory for production of the four-seater model, Gemera. The architecture will be inspired by the accordion design of Swedish industries of old, with high ceilings and lots of daylight, but a futuristic feel with adaptations to meet the development, production and marketing needs of the future. It will feature a customer lounge, showroom, assembly lines and warehouse, as well as room to grow.

“Fun together”

But what does it take to be chosen as a Koenigsegg supplier? You have to be flexible and a good communicator, says Shino Lövstad Waldegren. And you have to be super professional at what you do:

“We want suppliers who can offer us top-flight expertise in their field of technology, who can inspire us to even better solutions. Then, of course you have to have the ability to deliver, even if we’re not talking about mass production. Flexibility is just as important to us, because we want the freedom to make changes throughout the process.

“From a purchasing perspective, this is as far from mass production as you can get.”

With futuristic architecture rooted in history, the new factory will house several new production lines.

“Our partnership with Proton Engineering has been characterised by a mutual exchange of knowledge that I know we both appreciate,” Shino continues. “We understand each other!

“We truly feel that Proton Engineering enjoys doing business with us and contributing to developing our processes.

Koenigsegg is a premium brand that is known internationally for its mega cars –I’m personally very proud to be a part of that success story, and I can tell that Proton Engineering’s staff are too. Our partnership is a model of positivity and we truly have fun together.”

Do you drive a Koenigsegg in your job?

“Ha ha, no, I don’t. But we have a strong corporate culture and we all feel very involved in the brand. Every summer we have an event just for employees and their families, when we all get to see and experience our cars.”

Koenigsegg is “haute couture”, each car is unique.

Enjoy succeeding together® – what do we mean by that?

Enjoy succeeding together... Sure, having fun together is a good thing, many would agree on that. But for most of us at Proton, we hope the words have a deeper meaning than that. “Enjoy” means have fun, and a job has to be fun to keep bringing us back every day. That doesn’t have to mean that we burst out laughing all the time, but we hopefully appreciate what the workday brings, get encouraging words from our colleagues, find out about a new investment that makes our job easier, hear a joke during our coffee break – that’s enjoying your work.

Succeeding can be many things. And as most people know, sometimes you have to fail before you can truly succeed. It takes practice and sheer bull-headedness to learn and develop – in order to hopefully succeed with what you set out to do (and often have a lot of fun along the way). Succeeding might mean bringing home a new, important deal, but it might also mean achieving the milestones you have set up in a project, that the group you have begun working with finds its team spirit, or perhaps that you learn a new work technique!

And last but not least, there is that word “together” that so much depends on. Even if an individual person’s role is vital to the results, few things are more pleasing than sharing the enjoyment and success with someone else – quite simply, enjoying succeeding together. Each of these words has an important, valuable meaning, but it is the three words together that make Proton Proton: Enjoy succeeding together®

Does it apply only to us employees? Enjoy succeeding together is something we strive for all employees to feel, but also our customers, suppliers and other partners – everyone who has anything to do with us. Enjoying succeeding together as we achieve our respective goals could be one of our most important factors for success, because what would we be without each other?

Enjoy succeeding together® is a registered trademark owned by the Proton Group.

Sometimes you just have to “Enjoy together”

And that was just what we got to do when the Proton Group invited its employees to a fun evening at the Scandic Hotel in Värnamo in November. “Everyone was there” enjoying excellent food and drinks, dancing and an exuberant atmosphere. We made it an unforgettable party – together!

I haven’t had that much fun in a long time! What a night!

There were plenty of great photo opportunities, and the team from JL Safety in Skara didn’t waste the chance.

A great group from Finishing Eskilstuna!

You can easily see what fun Gunnar and Robert from GH Svetsteknik are having.

The evening began with a gloriously bubbly welcome drink.

Who’s that? Could it be Marie from Finishing Forsheda and Lena from Lighting?

It’s been a long time since I danced this much – and this long!

Our friends from Engineering in Lithuania thought the party was well worth the trip.

Femmy, Eva, Joakim, Stefan and Erik – a bright and happy bunch from Technology.

Malin and Susanne from Services living it up.

Engineering was in good spirits.

An exciting job where you never know what’s going to happen”

After more than 20 years as a parttime firefighter, there’s no doubt Peter Carlsson, who works in goods sending and receiving at Proton Finishing in Hillerstorp, is passionate about what he does. For the past nine years, he has also been crew commander, which means he is the first person on the scene of a fire or accident.

I’m on call every fourth week, from one Sunday night to the next. On call weeks I take my First Incident Responder vehicle to work, because in the event of a fire or accident, I have to be on the scene as quickly as possible. That means I’m usually at the scene 4–5 minutes before the engine truck and tanker. “It happens occasionally that I’m on call some week and there are no turn-outs at all, but we average about 3–4 turn-outs a week,” Peter says.

What made you become a part-time firefighter?

“It really started when I was in preschool and the fire brigade came to visit our class with their fire engine. I remember how exciting it was and I think I was already inspired right then. About the same time, I watched a programme called “Emergency” on TV and I knew that was what I wanted to do when I grew up.

There are certain requirements if you want to be a part-time firefighter, Peter tells us. You have to pass two fitness tests a year, a medical exam every year and it can’t take you more than 5–6 minutes to get to the station. Every fourth week, when you are on call, you also have special exercises. Peter says his next exercise will be carried out with the ambulance.

