people 速
Become part of our vision We allow young people to develop World leader through i足nnovation Focus on quality and customers
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Lots of opportunities for development . If you want to develop, working at engcon, Drivex or Mählers gives you plenty of options to choose from. "Where there's a will, there's a way. We're good at picking up on talent and are receptive to ideas," says Mikael Persson, Head of Personnel. TALENTED YOUNG PEOPLE will be needed to help engcon group continue to supply its world-leading products. "Although lots of young people work here, we'll always need talented people," says Mikael Persson, Head of Personnel, emphasising the sense of wellbeing and the opportunities for development at engcon group. The engcon family. You'll see this term repeatedly in this magazine, but that's no coincidence. We all look after one another here. This is clear from everything we do, from the concern shown by staff for their peers, by the company for its staff, and by staff for the company. "We're a relatively small company forming part of a small group with customers throughout much of the world. This means we have to look after one another a little more, and at the same time we need to think beyond our own personal spheres." He's talking about the engcon spirit, that intangible factor that makes people go the extra mile and measures everyone's ideas according to how good they are, not who presented them in the first place. "This is an unpretentious, open group where everyone is responsible for making sure we create products which customers want to buy and enjoy using. For example, the staff working in
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Mikael Persson emphasises the engcon spirit, where everyone's ideas are of equal value, where everyone goes that extra mile and where everyone is given freedom with responsibility.
“ Working for the engcon group is fun and exciting. I really enjoy working here. There's always something going on, and there's lots of potential for development ” Mikael Persson, Head of Personnel assembly at engcon are responsible for the entire tiltrotator. They peform all the tasks and complete what they're doing, even though they might have to spend an extra few minutes finishing off after the official end of the working day. At the same time, we also have generous employment benefits such as free snacks and drinks on Tuesdays
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and Thursdays all year round. Mikael Persson reckons they work hard to create a team spirit and pride in what the company achieves. "A lot of people who visit us are surprised by how big a difference there is between what they think an industry would look like and how things are here. This place is clean, tidy and relatively quiet." The company works hard on safety and systematic work environment management, WEM. We might use moulded soles for footwear, or lifting gear. "Accidents must simply not be allowed to happen. Safety awareness permeates everything we do." Even so, Mikael Persson reckons that wellbeing and a 'flat' organisation are two of the most important factors here. "The things we do and say – it all counts. And if we all enjoy working with one another and like the place where we work, we all stand to benefit," says Mikael Persson.
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Contents
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EMMA HAS A FUN AND VARIED JOB
• 25-year-old Emma Eriksson left her nursing job to work for engcon, a choice she's never regretted. CONTENTS 04: Founder wants more innovation 06: Emma: “No two days are quite the same” 08: Ylva: "We work together" 09: One big, happy family 10: Working in assembly at engcon 11: P oland factory bridges gap between east and west 12: From innovation to product 14: Logistics important for efficient production 16: I nsight into customers' business means better products 17 Systematic quality work produces fewer defects 18: Customer wants to be involved in development work 20: Marketing on many platforms 22: The future's bright 22: Trainees important for the future 24: Cutting edge technology at Microprop 26: Great cooperation between school and engcon 27: Students win innovation competition
WE MANUFACTURE WORLDLEADING PRODUCTS
• The future's bright thanks to world-leading products and strong innovation. Founder Stig Engström takes an optimistic look at the future.
Why we created this magazine THE MAGAZINE YOU'RE HOLDING IN YOUR HAND
has been created because we believe in our company, our industry, our products and, above all, our young people. We've created a magazine which attempts to show what it's like to work for the engcon group and present our visions and approach and the demands we make. Above all, we want to show you how clean and tidy our premises are and how enjoyable, exciting and stimulating it is to work in the manufacturing industry. Take the opportunity to become part of our future!
Responsible for publication: Sten Strömgren Editor: Erik Säfvenberg, D ynamo Press Art Director: Jan Petterson Adress: engcon Nordic AB, Box 111, 833 21 Strömsund Telephone: 0670-17800 Email: info@engcon.com Internet: www.engcon.com, www.facebook.com/engcon, www.twitter.com/engcon_group Printed by: Berndtssons Tryckeri
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Working at engcon
Wellbeing and freedom with responsibility are key. "We also have to be clear and honest when we give both praise and criticism," reckons founder Stig Engström.
Founder wants more innovation engcon is founded entirely on innovation, and founder Stig Engström has managed to build up a group thanks to his belief that tilting, rotating worktools for excavators would change the industry. WITH STIG ENGSTRÖM'S VISION and far-
sighted approach, the engcon group is that most unusual of creatures – an innovative industrial group standing on a firm foundation, holding its own future in its hands. They have freedom because they're privately owned, which means they don't have to take into account changes in stock prices or what financial institutes think. This strength also allows them to focus strongly on development and innovation.
