"
In the short term we face tough times with some stiff challenges. But the long-term outlook remains very promising."Jonas Wiström, President and CEO
- Print chapter
Meet Jonas Wiström, President and CEO of ÅF, as he sums up a good year and outlines an exciting future for ÅF.
Jonas Wiström, what’s your view of the progress ÅF made in 2008?
"2008 was ÅF’s best ever year with plenty of reasons to be positive. Thanks to our development programmes, new orders and a total of ten acquisitions we advanced our positions significantly, particularly in the fields of energy efficiency, hydropower and nuclear power.
"In the autumn we restructured our operations, realigning the Process Division more closely with the energy sector and changing the division’s name to Energy. For the Swiss arm of this business, ÅF-Colenco, earnings and the inflow of orders exceeded expectations, and our purchase of the Russian technical consultant Lonas in the fourth quarter created a strong position for the division in Russia, a market in which we see long-term potential.
"Progress has also been very good in the Engineering Division, which maintained good earnings across the board. As a result of the autumn reorganisation, Engineering was bolstered by the addition of 250 experts in the fields of electrical power systems, pulp and paper, food processing and pharmaceuticals.
"When the Infrastructure and Systems Divisions were merged under the Infrastructure banner, one important motive for this was to spread Systems’ culture of growth to the expansive area of infrastructure planning. The merger also creates opportunities for cross-fertilisation between different areas of expertise and paves the way for cost synergies.
"Developments in the Inspection Division have been positive for several years, and 2008 saw two more important steps with the acquisition of a company in Sweden and one in the Czech Republic, which is a key market for ÅF."
You frequently use the concept "One ÅF". What does that mean to you?
"One ÅF is the ethos of our corporate culture of internal cooperation, pooling the resources of all of ÅF’s engineers regardless of organisational or geographical boundaries. It’s the interweaving of structures, systems and cultures. Every ÅF consultant who visits a client should be able to use the entire spectrum of ÅF’s resources to carry out the assignment. The chances are that we have already worked on something similar, and the experience we have gained from this should quickly be used to the client’s advantage. One ÅF also signals that the whole of ÅF is a potential workplace for co-workers, as we work in a similar way throughout the entire Group.
"In 2008 we launched a brand new system for sharing experience and knowledge that gives ÅF employees worldwide access to our collective know-how in a variety of areas. Not surprisingly, perhaps, we have called this system ‘ONE’, since it enables every ÅF unit to serve as a local partner to its clients while tapping into the potential of ÅF’s global activities."
Tell us a little about ÅF’s environmental work.
"The most important thing is to regard environmental work as a profitable undertaking. Our own greatest contribution to a better environment is to systematically reduce our consumption of energy and resources by working towards a number of quantifiable environmental goals. But it is what we can do for our clients that makes the biggest impact of all. By supplying them with environmentally adapted and socially responsible solutions we can do the world a big favour while improving the profitability of our clients’ operations. ÅF is well to the fore in this respect."
The ÅF motto "Innovation by experience" aptly describes the recent process of change at ÅF. What do you believe the future holds for ÅF.
"My vision is for ÅF to be Europe’s number one technical consulting company. By that I mean that we will be the most profitable among our 10 or 20 biggest competitors. Continued good profitability will enable us to recruit the most capable co-workers and give us the freedom to make strategic acquisitions. We will have more specialists and project leaders while undertaking more projects as fixed-price agreements rather than at hourly rates, sometimes with some kind of built-in incentive."
ÅF has survived many economic ups and downs in its 114-year history. What’s your view of the situation ÅF faces in 2009 and 2010?
"In the short term we face tough times with some stiff challenges. But the long-term outlook remains very promising. Never before has the need for new breakthroughs in technology – particularly as regards infrastructure and energy – been so great. In this respect, ÅF is ideally placed to offer clients both peace of mind and cutting-edge expertise."
Awareness of the ÅF brand has been given a real boost following the part-time employment of Susanna Kallur and sponsorship of the ÅF Golden League. What does this mean in Sweden and abroad?
"Strategically one of our most important tasks is to win the battle for the most capable co-workers. We can only do this if the ÅF brand attracts the best talents in the marketplace. And, with operations in around 20 countries, we need to think internationally. Being title sponsor of the ÅF Golden League, the world’s biggest annual series of athletics meetings watched by hundreds of millions of TV viewers in 100 countries, has been a big success.
"We often receive proof that awareness of our brand has increased. In ISI Wissing’s annual survey of decision-makers in Sweden ÅF was ranked best technical consultant, and in the 2008 Universum survey of the best employers for Swedish engineers ÅF claimed eighth place overall and the number one spot among technical consulting companies.
"Also on this subject I’d like to mention how well last year’s official name change from Ångpanneföreningen to ÅF has been received. We now have a name that is better suited to the modern consulting company that we are today."
ÅF House, the company’s new head office, has rapidly become a Stockholm landmark. What does this mean for ÅF?
"ÅF House is a symbol for ÅF in many ways. The physical layout, for instance – so suited to both scheduled meetings and spontaneous debate – demonstrates our open-minded approach to problem-solving. The building itself is a good example of how environmental thinking can be profitable. It is the first office in Sweden to win ‘Green Building’ certification, an eco-labelling system for properties with at least 25 percent lower energy use than what is prescribed in national standards for new properties. We estimate saving SEK 6 million a year compared with our previous energy costs. And, as many aspects of the construction work were project-led by ÅF, the building is also an example of our engineering skills. It embodies both our brand and our soul."
Any final comments?
"First of all I would like to thank all our clients for the confidence they show in us. And thanks, too, to our co-workers for a job well done. ÅF is now stronger than it has ever been, with an extensive database of experience readily available to help all of us to provide an even better service to our clients. We stand well equipped in sectors that have great potential and this will enable us to build enduring values for our share-holders in line with the culture and spirit that characterises all that we do – innovation by experience."
Stockholm, March 2009
Jonas Wiström
President and CEO