“Many people think we only go to fires, but we go on heart attacks, drownings, automatic alarms and traffic accidents, of course.”

“It really started when I was in preschool and the fire brigade came with their fire engine.”

Peter Carlsson – part-time firefighter

By Emma Ohliw / Photo Martin Andersson, Figjam

Is there any particular event that stands out in your mind?

“The big forest fires, like the one in Sala a few years ago. The command centre, which included representatives from various government agencies, was 200 people. Plus, there were 180 firefighters from all over Sweden taking turns firefighting in the forest. We worked six hours, then had showers and slept, then back to firefighting for another six hours. We went on like that for days. It was rough, but a real learning experience.

And I think that’s what I really like about this, because you never know what’s going to happen, so it’s always interesting and exciting!”

The municipalities of Gislaved and Gnosjö have joint fire and rescue services with seven stations: Gislaved, Gnosjö, Reftele, Smålandsstenar, Burseryd, Hestra and Hillerstorp.

Jonas Björkström is the personnel coordinator for Gislaved/Gnosjö fire and rescue and also serves as response commander. Being personnel coordinator means keeping all seven outer stations manned with a total of about 150 people.

Why is it important that Peter and others serve as part-time firefighters?

“We have a very large area to cover, so the outer stations are extremely important. Both full-time and parttime personnel are vital, but the part-timers are the core, because our strength is in our flexibility.

“The fact that companies make their staff available is extremely valu-

able and these companies are taking a great deal of social responsibility. If they didn’t do this, our operations wouldn’t work, and it’s really quite remarkable that they can let their staff depart with six minute’s notice. The dialogue between the businesses and fire and rescue services is important here, so the businesses understand what that means. The first year you start out as a part-time firefighter takes more time for studies and so on, but later on it takes up less of your time.

“The benefit for the businesses is that they have medically trained personnel who also have extensive experience and skills in things like fire safety.”

Right now fire and rescue needs more part-time firefighters in Hillerstorp, and they’d like to see more female applicants. There is a clear increase in the number of women who apply, and Gislaved/Gnosjö is in

a good position statistically, but they still have a ways to go.

“If you’re interested, you are more than welcome to visit one of our stations and ask any questions you have,” Jonas says in conclusion.

Jonas

Björkström, personnel coordinator Gislaved/Gnosjö Fire and Rescue

Companies that make their staff available take their social responsibility seriously”

The FIP vehicle has VIP parking outside Proton Finishing in Hillerstorp. Site Manager Jimmy Carlsson is proud to have an employee who contributes to protecting the community.

Jonas Björkström

Magnus has a taste for cooking

Magnus Krantz, project manager at Weldin Gothenburg, (former GH Svetsteknik), has a passion for cooking, which he thanks his father for. His father, a fisherman, would bring home fish, lobster and crayfish, which they would prepare together. With such generous access to all the bounty of the sea, it wasn’t long before he was curing salmon and filleting all kinds of fish, and many of the family’s meals came from the sea.

By Emma Ohliw / Photo Private

His father’s closest friends were restaurant owners and famous chefs in Gothenburg, and complemented his catches by bringing him fine meats from their restaurants.

“I think it was a win-win situation for everyone. I helped dad and his friends by picking berries and mushrooms for their dinners, got some pocket money for that and also helped to cook and eat the meals. And that taught me how to cook a nice piece of meat, almost always with a good whiskey or red wine reduction sauce.”

What is your favourite recipe?

“I never use recipes, I just go by taste. There’s nothing better than experimenting, you always learn something new. It took a lot of work to create a recipe to share with you, because most of what I do is in my head and taste buds, but the recipe I chose is relatively simple. I make it often and it’s a dish I created myself.

What is the best thing about cooking?

“The best thing is the company. It’s important that cooking doesn’t turn into a duty; that takes all the fun out of it. Inviting friends and family to dinner and spending time together, that’s what makes cooking fun. And if you can enjoy your meal with a good drink, that’s the icing on the cake.

Pasta with fillet of beef, chilli, garlic and mushroom

Serves 4

· 500 g fillet of beef or pork

· 500 g pasta (e.g. pappardelle)

· Chanterelles, Penny Buns or 1 tin of morels

· Butter

· 1 onion

· Chilli (to taste, but do dare to try a stronger variety than you planned, such as piri-piri)

· 2 garlic cloves

· 1 large head of broccoli

· 1 yellow and 1 orange pepper

· 40–50 cl cream (40%)

· 3–4 tbs veal stock

· 2–3 cl Cognac (an excellent addition, plus the chef always has the option of sampling it)

Preparations

Start by chopping all the vegetables into chunks. Mince the chilli and garlic. Parboiled chanterelles can be used as-is, morels should be rinsed and minced. If you use fillet of pork, cut into small pieces; beef can be in larger pieces. Let the cream, butter and meat stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before starting.

Cooking

Boil water for the pasta, with a pinch of salt. Heat 1–2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Cook the meat as desired. When the meat is ready, set it aside, leaving the juice in the skillet; turn off the heat. Cook the pasta, drain the water and set aside. Add 1–2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Sautée the chilli, garlic, mushrooms and a bit of white pepper until browned (2–3 min). Add the rest of the vegetables and sautée 3–4 minutes. Add a bit of Cognac. Add the cream and veal stock and let boil for 3–5 min while you cut the meat into smaller pieces. Switch off the cooker and add the meat. Stir. Serve the pasta in a deep dish with the sauce on top. Pair with a fullbodied red wine.