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"EVERYTHING WE DO focuses on our end
customers. We have to think about the people who are going to use our products; excavator operators working alone, for example.ww If the end user is happy, both they and our colleagues will buy our products." This is why the business concept is being refined by placing even greater emphasis on products that stay one step ahead. "I don't want to run management com-
panies that fine-tune their margins to the last percentage point. We should aim to come up with major innovations that shake the industries we aim our products at to the core, and we have to do this by being more daring. We also have to listen – not to what customers say, but to what they mean – and give them products they didn't know they wanted." Whe explains that this approach requires the sales organisation to understand the products and how they can
Stig Engström is clear about what we do. "Everything we do focuses on our end customers."
make life more efficient for customers. Other staff also find this approach challenging and stimulating. The fact that it makes production harder is both clear and necessary. "We couldn't do this if we didn't have talented staff whom we give full freedom with responsibility. But it also means we have to be honest and clear. I'm generous with my praise and I'd like everyone else to be as well, but at the same time I make it clear if I think something isn't all that good. I want everyone to deliver more than they'd have done in other jobs, and some people thrive on that." Stig Engström feels it's important to be able to make changes if they're needed. "We care about our wellbeing, and about the fact that we can rely on one another. We have to do much more than just be nice if we're to make everything work the way it should." The development of the revolutionary tiltrotator was what built the group, and
“ With a world-leading product and great staff, it's obvious how things are going to go" Stig Engström, founder this is also the product most likely to have the world at its feet. With 5–10 million excavators in the world, it's easy to see what opportunities are available. That's why we have to focus on more than just the Nordic countries, helping them to understand the benefits of using tiltrotators. "The Nordic industry has changed fundamentally since the tiltrotator made its breakthrough. Nowadays nearly all excavators have a tiltrotator. Now we have to persuade the rest of the world to understand what our contractors have already grasped."
But he points out that this may be due to crucial differences in how contracting companies are structured in various countries. "In the Nordic region, the assignment is owned by the contractor, who often does his own excavation. But in the UK or Germany, for example, responsibility for purchasing often rests higher up in an organisation where it's harder to see the benefits of greater competitiveness in the longer term. That's why we have to prioritise reaching smaller contractors in countries such as the Netherlands and Germany. "We'll be able to make the tiltrotator part of everyday life in these countries too, although it may take a bit longer than if we were to persuade a major customer to buy it," he says, full of conviction that this strategy will work. "With a world-leading product and great staff, it's obvious how things are going to go," concludes Stig Engström.
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Working at engcon
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A varied job and great colleagues Emma Eriksson previously worked as a nurse, but she switched to an industrial job and loves it! ww"We work as a team and help one another, and no two days are alike," she says. AFTER HAVING FOUND IT DIFFICULT to find a nursing job, Emma Eriksson – now 25 – was told she should apply for a job at engcon's assembly plant in Strömsund. She'd worked at our sister company, Mählers, twice before and knew what an industrial job would entail. "I reckon almost everyone in Strömsund knows that. A lot of schools run study visits and engcon is a large and important workplace. I think more people know something about industry here than is the case in many other places," she says. TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO , she was given the opportunity of a job at engcon. She's been a permanent employee for a year now. When she started at engcon, her job involved assembly. She had no idea how to go about it. "But then I thought to myself, how hard
“ Being given responsi bility and having a varied job and great colleagues are important if you're going to enjoy your job” Emma Eriksson can it be? I quickly learned how to do the job thanks to my colleagues, and the fantastic thing here is that we all help one another. We all want to be successful in what we do." She describes a close-knit team, and that she really needed help. "Assembly was a lot harder than I thought, and I was completely exhausted when I got home at night. There are lots of things to remember and lots of things to keep tabs on. But once you've got into
it, not only is it easy to assemble the models you've already learned, but also simple to learn new ones." ONE MAJOR ADVANTAGE from the out-
set, she says, was also the fact that there are clear assembly instructions available and that nobody ever has a problem with helping out. "This means you rarely get stuck. After a week I could do all the different bits of assembly, and after four months I could do it with my eyes closed." She's now got a fork lift operator's licence and transports components to be used in assembly. "I get given a transport plan for the day and can make my own decisions on what's to be done. Being given responsibility and having a varied job and great colleagues are important if you're going to enjoy your job," explains Emma Eriksson.
Green business important Maintaining sustainable green activities is important as a way of taking responsibility and also as a way of saving resources and money. As well as sorting waste, keeping track of chemicals and reviewing travelling, electricity consumption and heating, engcon has a business system which forms the basis of its environmental work. This operates according to an annual cycle. The past year is evaluated at the end of the year, and targets are set for the year to come. These targets are then broken down into actions, with people responsible for
them who'll work over the year to make sure they're implemented. Most of the environmental work during the year is carried out with the help of a multifunctional "GreenTeam", which meets once a month to review the efficiency of our environmental work on the basis of surveys. They also have to make sure people throughout the organisation are aware of our environmental work and regularly evaluate different environmental aspects while also striving for constant improvement. wThe team also has to monitor envi-
ronmental legislation regularly to ensure that engcon is operating in compliance with the law. The business also undergoes internal audits with a view to finding nonconformances and opportunities for improvement. "One specific example for us is that we cut vast amounts of steel at our plant in Niepruszewo, Poland. "Planning cutting more efficiently will help us to save on resources and help our environment," says Mats-Erik Wiktorsson, quality and environment officer at the engcon group.
