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The family company from Nyland that has become a world leader on the global market. MINT meets Nina Thelin, who has now taken on the role of CEO, with ultimate responsibility for the Stringo vehicle mover.
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20 Family company MAX started with a sausage stand in Gällivare, Sweden. 32 The photographer who took his dog team and embarked on a different journey. 36 But we flew anyway. The entrepreneurs who trust the ice.
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MINT is a Norrland business magazine and Norrtåg’s onboard train magazine. MINT is also sent out to companies and locations throughout northern Sweden
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foremost in moving Text: Malin Wiklund Photo: Peder Sundström
This is the story of a current CEO and an incoming CEO. Of a father and a daughter. In addition, it is a success story that shows that it is possible to become a world leader in Nyland, a town of about 1,000 residents. We’re sounding out family company Famek and the Stringo vehicle mover as Nina Thelin moves from the role of deputy CEO to taking over ultimate responsibility from Göran Fahlén.
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GÖRAN FOUNDED FAMEK IN the mid-1980s – at that time as a mechanical
subcontractor for the region’s industry and a supplier of industrial doors and steel structures. After a few years, an acquaintance of Göran’s strode into a car showroom in Härnösand to purchase a new Mercedes. It took three men and a lot of time to move the car out of the showroom. That experience gave rise to the concept of a tow tractor that could move vehicles indoors – and thus also ultimately to Stringo. The first vehicle mover named Stringo saw the light of day at the end of the 1980s, and at Famek there were high hopes of success with Swedish car showrooms. Unfortunately it was not to be. “We were about to give up when we received a call from Germany. It was a Swedish guy who had read about Stringo in a German trade magazine and
I stayed with dad after school and worked here during the summer and at other times for pocket money. So, of course, I've spent plenty of time here, but we never spoke about me taking a role in the company more long term. wanted to visit us when he went home to Skellefteå over Christmas in 1993. The result of that visit was that he became a sales agent for us in Germany – but I can’t say I was expecting that much,” says Göran with a laugh. Six months later, when Göran Fahlén was on a caravan holiday with his family, the guy from Germany called again. This time with good news. “He had sold two Stringos to BMW and one to Audi. I couldn’t believe my ears! It turned out that the major customers were in the automotive industry – and what customers!” With BMW and Audi as developing reference customers and a twenty-year patent, Stringo took a big leap forward on the market. A leap that the company has been managing ever since. GÖRAN’S DAUGHTER NINA was in the caravan when that call came from Germany.
She remembers the happiness and the breakthrough with joy and pride. But at that time, as an eleven year old, vehicle movers played no part in her plans. “I stayed with dad after school and worked here during the summer and at other times for pocket money. So, of course, I've spent plenty of time here, but we never spoke about me taking a role in the company more long term,” says Nina. However, Nina started to have other thoughts in connection with her university studies in the HR field. “When I was studying business administration and law, it struck me that I was applying everything I was learning at Famek. I needed to see the company from the outside to see it’s amazing potential. My dad and I started to discuss things we wanted to change and I saw opportunities to contribute, which has always been important to me.” Nina chose to move home after graduation and become part of the
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Although we have a huge head start in the market, it’s important that we never rest on our laurels. Nor is that in my nature. I’m passionate about always improving and developing our business together with the staff.
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Göran Fahlén (centre) is pleased that both his children have chosen to spend their time at and commit to the family company. Son Johan (right) has been responsible for production for some time now and daughter Nina (left) is now taking over as CEO.
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company in earnest in 2007. Since then, she has taken on ever greater responsibility and on 1 January 2015, she took over as the new CEO of Famek. “I feel completely comfortable handing over the CEO post to Nina,” says Göran. “She has a clear line for what she wants and how she'll get there. In addition, Nina has both a great interest and a talent for getting people in the organisation to work together in the best way.” Göran himself is now reducing his work and is looking forward to getting to spend more time with his grandchildren, who are his greatest joy. During a transition period, he will remain at the company as a Special Advisor within areas such as product development and technical support. largely revolves around retaining the company’s position as the world leader by always striving to be better and building the brand for the long term. She believes that is the key to growth. “Although we have a huge head start in the market, it’s important that we never rest on our laurels. Nor is that in my nature. I’m passionate about always improving and developing our business together with the staff. In terms of marketing, we have only just scratched the surface, and we’re now going to put a lot of effort into building the Stringo brand globally.” Is it not difficult competing on the world market from a small town in Ångermanland? “We focus on what we can change and the place is where it is. We now have a salesperson in Gothenburg who can take meetings in Europe at short notice. Both flight and trains are only five minutes away, so the world is closer than you might think.” Nina Thelin is now moving ahead with the attitude that entrepreneurship is something that should feel close to your heart. She cares about the existing spirit of the company where everyone is equal, and where success is everyone’s success. “The strength of this team is enormous and nothing can stop us when we all work together on a challenge. Regardless of what position our employees work in and where in the world they are, everyone is equally valuable in efforts to create the world’s best vehicle mover.” NINA’S CLEAR LINE
STRINGO Famek is responsible for the development, design and production of the industry-leading vehicle mover Stringo. Today, Stringo is used in over 40 countries to move luxury cars, family estate cars, trucks, wrecked vehicles and clay models. Famek has 15 employees in Nyland, a salesperson in Gothenburg, seven employees at subsidiaries in the USA and India, plus a network of dealers in 19 countries.
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