Take a sip of red wine between bites, and if you’re lucky you’ll have an extra taste sensation with the chilli. I’ve taught several friends this by now, so they appreciate the little kick you get from spicy food and red wine!”

Boxing gives me courage and strength”

Julija Barnaševa, installation operator at Proton Engineering’s unit in Klaipeda, Lithuania, loves boxing. She trains two to three times a week. “Boxing gives you the courage to discover the world without fear.”

By Emma Ohliw / Photo Private

Alot of people think boxing is about attacking, but really it’s all about self-defence. Self-defence is also about much more than just defending yourself – it also gives you the courage to discover the world and try out new experiences without fear.

Julija tells us that there are many advantages to boxing, such as controlling your emotions, releasing stress and feeling better mentally. That also helps her outside the ring, both in her personal life and at work, which can involve stressful situations sometimes. The training itself is excellent full-body exercise, resulting in a good physique. When she has the opportunity, she also coaches children, which helps her to grow as a boxer and as an individual. In the gym and in the ring, there is a great mutual respect. Julia says they’re like one big family.

“Boxing has given me lots of new friends, from professional boxers to the doctors on site to the parents of the children I coach.”

You mentioned other interests, can you tell us about them?

“I recently got a beautician’s licence to express my more creative side. I think it’s so much fun when I cut people’s hair and they’re happy with their new styles. And I’ve always wanted to learn to play instruments, especially the saxophone and piano, so I hope to be able to learn soon.

And finally, what’s it like working at Proton?

“The best thing about Proton is that we’re a team, a family – just like in the boxing ring.

A lot of people think boxing is about attacking, but really it’s all about self-defence.

Maximum energy saving with sensor controls:

The light should only be on where you need it”

The rate of transition is picking up – starting next year, all sale of conventional fluorescent tubes will be banned. "Switching to LED luminaires saves a lot of energy and Proton Lighting takes things even further with motion sensors, which can reduce power consumption by up to 80 per cent."

By Gabriella Mellergårdh / Photo Martin Andersson, Figjam

“Energy saving isn’t just about installing LED luminaires anymore; these days you have to be able to turn them off to save energy. We can’t have them on for no reason,” says Anders Schultz, project sales rep at Proton Lighting.

We meet at affiliate company Proton Engineering in Skillingaryd, which is in the process of replacing old fluorescent light fixtures with new LED luminaires with motion sensors. Stand-alone is the keyword.

“Normally you have a master sensor that lights up the whole room when you enter. But this system we’re working with

now, sensor control, is ground-breaking. Each luminaire has its own sensor and they all communicate wirelessly with each other via bluetooth,” Anders explains.

This means that the luminaires light up one by one as you move through the premises.

“We’ve always been able to have the lights on, but why should we? It’s totally unnecessary,” Anders says. “I call this ‘headlamp lighting’.

The light should only be on where you need it.”

This system will manage itself once we’ve set it up, and it will save a lot of time for me.

Conny Strandgård, Maintenance Manager at Proton Engineering, agrees:

“I’ve worked here for many years and I think the same way here as I do at home. Sometimes I’ve come by here on a Sunday and seen the lights on, and I’ve always stopped and turned them off.”

Not only has Conny spent extra time turning lights off, he has also spent a lot of time conducting maintenance and scheduling electricians when luminaires have to be replaced and wiring needs to be redone.

“This system will manage itself once we’ve set it up, and it will save a lot of time for me,” Conny says. It will also improve the working environment for all employees.

“It will be a huge improvement,” Conny smiles.

Smart with bluetooth

The most important consideration right now is probably the energy crisis. Businesses and private individuals alike are considering every possible way to reduce their power consumption. When Anders was tasked with developing a proposal for new LED lighting at Proton Engineering, he began with the traditional solution with master sensors. But that didn’t sit right with him. What if they could narrow down motion controls to limit the number of luminaires that were on at the same time? That would make a difference with nearly 800 luminaires to be installed. And what if they could also install dimmers and adapt the lighting to the daylight outside and just the right level inside?

But what would the difference in cost be? And would it even be possible? Robert Dahlgren, Technical Product Manager at Proton Lighting, says:

“I’ve been nagging our suppliers for some time to develop a solution for motion sensors in this type of high-altitude luminaires.

The answer was sensor controls, an intelligent system in which all the luminaires communicate wirelessly with each other and you have a user-friendly programming interface to set the frameworks for basic functions.

“Because all communication uses radio signals and bluetooth, this system saves a huge amount of time for the electrician because you don’t have to run wires between the luminaires,” Robert explains.

A more expensive solution, yes, but you have to look at the big picture, Anders says.

“If you switch from fluorescent lights to a regular on-off system with LED luminaires, you’re looking at a saving of about 50 per cent thanks to a reduced number of luminaires and reduced energy consumption. With motion controls, the energy saving can be up to 80 per cent. The system is almost twice as expensive, but the payoff time is much faster.”

Turn off the lights when you leave!

In Proton Engineering’s case, Anders starts with the original estimate, which shows that the cost of operation and maintenance will decrease from SEK 695,000 to

SEK 235,000 per year. In reality, the saving will be even greater.

“We don’t know in advance how people will move about in the facility. It will be very exciting to come back a year from now and see how much we’ve actually saved,” Anders says.