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Working at engcon
Seeing the fruits of her labours After seven years in the job, she still enjoys it. "I enjoy my job because of my colleagues, and Âbecause I get to work with things that I start and then get to see the end results," says Linda Olsson. SHE PHONED UP ON THE OFF-CHANCE
engcon would have a job for her. And they did. Linda Olsson used to work in health and social care, but she fancied a change. "I started off in assembly and have worked with outbound deliveries on occasions, but I've been working at assembly more or less since I started here," she says. Wellbeing is important, and she sees that in good colleagues. But she also sees something she never experienced in the care sector. "Here, I can start things and then finish them and see the results. My work here is a lot more tangible, you could say, and it's easier to describe what you've been doing all day. I really enjoy that."
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"  I've felt welcome right since my very first day here, and I've never been made to feel awkward" Linda Olsson COLLEAGUES are important, clearly.
"We're a good team, and I feel secure within it. I've felt welcome right since my very first day here, and I've never been made to feel awkward or stupid if I've had to ask anyone about anything," explains Linda Olsson.
One big, happy family Many of our staff frequently use a term here – "the engcon family". "This is because we all help one another," explains Angelica Johannesson, who's currently working as a coordinator between engcon, schools and municipalities but previously worked for years as a fitter. A lot of engcon staff enjoy socialising together, as is evidenced by everything from bowling evenings to after-work get-togethers. "We like and support one another and view the entire company – not just the people who work in the same department – as a team," she explains. As a result, several departments and professional categories might find themselves being invited to the various gatherings. engcon also holds Christmas parties and barbecues for all its staff. "The fact that many people enjoy their jobs is evident from the fact that so few people hand in their notice. A lot of people socialise privately, too. That means people always have something to talk about, not least at breaktimes." Colleagues, cooperation and being able to see jobs through to the end are just some of the things which make Linda Olsson's job enjoyable.
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Working at engcon
Working in a 足 ssembly at engcon Clean and tidy. Calm and quiet. The modern production plant is characterised by focused, methodical work where everyone helps one another as needed.
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  MODERN PLANT IN POLAND A new factory opened in Niepruszewo, Poland in 2012. It has two roles: to act as a link between west and east, but also to provide a template in terms of costs and quality. Unlike the plant in StrÜmsund, the factory in Poland has all elements of manufacturing in one and the same location.
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Innovation and development are all about teamwork Innovation is central to the engcon group – more or less a circulatory system that provides oxygen for the entire organisation. Part of the heart in this circulatory system is Head of Design Fredrik Jonsson, who thinks it's important to view product development as teamwork. NO MATTER WHAT YOUR SPECIALISATION , and
regardless of which of the engcon group companies you work for, innovation is a part of everyday life. So taking responsibility for development work is a bit different for Fredrik Jonsson than it is for many other heads of design. "You can't shut yourself away here, only to emerge with a more or less complete solution. Those of us working with product development and design bear the responsibility, but we're always willing to take on board the impressions and views of others, no matter where they come from," he says. Being in an innovative district with an innovative owner, and having a development process which is open to impressions from everyone from customers to fitters is somewhat uncommon, but it's also part of our success. He explains that owner and visionary Stig Engström is very much involved in work on concepts. At the same time, it's important to work on lots of new products at the same time. "We work with requirement-based R&D, where we meet our own needs and the needs of the market. At the same time, we want to maintain a high development pace without compromising on quality." When work starts on a new product, they always start with a target specification. "This looks at what we want to achieve with the product. If it's a completely new idea, we want to test it as quickly as possible to see whether it's something we'd like to proceed with. But at the same time, preliminary work is incredibly important so that we can make sure the development work flows as smoothly as possible, and in order to find the right path early on in our development work". If they're developing an existing product, it's
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“ The spirit of enterprise here is pretty much unique, and I don't there there are any wlimits to what we can do." Fredrik Jonsson more a matter of collating the impressions and views they've received and deciding on how they're going to proceed in order to make the product even better. FROM THE CONCEPT STAGE, PROJECTS then con-
tinue to lab tests followed by prototypes. At this point, having talented test operators is important. "Our test operators are really skilled. They give us good feedback on the prototype series, but they're almost too good to allow us to get all the experience we need for series production." When the prototype is modified and taken to the next stage, a pilot series is created where customers can test the product in real life conditions, with the full range of applications and operations. "The good relationships and deep trust we have in our test customers allow us to test products to an extent few others can manage. The fact that our customers are also innovation-minded, along with our ability to understand one another, to speak the same language, means that they can give us important feedback which helps us to improve the products. This is obviously a recipe for success," says Fredrik Jonsson.
