Entrepreneurship is one of our key driving forces and is well integrated into our governance model. Through a decentralized organization, where each company in the Group has a clear responsibility for results and degrees of freedom to make business decisions on its own, power is released for the business instead of internal administration. It also contributes to more satisfied employees and better customer relationships, which in turn improves profitability.
Some of our successful entrepreneurs
Kjell-Håvard Liane
Kjell-Håvard Liane
Managing director of Empakk
Tell us about Empakk and the market you operate in
Empakk is a leading supplier of packaging machines, services, food trays, foil, etc. to the food industry in Norway.
We have strong brands and offer our own range of packaging solutions to customers in both the public sector, where we are the market leader, and to private operators. We have strong focus on service and fast deliveries and our ambition is to be a preferred partner for food companies in Norway.
We also have a clear focus on sustainability, which means that all our products must be solid and sustainable. Empakk was an early adopter of Eco-Lighthouse certification.
Empakk has been a part of Berner Industrier since the autumn of 2020, what has it meant for you?
As part of the Berner Industrier, we have gained a long-term, industrial owner who wants to develop Empakk further both in our existing markets and also in new market segments.
Berner Industrier is a professional “sparring partner” that supports us and helps us achieve our strategic goals, while at the same time giving us the necessary leeway in our daily work.
How do you collaborate with the other Group companies?
Berner Industrier has given us colleagues with whom we can discuss various issues and lean on. This applies in particular to management in Berner Industrier, but also in functions such as finance, administration, HR and IT. In addition, we have some common points of contact with the other group companies on the machine side.
What are the main synergies of being part of Berner Industrier?
Backed by strong finances, we can continue to develop and grow the business. An industrial owner also ensures that there will be a professional development of our organization.
What would you say to other entrepreneurs who are thinking about taking the next step with their companies?
The most important thing is to sit down with a potential future owner – like Berner Industrier – and jointly look at what opportunities there are to continue to develop your company. First and foremost, basic issues such as operations and finances need to be in place, and then what has been the most important thing for us – that the chemistry with the owners who come in is right. This was crucial for us at Empakk when we decided to become part of Berner Industrier.
Patrik Swedenborg
Patrik Swedenborg
Deputy managing director of Swedenborg
– Tell us about Swedenborg and the market you operate in
Swedenborg is a family business that was founded in 1964. I took over the role as managing director in the early 1990s, and am currently deputy managing director. We are headquartered in Gothenburg and have 18 employees.
Swedenborg is a trading company for pumps and valves for industry and the process industry. We have also developed our own products in terms of flue gas dampers for heating plants and refineries. For instance, we have developed a new damper for use in Carbon Capture, which captures carbon dioxide in the air, which we sell to several European customers.
– Swedenborg has been part of Berner Industrier since 2021, what has that meant for you?
We have gained support in areas such as finance and HR. We also see that it is strengthening our appeal to larger customers, who perceive it as a security that we belong to a larger listed group. It is a good reference in customer negotiations.
In our day-to-day work, it has not meant any real changes, but we continue to work as before.
– What are the main synergies of being part of Berner Industrier?
It’s a good team, which means that you can pick up knowledge. It provides security in that there is someone to lean on and you can consult with on how to act in certain situations. There is a great deal of commitment, which is important.
It is clear to me that Berner Industrier wants to develop the company further and supports us in our growth ambitions.
– What would you say to other entrepreneurs who are thinking about taking the next step with their companies?
For us, it has been important that we have a shared values and interests with our owner. Berner Industrier has a strong principal owner with old family traditions, where the family still is very involved and active. The strategy is that each company should be run separately and continue to develop according to its unique conditions, and that the Group assists with resources and support. This is something we value. We want Swedenborg to live on and continue to develop in the best possible way.
For me personally, this has meant that I can continue working in the organization to the extent I wish.