It is important that we think differently and do it right.

“With today’s energy prices, you can save a huge amount by turning off the lights when no one is there,” Anders points out. “We have to change our thinking and adapt our lighting.”

The energy crisis, the war in Europe and the new EU directives banning the sale of conventional fluorescent tubes starting in autumn 2023 have created a perfect storm. Conventional fluorescent tubes are still used in the majority of public environments.

“All properties need to review their lighting and we have to pick up the pace to replace all the fluorescent lighting in Sweden,” Anders says. “People don’t even talk about the investment cost anymore, it’s about how quickly a system pays off. And we see a major interest in sensor control.”

Proton Engineering’s Conny Strandgård and Proton Lighting’s Robert Dahlgren and Anders Schultz are satisfied with their brilliant solution.

“Each luminaire has its own sensor and they all communicate wirelessly with each other via bluetooth.”

University students help Proton achieve sustainability goals

As part of Proton’s sustainability efforts, we partnered with Jönköping International Business School, JIBS. The university was pleased with the initiative and immediately decided that our needs and assignment could serve as an entire course. The aim of the assignment is to give Proton a more in-depth understanding of what areas of sustainability we should focus on, based on our stakeholders’ expectations and requirements.

By Emma Ohliw /

Svedberg

Photo Patrik

early 80 students visited the production units in Skillingaryd and Värnamo on one occasion. They were split into groups and given a tour where they learned about the businesses. CEO David Gustafsson presented the group and Proton’s Sustainability Manager Maria Thom described and clarified the students’ assignment.

“It is clear that today’s young people are dedicated to sustainability and care about the climate,” Maria said. “This was a group of students with a true Proton spirit. It takes courage to ask hard, very concrete, questions about a company’s sustainability measures, and those are just the type of people we think are needed in the workforce today if we really want to make a change.”

The course is called “Organization Theory for purpose and profit” and it includes anonymous in-depth interviews with some 50 of Proton’s stakeholders, divided up according to the group’s business areas. The stakeholders were very positive to Proton’s initiative, which will hopefully lead to even more sustainable business.

“The climate is important to everyone,” says Janis Aprubs. “We’re going to be seeing more and more consequences of our actions if we don’t do something now. The population is growing faster and faster, so we need to conserve our resources and take care of the planet we live on.”

His classmate Anton Johansson agrees.

“If companies don’t work with sustainability or demonstrate the will to do so, they won’t be interesting to me as employers when I graduate.”

And what was the result of the students’ interviews with Proton’s stakeholders?

The students were split into 16 groups, which each reported their results in a fullday event with lots of insightful presentations and concrete recommendations about circularity, recycling, transports and choice of materials. The clearest focus areas were about the communication of the sustainability measures and transfer of knowledge.

Communication creates value

It was obvious that the stakeholders wanted a lot more information about Proton’s sustainability measures. They want to know which sustainability goals we work with, what results we’ve achieved and what our requirements are of them as stakeholders. They also urged us to tell more about the progress we’re making in sustainability, which might encourage more companies to focus on the area.

Transfer of knowledge

The interviews revealed that many stakeholders do not feel they have enough expertise in sustainability. They feel uncertain about how to approach the issue, and above all where to start. The students suggest that Proton invite them in to meetings, workshops, networking events or conferences where we bring together a variety of stakeholders to highlight specific sustainability issues. This would give Proton a forum where we can spread our knowledge and the information we want, while the participants can learn from each other. The students also recommended that we use our employees more, also through workshops, to take advantage of innovative ideas and knowledge that surely exist internally.

“Sustainable entrepreneurship is a relatively new approach, where we focus on sustainability in various parts of a company’s operations,” says Pierre Sindambiwe, Ph.D. and external teacher at Jönköping University/JIBS. “It is extremely valuable to us as a university and in the Sustainable Enterprise Development programme to work closely with the business community to give the students insight into how things work in the real world. Giving them a clear, concrete assignment from a company like Proton also creates significant added value.”

When asked why sustainability is important, the students were clear.

The students encourages Proton to communicate our sustainability measures online, in newsletters, in social channels, in presentations and also through various networks. They also recommend us to be transparent and modest in our communications, to remain credible so we can succeed in our sustainability measures.

“We are very grateful for the help and engagement of JIBS and above all the students who brought us these insightful, honest recommendations,” says Maria Thom, Sustainability Manager at the Proton Group. “It is important for us to work closely with the schools and the students, as they are our future. And we’re extra pleased to discover how unwavering they are, how they see more opportunities than limitations, while it is very clear that sustainability is a focal issue for them.”

JIBS students visiting Proton in Värnamo.

“It is clear that today’s young people are dedicated to sustainability and care about the climate. This was a group of students with a true Proton spirit.”

“If companies don’t work with sustainability or demonstrate the will to do so, they won’t be interesting to me as employers when I graduate.”

Our lab is our safe haven”

Is it smart to get accredited? If you ask Stefan Gustafsson-Ledell, CEO of Proton Technology, the answer is a definite yes. “Our accreditation stamp wins customers’ trust and many new deals. It’s also a great way to push our own skills forward.”

By Amelie Bergman / Photo Martin Johansson

When customers choose Proton Technology, they should feel completely right about their choice.