Fredrik Jonsson, Head of Desig
gn at the engcon group, has a chat with machine operator Markus Lรถvgren, who provides valuable views on everything from lever positioning to tiltrotator function.
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Research and innovation
FROM CONCEPT TO FINISHED PRODUCT • Concept • Lab tests • Prototype (5–10 produced) • Test operators test the prototype • Pilot series (50 produced) • Test operators and test customers test the pilot series for three to four months.
INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS • Q-safe – the safest quickhitch lock in the world • Tiltrotators – second generation, with integrated central lubrication • Ergonomic handles • Easy Oil, which revolutionises the hydraulic coupling • Mähler's Flexiway diagonal plough • Drivex's self-loading sand spreader bucket and side plough for agricultural tractors.
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Tough tests for superb products
Before a product is released onto the market, it undergoes extensive testing in order to guarantee its quality, safety and function.
AN EXTENSIVE BATTERY OF TESTS
has to be carried out so that products can meet the stringent demands which the engcon group makes of its products. Before the product even exists in a physical form, drawings are compiled which take into account factors such as stresses, sustainability, hydraulic flows and how the product is to be manufactured. There's a prototype workshop in Strömsund which manufactures the products to undergo physical testing. These tests are executed by test operators and test customers, but in controlled lab environments as well. Among other things, all hydraulic tests
are carried out at a special hydraulic lab which carries out both controlled tests and destructive tests. The controlled tests are carried out in order to ensure that the device functions under various test conditions, and destructive testing is carried out in order to test durability and service life. "Being able to carry out environmental testing in controlled environments, looking at factors such as the product's properties in cold or dirty environments, is a vital part of the puzzle. Moreover, we can carry out tests which show what the product will do after several years of use, but within very tight time frames," says Head of Development Fredrik
Emphasis on safety With "Non Accident Generation", the engcon group is emphasising safety relating to the machine as a workplace. All products from engcon, Drivex and Mählers that are branded "Non Accident Generation" are designed and constructed to create a safer workplace. The EU-accredited DC2 control system and the safest quick-hitch lock available on the market, the Q-Safe safety hitch, are two examples of the safety concept. All engcon group companies, including Drivex and Mählers, work to this concept.
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Research and innovation
André Nordström feels it's important to help customers and answer their questions quickly. "We work hard to really immerse ourselves in our customers' situations and understand their problems," he says.
Insight into customers' business means better products With "emphasis on customers" as our motto, it's important to resolve customers' problems. And so finding a solution as quickly as possible is more significant than finding out whose fault it is. The outcome: happy customers. WHEN CUSTOMERS PHONE UP for help,
they rarely benefit from a long, drawnout discussion on how the problem arose or whose fault it is. They want help. Fast. "We're good at providing support, because we're an incredibly talented team and we really want to understand our customers' problems," says André Nordström, CRM Education Responsible at the engcon group. When surveys are carried out among customers which provide a customer satisfaction index, or CSI, all engcon group companies always score highly. Apart from our emphasis on solutions, this is due to three vital factors:
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"Good stocks of spare parts, advanced technical support and fast deliveries. It's also important to log all customers views to help us constantly improve. We keep both a warranty log and a complaints log where our activities are recorded down to component level so that we can work out more easily where the basic problem lies. It can be anywhere; from design to maintenance and operation," explains André Nordström. Talking to and understanding customers' day-to-day operations are very important. This is one of the reasons why trade fairs and other events such as open houses are so valuable.
"Contact with end customers is important. To understand our customers, we have to talk to them even when they're not experiencing any problems. We try to find out customers' views, and we have to be able to put ourselves in their shows and do our best to resolve their problems. One important competitive advantage within the engcon group is that our departments work well together. "We can discuss an issue directly with the design department, the sales organisations or other parts of the company which can give us the information we need," explains André Nordström.
Working carefully and methodically on quality means that customers are happier because the products they use work the way they should.
Systematic quality work results in fewer faults and happier customers Systematic quality work where all non-conformances are recorded and reported makes it 足possible to get to the bottom of every problem and rectify the root cause of it. Once it's been identified, it's also possible to devise preventive measures to enhance quality and save time. ALL MODERN manufacturing companies have some form of systematic quality work where non-conformances are recorded and sorted. "Here at engcon, we're incredibly good at 'fighting fires' and resolving customers' problems promptly. Our non-conformance management aims to ensure that we improve quality in all areas and that we come up with efficient, longterm solutions," says Mats-Erik Wiktorsson, quality and environment officer at the engcon group. Most of the faults reported come from the supply chain. It's possible to attach photos to the report in order to provide
as much information as possible. "It's important to find the source of the problem, the root cause, if we're to be able to prevent it." Once the source has been identified, major action may sometimes be needed but most usually minor changes are needed which make major improvements. Rectifying non-conformances also includes the overall task of working with constant improvements. Rectifying non-conformances also means we save time and money on what are normally referred to as quality deficiency costs.