“Thanks to our accreditation, we break down quality and skills into several parts we can work with. We ensure that the staff have the right skills, that we have the right equipment and that we conduct our laboratory processes in a way that minimises the risk of error. Our lab is a safety bubble for our customers,” says Stefan Gustafsson-Ledell.

Personal skills development

For Giorgeta Sava, a laboratory engineer and quality and environmental manager at Proton Technology, the accreditation is a welcome way to develop the staff’s competence.

“For me, the accreditation is a formal confirmation that I have the skills to carry out specific tasks in testing. Because the accreditation sets a high bar for quality with its requirements for the management

4 solid proofs of quality at Proton Technology

ISO EN 17025. This is the general accreditation for labs. The standard sets out required skills for testing and calibration labs to prove that their operations are carried out competently and produce reliable results. Each country has its own regulatory body that approves and follows up the accreditation. In Sweden that body is Swedac, the Swedish Board for Accreditation and Conformity Assessment, which is the national accreditation body and is also responsible for international collaboration on the standard.

ILAC. This is the international organisation for accreditation bodies, which makes it possible for Proton Technology to market itself and benchmark itself against other actors in other countries. Membership in ILAC makes it possible for us to operate outside Europe as well, in the US and other countries.

ISO 9001/ISO 14001. This is a quality management standard for business processes in a company or organisation and a standard for environmental management. The quality management system describes how to work in order to continuously improve your business to meet your customers’ needs.

SUSTAINABILITY. Proton Technology wants to profile itself as a sustainable testing centre in corrosion testing. In addition to helping our customers with testing and quality assurance, which is sustainable by definition, Proton Technology has clear goals and activities. For a leading test centre like Proton Technology, sustainability is largely associated with a sustainable organisation.

Ackred. nr. 1975 Provning ISO/IEC 17025

system, knowledge and documentation, it also contributes to ensuring and developing my own skills. So our customers can rest assured that the test results are objective and that we do our work correctly and with the right expertise.”

Everything from better to best

Because Proton Technology has a clear internationalisation strategy, the accreditations are also a way of validating the methods and competitive edge of the business in other countries. Of course, the customers’ requirements are also a key driver of Proton Technology’s strategy.

“The fact is, our very first accreditation was the result of a requirement from IKEA,” Stefan says. “They were very clear that if we wanted to do testing for them, we had to be accredited. It was a big step back then, but it was a very positive one for our business.”

In addition to international standards, customers in a variety of industries have their own standards and requirements that they have formulated and that Proton Technology tests for, which means that our lab staff have more than 250 different testing methods to follow.

“Our work is a customer-driven process – all testing has to be done at the right level from the customer’s perspective. We are a premium lab offering services from better to best.”

Accreditation and certification – what is the difference?

Accreditation means that a company or organisation receives unbiased, internationally accepted approval that they have the skill, systems and routines to carry out certain specific tasks in testing, inspection or certification.

Certification under accreditation means that an organisation, product or person has been found by an accredited certification body to meet certain requirements set out in standards or other governing documents. With certifications, regular checks are made that certified personnel keep their skills up to date or that a certified product continues to live up to the requirements.

Source: Swedac

Regularly testing the corrosion and adhesion quality of the surface coatings of our products is a necessity for ensuring high quality, no matter where in the world the product will be used. There is also a powerful argument for sustainability because high quality means a longer product life span.

Thomas Rönnblom, Global Test Manager at IKEA

Laboratory engineers Giorgeta Sava and Erik Waltersson see Proton Technology’s accreditations as a way of ensuring and further developing their skills.

Stefan Gustafsson-Ledell is the CEO of Proton Technology.

The supplier who’s part of the family

Do you have to be an employee to feel like a Proton? Not at all. The suppliers at Aperit, who are launching our new business system, already feel like part of the Proton family.

By Amelie Bergman / Photo Proton

Earlier this year, the Proton Group decided to change its ERP-system. The transition to the new system, Microsoft Dynamics 365, will be continuously rolling. The aim is to create a platform that makes it possible for the group’s companies and employees to keep up with the digital development and create new conditions for growth.

Launching a completely new business system is not something to be rushed, and perhaps most importantly – it is not simply technology for its own sake. If the switch is to have the desired effect, the new system must be accepted in all of Proton’s businesses. And to ensure this, we enlisted the Värnamo company Aperit. Business consultants Patrik Emanuelsson and Sofia Magnusson will be in charge of the project, while another ten colleagues will be involved in various roles.

Tell us more about Aperit!

“We work with business development and digitalisation as tools for successful companies. That means that we help with everything from advice and strategy to process mapping and systematising. We’re well versed in many different business systems and their related process apps. Our job is to help Proton to be more efficient here and now, while creating a foundation for future growth.”

What does all this mean to the individual employee?

“All employees will see more digital tools, no matter where they work and what they do: in production, in the warehouse, in consulting or in sales. In the long run, the Proton companies’ customers will also have digitised customer and supplier portals that make the process and communication more efficient.”

How quickly will this go?

“The project will take four years, which we have divided into four sub-projects. We’ll reach the first milestone this spring, when we launch the system in the Proton Group’s service and project companies in Proton Structure, Proton Edge and Proton Services.”

Will you become Protons along the way?

“It does feel that way. We’ll be working closely over a four-year period and spending quite a bit of time in the businesses. We’ve been entrusted with a great deal of insight and authority. You can have the world’s best business system, but it all starts with making sure the employees feel involved. This is a project that hinges on succeeding together!”

About the new business system

• All companies in the Proton Group will be changing their business system from Jeeves to Microsoft Dynamics 365.

• We in the Proton Group have a stated strategy to grow strongly in the future. This means that we need work processes, technology and digital solutions that support that growth.

• The new business system will allow us to use digital solutions, such as apps in our phones and on tablets, both in production and in more administrative tasks.

• The project will take four years, divided into four sub-projects. The first involves Proton Structure, Proton Edge and Proton Services, and will be completed this spring.

Among the first to implement the new business system will be Proton Services. Malin Johansson, Sofia Magnusson, Angelika Klasson and Patrik Emanuelsson have already got started.

Growth comment

We are still in a strong position for the future

Someone once said that a company was best positioned to take market shares during an economic downturn. That should apply to our group as well.

In an era plagued with inflation and high energy costs, at the same time as interest rates are rising, I am pleased to note that our business areas are meeting these challenges with measured responses. After a negative outcome in the first half of the year, we are now showing a profit for the second half of 2022.

Sales for the second half of 2022 are projected to be just over SEK 345 million, which is an improvement of SEK 17 million compared with the same period the previous year. Operating profit for the second half of 2022 is projected to be SEK 14.1 million, which is SEK 10.0 million better than the same period the previous year.

The investment level in 2022 increased after a long period of caution in the light of the pandemic and logistical disruptions. As a result of an increased investment rate, along with some disruptions that reduced our cash flow, our debt ratio has increased somewhat but is still low. Otherwise, we are still in a strong position for the future.

Hans Ågren, CFO Proton Group

“In an era plagued with inflation and high energy costs, at the same time as interest rates are rising, I am pleased to note that our business areas are meeting these challenges with measured responses.”

Proton Finishing Eskilstuna is investing in a sustainable working environment

Climate, customers and employees – everyone wins with the new investments at Proton Finishing in Eskilstuna.

By Amelie Bergman /

Martin Johansson

Photo

Chalank Mohammed is one of the employees who now has brand-new working conditions in the paint shop.

Over many years now, Proton Finishing been pursuing a sustainability project to make the company a leader in the surface treatment industry. Proton Finishing in Eskilstuna is the latest step in the project, investing in three upgrades that will result in major improvements, says Sandra Vatn, sustainability developer:

“Above all, our employees will benefit from these investments because we will have a much better working environment, but we will also be able to reduce our climate impact and reduce our carbon footprint by 87 tonnes.”

Marcus Anderberg, Site Manager in Eskilstuna, is pleased with the investments.

“Being able to offer a good workplace environment means a lot for our employee brand and our ability to recruit new skills.”

But it is also a matter of developing the business. Proton Finishing will continue its high rate of investment with a focus on automation, processes and new technology that can contribute to increased sustainability.

“It’s extremely important to our customers that we are proactive in sustainability. Several of our major customers are very impressed with our initiatives and think we’re well ahead of the game. The fact that our investments will make us more efficient at what we do is also a plus with them from a pure business perspective. We see this as the beginning of an exciting growth journey – of course it’s great that the group sees the possibilities of our business and invests in it!”

What’s happening in Eskilstuna

Heat recycling

By installing a heat exchanger, the plant can use the heat from the drying oven and the curing oven for the pre-treatment. Energy that previously went to waste and was simply vented out. This reduces the plant’s LPG consumption by about 8 per cent, which significantly lowers its carbon footprint.

Powder coating booth

Previously, many steps had to be done manually. The staff worked with exoskeletons and masks to reduce the risk of injury, but the physical working environment was still demanding. The new powder coating booth is a closed system with significantly fewer manual steps, which will improve the working environment. It also reduces the amount of powder consumed and streamlines production.

Blaster

The efficient new blaster, installed in 2023, is a replacement investment that will allow for energy recycling and an improved working environment. Old blasters often have many moving parts and leak substances, leading to risks of crush injuries and slippery floors. The blaster that has now been installed has a closed system, preventing both of these risks.

Above all, our employees will benefit from these investments because we will have a much better working environment.

Sustainability Developers Sandra Vatn and Site Manager Marcus Anderberg inspect the powder coating booth, which is now ready to go online.

No pipe dream in the Port of Gothenburg

Tradition is silver, but innovation is gold. When Stena Oil in the Port of Gothenburg converted its oil tank, it chose to break new ground with an innovative heating technology from BRUGG. The project required extensive collaboration with several specialists. Weldin Gothenburg is one of them.

By Amelie Bergman / Photo Dreamstime, Stena Oil

The Port of Gothenburg is Scandinavia’s biggest, and the gateway to the world for Swedish industry. Ships from every corner of the world load and unload goods here, and they also need to replenish their fuel oil, lubricants and other petroleum products. Refuelling a cargo ship is called bunkering. In the Port of Gothenburg, Stena Oil is responsible for ensuring that vessels can continue on their way.

Difficult to clean up

“We store oil and other fuel in cisterns in the port,” says Martin Josefsson, head of security at Stena Oil. “We fill up our own bunker ships from these tanks and sail out to bunker up the customers’ ships.” Recently, Stena Oil acquired a cistern from its sister company Stena Recycling, which has a neighbouring facility.