These are the total losses arising due to a company's products and processes being imperfect in the eyes of customers. This includes redoing things that have gone wrong, doing the "wrong" things, talking to unhappy customers and finding information, people or equipment. "More and more of what we do is being gauged. For instance, we record how many non-conformances we have and also the responses filed. There are too few non-conformances within certain parts of the engcon group, for example, and we need to persuade the organisation to report more," explains Mats-Erik Wiktorsson.
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Emphasis on customers
Customer wants to be involved in development Ottossons Åkeri is one of many engcon group customers. This is a creative company offering its customers smart solutions and maintaining an eye to the future, and it plays an active part in the development of new products and encouraging young people to join the industry.
TWO OF THE BUILDINGS at Ottos-
sons in Strömsund are schools. And that's no coincidence, because we have an eye to the future. ”We arranged a workshop where students studying vehicles and transport could learn and practice there service and maintenance skills as an important part of the students education”, says Janne Ottosson, who together with his brother, Lasse, owns and runs the haulage firm. The commitment to encouraging young people to enter the industry is evident not only from the school premises, but also from the fact that they give students the opportunity to do practical work at the haulage firm. "We've also encouraged more and more staff to help out as mentors. It turns out that the work is
more interesting and stimulating when people are forced to explain what they're doing. It also gives people a greater sense of pride when they realise just how good they are at what they do and how much they know." OTTOSSONS ÅKERI is a family
business which was founded in 1963 and has now found a niche in the operation and maintenance of both public roads and routes for forestry vehicles. It also works with land development, road strengthening and excavation work when constructing new wind turbines, as well as special transport of various kinds – transporting live fish to fish farms, for instance. "Our emphasis on holistic solutions and resolving customers'
“ Being a customer of Mählers, Drivex and engcon is easy. They have very good products which increase our efficiency and give us more options, but they're also good at helping out if we encounter any problems" Janne Ottosson, Ottossons Åkeri
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problems means that we have extensive knowledge. This also means that we now have extensive technical resources to hand, everything from gravel trucks and snowploughs with demountable trailers to graders and excavators," explains Janne Ottosson. WITH THIS TECHNICAL SCOPE ,
the haulage firm has products from all engcon group companies: engcon, Mählers and Drivex. "We feel it's stimulating and rewarding to test new products early on in their development. With our scope, we can test products in most contexts in which they'll be used when they're put into series production. The skills of our staff also mean that we're good at evaluating the prototypes
and coming up with ideas for improvements." He shows us a electric hydraulic jaw blade from Mählers which is located beneath a timber hauler. This is one of the products they've helped to test and develop. "It's an interesting innovation. We think it's important to have the courage to try new things. We drive for Westan company, so it's perfect to be able to work on routes for forestry vehicles in order to keep them in better condition while also transporting timber at the same time," explains Janne Ottosson. TESTING OF NEW PRODUCTS can
also be carried out in situations which are particularly trying.
OTTOSSONS ÅKERI AB • Founded in 1963 • 25–30 staff depending on season • Gravel trucks and snowploughs with demountable trailers • Wheel loaders in various weight classes • Road planers • Excavators • Caterpillars • Rollers • Carts for various uses • As well as a range of machine equipment suitable for the company's operations.
"Among other things, we've used a hydraulic hammer with a tiltrotator. This worked better than we were expecting, and just goes to show how incredibly durable these products are." DEVELOPMENT and product qua-
lity and design aren't the only factors that make Ottossons Åkeri major users of products by Mählers, Drivex and engcon. Customer service and responsiveness are extremely important. "They're incredibly good at helping out if anything happens and resolving problems. "This is true of all the companies in the engcon family. Help is always available to customers. You can see that they care," says Janne Ottosson in summary.
Ottossons Åkeri uses products from engcon, Drivex and Mählers, and wants to play an active part in the development of new products.
Lots of happy customers Every year, an external survey company is given the job of compiling a customer satisfaction index, or CSI. This figure is then included in the accounts as a way of indicating how important it is to make sure customers are happy. The company's target is 80%, and in
the latest accounts the result was 86%. Of this 86%, 20% are also what are known as ambassadors for our products – in other words, they tell other people how good the products are and so create business. "Achieving such a high score is clear
evidence of how successful we are when it comes to keeping customers happy. This involves everyone who works for us, and it's successful because everyone works with emphasis on customers," says Stig Engström, founder of engcon.