“There’s precious little space in the port, so when we got the opportunity to take over one of their existing tanks it was a perfect solution.” The 10,000 m3 tank – considered medium-sized in the industry – is a welcome addition to our storage capacity, which is about 100,000 m3.”

But first the tank needed to be fitted with heating coils.

“We need heat to minimise the viscosity of oils or biomass, which is a bit thicker,” Martin explains.

“Normally we weld in an extensive pipe system weaving over the whole base of the tank.

“The problem with the traditional solution is that it’s difficult to clean the tank after emptying it. You go in manually and clean it out with big rubber scrapers, which is quite difficult with criss-crossing pipes.”

As of 1 January 2023, the companies in the Proton Structure business area, Teknikrör and GH Svetsteknik, have merged into a single company called Weldin Gothenburg.

We want to lead the charge for new solutions and develop leading-edge technology in the industry, so it’s fantastic to have this opportunity to innovate with colleagues.

PROTON STRUCTURE

Innovative installation

Stena Oil chose the specialist BRUGG Pipes to do the remodel, and they suggested a completely new type of pipe system for heating. The Swiss company specialises in manufacturing and selling pipe systems for safe, efficient transport of industrial fluids and gases. They have become well-known for short installation times and downtimes thanks to a large degree of prefabrication. Their Swedish subsidiary BRUGG Sweden designs complete solutions from consulting and planning to project management and implementation.

“We suggested a completely new solution for Stena Oil, based on two concepts: the Norflex heat exchanger pipe, which is made of acid-fast steel, and the Bioflex pipe, which is made of stainless steel,” says Daniel Olsson, Chief Operating Officer at BRUGG Sweden.

“The point of our systems is that they have spiral corrugation, which facilitates the use of screws and couplings. This means longer pipe lengths and fewer joints, and above all greater flexibility, so you can install them in a cleverer way, along the tank walls where they aren’t in the way as much and at the same time provide a greater surface for heat transfer, making the system more effective.”

The result is that Stena Oil will have more efficient heating of the tank and will save many man-hours on cleaning, not to mention the more convenient installation.

Cutting edge technology

As a sales company, BRUGG does not have installers in Sweden. Rather, they have chosen to use selected local partners to offer a complete package in the project. Rördesign AB was responsible for the pipe structures and Proton company Weldin Gothenburg (former GH Svetsteknik) installed the heat exchanger package with its steel structures.

“For us on the Swedish market, this is a new pipe system. As far as we know, this type of installation has never been done in these contexts before,” says Gunnar Hansson at Weldin Gothenburg. “That made the project extra exciting; it’s a privilege to have been involved in such a complex project that requires so much collaboration and dedication from all parties.”

Gunnar and his crew are not at all bothered that the new solution with longer pipes and simpler installations actually means less welding and thus less work for them.

“Absolutely not! Considering all the steel structures that still have to be built, a project like this will still mean plenty of work. Besides, we want to lead the charge for new solutions and develop leading-edge technology in the industry, so it’s fantastic to have this opportunity to innovate with colleagues. No one benefits from hanging on to outdated methods.”

Stena Oil’s bunker ships bunker up customers’ ships in the port.

The flexible pipes from BRUGG can be installed along the tank carriage to facilitate cleaning. Specialists at Weldin Gothenburg did the installation.

PHOTO: GH SVETSTEKNIK

PHOTO: STENA

We have a lot to learn from the youth of today”

To build Proton’s employer brand and secure our skills level for the future, we have to be seen and present where future employees are. So what could be better than to exhibit at the job fairs that universities and higher education institutions around us offer? It's a opportunity for Proton to talk about our offer and market the group as the students’ first workplace after graduating. The students, in turn, get the chance to meet several companies in one place, ask their questions and perhaps find both internships and jobs, depending on how far along they are in their studies.

In November, the Proton Group exhibited at Karriärum at Jönköping University, where 100 companies meet about 1,500 students.

“It is incredibly valuable for us to participate in a forum where we can meet with the employees of the future,” says Mari Lundqvist, HR Manager at the Proton Group. “It gives us the opportunity to plant a seed and link students to us early on, for example through degree projects, or internships.

We also have a lot to learn from the youth of today, who we see are at the forefront of many issues, particularly when it comes to sustainability.”

At the University of Skövde, Proton was represented by JL Safety, a part of the Proton Edge business area.

“It was the first time we exhibited and marketed ourselves at the University of Skövde,” says Victor Thilander, Customer Success Manager at JL Safety. “It’s a necessity because we want to keep abreast of developments and understand the employees of the future and how they view their future workplace. It’s important to us to have a long-term perspective and build our employer brand in the region so students think of us as their first future dream job. Right now we’re looking for someone who can help us develop our training courses and who wants to participate in an exciting growth journey.”

GH Svetsteknik

Joakim Carneklev

Hector Ardila

Proton Engineering

Magdalena Norell

Axel Levin

Jennie Stark

Proton Alsab

Nexhat Halili

Proton Anderstorp

Therese Carlsson

Christoffer Unnersjö

Maher Muhawesh

Tomasz Tokarski

Proton Eskilstuna

Musadaq Al-Janabi

Emeka Ogumelu

Charlie Junås

Proton Finishing

Mathias Bertilfelt

Proton Forsheda

Moa Karlsson

Aron Tecklehymanot

Proton Industripulver

Huynh Hien

Sanela Sumic

Nabil Fawas

Ahmed Al-mufleh

Alshaibani lamai

Tanevski Gjorgji

Abdirashid Ayub

Abdullahi Ahmed

Teknikrör

Rasmus Dombernowsky

Casper Pettersson

John Kollgren

Proton Lighting

Bianca Carrasco

Sandra Söderlind

Denisse Manito

Christian Kruskopf

Mattias Möller

Proton Services

Emma Ohliw

Proton’s HR Manager Mari Lundqvist, Christoffer Peterson and Elias Lindholm spread the word at the job fair in Jönköping.

JL Safety growing in Sweden and internationally

The machine safety specialists at JL Safety are growing further. With a new sales organisation, a new office in Gothenburg and an international market initiative, 2023 is shaping up to be an exciting year. Victor Thilander and Sylvain Winge Pasquet are the two new protons who will be injecting extra energy into the mix.

By Amelie Bergman / Photo JL Safety

Hello Victor!

What does a Customer Success Manager do?

“The idea of this initiative is to get even closer to our customers. My role is to meet the customer in their everyday situation – from answering questions and helping them to solve problems, to selling in our services and software. I will also be at a lot of trade fairs, in connection with training courses, seminars and other activities. In short: I will help our customers to have an even safer, more enjoyable and easier workplace.”

Tell us more about the Gothenburg office!

“Because we have a lot of customers in the west, we wanted to get even closer geographically, so in early autumn we opened our new office in Sävedalen. I’m going to be responsible for sales and customer service in the Gothenburg region and my new colleague Sylvain will be consulting in the field. The idea is for us to be a close-knit team.”

Bonjour Sylvain!

You are JL Safety’s new machine safety specialist in Gothenburg?

“Yes, I will be based in the Gothenburg office and be responsible for the West region. We have several exciting projects under way, so I’ll have my hands full! The plan is that I’ll also work with our customers in the south, in Halland and Skåne. I will be help- ing our customers and users and ensuring that our production meets all requirements in EU directives and other standards, conducting machine inspec- tions and risk assessments in our CEDOC software. I will also start cultivating international clients in France. There is a French version of CEDOC and there is great potential in the market. I was born and raised in France, even though I live in Alingsås today, so it’s a perfect combination for me!”

Why did you choose to work with JL Safety?

“I’ve worked with machine safety for many years, and have taken JL Safety’s courses, so I was already very familiar with the company. Personally, I appreciate that it is a smaller business; I like the family feel within the company and in its relationship with its customers. That also makes a good foundation for continuing to grow together.

Victor Thilander

Business area manager Dan Assarsson says hello and welcome to JL Safety’s new machine safety specialist Sylvain Winge Pasquet.

Face to face again at last!

After almost three years’ pandemic-imposed hiatus, Exaktor got to dust off its trade fair stand again. Over the autumn, the sales reps have participated in several trade fairs of various sizes throughout the country. In early October, a large group from Proton Lighting went to the Light & Building fair in Frankfurt to learn more and get inspired.

Customer event a roaring success!

On 21 September, we at Proton Finishing held a customer event in Toftaholm outside Värnamo. It was 24 hours of information, discussion, cooking and a whole lot of laughing!

We wanted to try something new at this event, something different and educational that would entice our customers to give us a day of their already packed schedules.

The main attraction consisted of two things – the keynote speaker to discuss the trends they see in Automotive in Europe, and the evening activity: cooking with one of the chefs of the manor.

The day offered lots of information and discussion of our major investments, our focus on development and the major strides we’re making in sustainability.

The goal was not only to spotlight Proton Finishing and how we will meet the challenges of the future, but also the Proton Group, showing the breadth we have in the group and what a strength that is.

Exactor’s biggest fair is the electricity sector fair in Kista, Stockholm, which is held every year in October and attracts electrical installers and consultants. This year’s was long awaited and well-attended, with a total of 5,100 visitors in the two days of the fair. At Exaktor’s stand, visitors learned more about light control and sensors, as well as this year’s lighting news for industry and interiors.

“It is very meaningful to talk to visitors to the stand,” says Per Jonsén, sales representative in Stockholm and one of the people who manned Exaktor’s stand. “The electrical sector fair is important to me.”

A successful initiative in western Sweden was a pop-up fair in Halmstad Arena with about 40 suppliers. Exaktor was also represented at the property exhibition in Malmö, which saw over 900 visitors and 110 exhibitors. Sales reps Rickard Bengtsson and Kerstin Björnsson describe it:

“The property exhibition in Malmö was excellent. It gave us six new projects to plan. Most are for parking garages, but one is for the Scandic hotel chain, where we will test a new lighting concept on their premises. We hope to create good lighting with our downlight Lyra or Ymir.

Several speakers during the day presented Finishing, Technology and JL Safety, filling the day with a good mix of topics.

The evening activity was a real hit! Our customers, and we ourselves, got to showcase our kitchen skills as we whipped up a risotto, broiled scallops and baked a truly magical chocolate fondant.

Some dishes and participants stood out more than others. Some got minor injuries and the chef probably needed therapy by the time the evening was over, but wow, what a success it was.

The event has already generated new business and brought us to the discussion table for several potential deals. The value of customer events cannot be overstated. The closeness and the discussions that are born when you do something fun together give the customer relationship an energy boost and pave the way for new business.

Rexel’s autumn fair in Borås got intense when Exaktor’s Pac-Man champion was named.