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Emphasis on customers
Continuing focus on social media Marketing is one of the foundations for product success. The engcon group is working to reach out on new platforms and channels and in new ways. "We're focusing on end users, and digital and social platforms are taking on more importance in that regard," says Sten Strömgren, Head of Marketing. STEN STRÖMGREN has the perfect back-
ground when it comes to knowing how marketing recipients think: he spent many years working with many of the machines which our customers use. "I spent almost thirteen years operating excavators and caterpillars fulltime," he says. Sweden is one of the world's leading countries when it comes to mobile Internet access. This is why choosing digital and social platforms is becoming more and more important as a means of reaching out to customers. "The option of accessing digital material no matter where you are means we have to do everything simultaneously and equally well everywhere. We have to work with media old and new." Sten Strömgren explains that the website is the central, structural element when it comes to reaching out to customers. This has to include all information on products, and the website has to act as a work of reference which includes all information, regardless of whether it can also be found elsewhere. "We also work with Twitter and Facebook. I'd go so far as to say we're a clear industry leader when it comes to working with social media." engcon has three Twitter accounts, Mählers and Drivex have one each. The group's Twitter accounts are in English, but its Facebook pages are also available in Swedish. All three companies also have YouTube channels, and there's also an image bank on Flickr. The number of followers is a measure of how well they're doing on Facebook – about 2 500. "This wouldn't have been particularly interesting, but around 80% of the people who like us are in the industry."
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"We're monitoring developments towards ever greater use of mobile devices and increasing interest among our customers in communicating with us via social media," says Sten Strömgren.
Another measure of the group's success is the fact that they've sold products through contacts made on Facebook. "Drivex grading blades for agricultural tractors received a lot of attention on Facebook, and we received a number of responses on the product that way. Facebook is a party medium because it's so interactive, and it provides a good complement to the website."
one makes mistakes, but how these mistakes are handled demonstrate what the group is all about. "We want to be world champions when it comes to customer care, and that's why quick solutions are important. Because we know the industry, we also know that one excavator that's out of action can result in another five machines being left standing idle."
SALES VIA FACEBOOK are supple-
THE NEXT BIG JOB with the platforms will be to rework the website to make it responsive. In other words, it has to provide the same content no matter where people view it; on their computers, tablets or smartphones. "Statistics show that the number of people accessing our website – and the websites of others – on their computers is dwindling and more and more people are using mobile devices. This is something we have to adapt to," says Sten Strömgren.
mented by customer service. "Using social media is a risk as you're making a promise to users that we can be contacted through that and that we'll give them fast answers. But if we handle it correctly, it's a strength to. And as far as we're concerned, that's exactly what it is. We receive incredible amounts of positive feedback when we can show how quickly and seamlessly we deal with complaints and views." Sten Strömgren explains that every-
Tablets provide digital sales support The digital initiative isn't just continuing on social media and with a new website. New sales tools are being digitised as well. Our sales staff will be able to use tablets to present solutions and show products regardless of whether they're online or offline. "We know that people who've seen with their own eyes how the products work and how much more efficiently they could work with a tiltrotator, for example, find it easier to make decisions. This is why our sales staff
will be able to show them videos showing how each product works," says Sten Strömgren, Head of Marketing. Prior to meetings with customers, sales staff will be able to decide what they want to download to their tablets for showing to customers. "It can be hard to present videos streamed from the Internet if the Internet isn't all that great, even in Sweden, and in other countries we know that this is impos-
sible in many cases. Now we can show everything we like, and not just videos either. We can also download things such as product information and fact sheets." Of course, any data which hasn't been downloaded can still be presented if there's an Internet connection. Orders can also be recorded on these tablets and reported later. "We're making tablets the perfect sales aid," explains Strömgren.
Trade fairs show how it works engcon is aiming to reach out to new and existing customers by presenting the benefits of the world-leading tiltrotator at trade fairs all over the world. This picture shows engcon's system solution being presented at Conexpo 2014 in Las Vegas, one of the top three machine fairs in the world. This year's trade fair was one of the best ever, and there was enormous interest in the tiltrotator concept together with EC-Oil.
Conexpo in Las Vegas was a success for the tiltrotator concept.
Own sales companies all over the world The engcon group is represented via its own sales companies and partners all over the world. The aim is to continue to grow with successful customers both existing and new. To succeed, their objective is to be close to their customers. This is why the engcon group is participating in both Swedish and international trade fairs such as Bauma in Germany, Intermat in France and ConExpo in the USA.
Mählers and Drivex also market leaders Mählers was founded in 1895 and is a Nordic market leader in respect of year-round road maintenance. Mählers supplies complete equipment for trucks and road graders. Drivex, which is part of Mählers international, manufactures marketleading worktools for wheel loaders and tractors.
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The future
The future's bright. Founder Stig Engstrรถm is looking forward to a turnover of SEK two billion and establishment on markets in Asia and North America in ten years' time. "We'll also have operations there and maintain close cooperation with the major machine manufacturers," he says. At the same time, he doesn't believe in having major volume productions. "We won't survive on tiny margins where we fine-tune the final elements in production. It's more
Trainees important for the future Taking on trainees is an important element when it comes to meeting the future need for talented staff. We met one of the trainees accepted by all engcon group companies each year.
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important to be independent, dare to go all the way, maybe cut corners at times in order to make major progress with development and earn more money. But above all, it's more important to enjoy our jobs more than anyone else." He reckons the next three years will be exciting. "Focus on end users in Europe may have a major impact, and it feels as though things are really starting to take off now," reckons Stig Engström, founder and owner.
Emil Carlsson, who's studying industry at Hjalmar Strömerskolan, is doing some of his practical work experience at engcon, where his mentor, Morgan Engström, is seen here helping him assemble a machine. "Learning the trade is brilliant fun," says Emil.
EMIL CARLSSON is in his second year of
studying industry at Hjalmar Strömerskolan, and we meet him when he's doing his practical work experience. "It's interesting to try different things, and learning the trade is brilliant fun. I thought it looked really difficult at first, but it's going better and better now," he says. This is his second week with the company. He chose to study industry because he enjoys spending time in the workshop, fixing and repairing things. "I think this is a good place to do my
practical work experience," explains Emil Carlsson as he and his mentor work through assembly element by element with the help of the instruction cards. HIS MENTOR during his work experi-
ence is Morgan Engström. He's worked for engcon since 2008 and thinks there are plenty of benefits to being a mentor. One of them is the fact that explaining how a job is done sometimes makes people realise just what they actually do. "A lot of the students we get here are really good at asking questions and mak-
ing you think. And I think having to explain your job to others makes you even better at it." MORGAN ENGSTRÖM also realises what makes assembly work difficult. "A lot of people are in too much of a rush. It's important to follow the instructions fully and work calmly and methodically without stressing so that you do everything in the right order. Otherwise it's easy to leave things out, and then the job isn't done properly," he explains.
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The future
Handle with outstanding ergonomics The MIG2 (Microprop Grip 2) was devised by Microprop, which produced a complete and series-manufactured version. "In response to requirements for enhanced safety and increasing demands for more functions on today’s excavators, we’ve developed joysticks for maximum ergonomic benefit without foregoing any of the different functions the driver needs to control," says technician Roberth Jonsson, project manager at Microprop AB. The MIG2 can be fitted with three rollers and 7 buttons – a total of six rollers and 14 buttons on two joysticks. When used with the Microprop DC2 control system, all the rollers can be operated simultaneously. The joysticks were designed in collaboration with a number of contractors and a company specializing in industrial design, to keep maximum ergonomic benefit in focus. "Indeed, we enjoyed a truly great collaboration with the design company and our dedicated test pilots, the contractors, who did a fantastic job on the ergonomics," says Roberth Jonsson. The most outstanding feature in ergonomic terms is the combination of a highly grippable joystick that can be enhanced with what's known as a hand rest. This is an adjustable brace that fits against the back of the hand to support outward movements, which can be relatively strenuous when more than one joystick function is operated: this movement can cause repetitive strain injuries without the brace.
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Advanced control systems built with industry expertise Experience of industrial work is valuable, not least if you're going to work with development and programming. Microprop, part of the engcon group, produced control systems for engcon's tiltrotators. Roberth Jonsson is a project manager at the company. MICROPROP has devised products such as the new, infinitely variable proportional control system Microprop DC2 (Digging Control). Boom control and tracks or wheels can be controlled with this system, along with the rotor tilt. The machine operator can connect his smartphone to the system via Bluetooth. The phone then becomes an external display for system settings. Importantly, the Microprop DC2 is compliant with the new machine safety standard SS-EN ISO 13849-1. "We contribute specific expertise at engcon, with our knowledge of advanced control systems. We play a unique part within the group. We can be used as an investigative body for new products or services, but we can also devise products and services of our own which can be used by more than just the engcon group companies," says Roberth Jonsson. Everyone working at Microprop has studied at university or college, and they're all engineers. His own background is in industry, and he feels that's given him excellent experience.
"We all have our own specific expertise to contribute," says Robert Jonsson.
"There's a huge difference between understanding what things look like and how they work at companies in the manufacturing industry companies. A number of use working here have worked for industrial enterprises at some time." WHEN THEY WORK with development
and refinement of their control systems, their work directly with mechanics, designers and machine operators. They also carry out troubleshooting in the field, not just from their desks.
"Being out and about and meeting people who are going to fit or use the system, for example, helps us to come up with solutions more quickly. It also gives us an opportunity to explain why things work the way they do and what we were thinking. Swapping ideas is very useful when it comes to helping us develop even better systems." He reckons they wouldn't be able to develop such good products if they had no industry expertise or if they just sat at their desks all day. Roberth Jonsson studied technology at upper secondary school and then spent some time working as a machine operator, but he wanted to continue his studies. He now has an MSc in electronic design, and he explains that they're always looking for talented people. "Experience of the manufacturing industry, together with an MSc, is very handy to have. It's more important to find the right person than for people to have exactly the skills we're looking for. We can always adapt what we do according to the skills we have available to us," says Roberth Jonsson at Microprop.
“We often have to think outside” Matti Timgren studied industry at upper secondary school, specialising in automation. He spent some time working with automation at another industrial company. He's an electronics engineer and has also studied computer science.
"I love working for engcon. We always have to justify why we've done what we've done, and we often have to think outside the box. They give us tremendous freedom to work on our projects in the ways we think work best," he says.
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Framtid
Cooperation between schools, companies and municipalities is making it possible to employ more students, but students themselves are also acquiring a good foundation for further studies. "It's important for students to understand how important experience of industrial work is if they want to carry on studying," says Angelica Johannesson.
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Cooperation with schools results in ongoing development Cooperation between companies and schools is important so as to ensure that companies have talented people to employ in the longer term and to ensure that comCOMMUNITY, COMPANY, SCHOOL.
Three elements that have to work together to create good conditions over time. engcon allows one of its staff to coordinate the cooperation in order to gather together all these elements. Angelica Johannesson has worked for engcon for eight years, two of which have been spent working in a supervisory role, and she drove fork lift trucks before starting work as a coordinator. She's now based at Hjalmar Strömerskolan, which is an upper secondary school in Strömsund with a technical college which offers industrial technology and technology courses. "The companies have a major part to play in ensuring that these courses turn out well, and the industrial companies in Strömsund are extremely committed." She explains that they never have problems finding placements for students or mentors at the companies. One important element of her work with companies involves learning what
“ It's important to engage their interest at a young age. I've met more than 120 students and explained to them what I do at an industrial company. One of the tasks we performed involved making bridges out of straws.” Angelica Johannesson the students need to know so as to make them employable once they finish school. They might do courses on fork lift truck operation or deal with work where sparks are given off or heat is generated, known as "hot work".
"Schools then have to take on board what's needed and adapt the courses they offer. This works well here." SHE ALSO COORDINATES study visits
for adolescents and classes of younger students as well. "It's important to engage their interest at a young age. I've met more than 120 students and explained to them what I do at an industrial company. "One of the tasks we performed involved making bridges out of straws." According to Angelica, it's also important to show students what pro fessions are available at the companies, and how many different ones, so that they understand the scope available to them. "And it's also important for students to understand that they can start working directly after leaving upper secondary or use the things they've learned to carry on their studies at college or university," says Angelica Johannesson.
Award-winning design by technology students First year students studying technology at Hjalmar Strömerskolan in Strömsund won the award at Svenska gymnasiemästerskapen för uppfinnare, the Swedish Upper Secondary Championships for Inventors.
First year students studying technology at Hjalmar Strömerskolan won an award in the Blixtlåset competition for inventors, part of the Technology 1 course for these students. These students developed a product from concept to full prototype. Some of the projects required assistance from students and teachers on the industry programme, who worked on the basis of the drawings done by the
technology students to manufacture some of the prototypes. The LifeCare project, an electrical socket with a builtin USB port for simpler charging of USB devices, came third in the regional final, while the Wet Away! project came first. Wet Away! is a cleverly designed drying rack for ice skates and ice hockey gloves which saves space while also permitting more efficient drying.
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Work at one of Sweden's most successful companies engcon is now a large corporate group with operations in a number of countries around the world. The Group includes companies working with component manufacture, sales, industrial production and properties. We are also partowners of a number of companies focusing on industry, such as welding and steel cutting. We work with the Mählers, engcon and Drivex brands.
are equally high quality and have maintained a good reputation on the market for many years. Our component manufacture work often includes parts for the Group's own production, although a large proportion is also for companies outside of the Group. Our own production companies are engcon Component in Strömsund, Sweden, and engcon Poland Spzoo in Poznan, Poland.
We have sales companies in Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Germany. We also have a company based in Sweden that works with other international sales. Outside of the Nordic region, we are actively involved in the challenge of introducing the Tiltrotator concept, which acts as a type of wrist for excavators (see engcon. com/concept for more information).
Due to our constant growth since launching operations in 1990, we are always looking for leading-edge expertise within all of our areas. We work actively with equal opportunities and personnel issues, and are sensitive to our employees' wishes and opinions. We hold environmental certification according to the ISO 9001 & 14001 standards.
We demonstrate our products, take part in trade fairs and displays, and conduct active customer visits all over Europe. In the Nordic region, we focus on sales via dealers as well as on cultivating and maintaining good customer relations.
Examples of positions we normally advertise include: - Fitters - Designers - Specialists
In addition to Tiltrotator and other accessories for excavators, the companies also sells road maintenance tools for trucks and road graders (Mählers) as well as tractors and wheel loaders (Drivex). These ranges include various ploughs, buckets and other tools. All
Are you the person who can give us that little bit extra, and do you want join engcon as we head into the future? Please don't hesitate to contact us! Call the switchboard and ask for our Personnel Manager.
Find us on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/engcon | www.mahlers.se/facebook | www.drivex.se/facebook
engcon Box 111, SE-833 22 Strömsund, Sweden Tel. +46 (0)670-178 00 | E-mail info@engcon.com | www.engcon.com