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Brexit will not disrupt growth – Swegon MD
The UK’s decision to leave the EU next year brings uncertainty and volatility, but it also brings opportunity, according to the new MD of Swegon Group UK&I
R
obin Vollert, who has now taken over as head of the Swegon businesses in the UK & Ireland from retiring industry veteran Kevin Munson,
says Brexit will not divert the company from its long- term plan to grow its presence in the UK. “We are not discouraged by Brexit,” says Mr
Vollert. “Of course it creates some uncertainty and that is never a good thing for business, but equally it creates other opportunities. In any case, we are ready to deal with it and our investments show that we are fully committed to the UK.” The UK construction and property markets are volatile with a significant dip likely this year in commercial new-build activity, according to recent figures from the Construction Products Association. It predicts “flat growth at best” in 2018, partly as a result of the collapse of Carillion and a decline in public housing repair work, but it also predicts a 6.3% rise in infrastructure work. Office construction is expected to fall by 15% in 2018 and 10% in 2019, but Mr Vollert is not overly concerned. “Swegon Group UK&I is well-positioned in most
areas of the commercial market,” he says. “Uncertainty tends to reduce investment from developers, but then that can lead to more spending on refurbishment where we are also strong. Our success will depend more on our own performance. “Brexit will not change our plans. We are focussed on long-term, sustainable growth.”
Presence
The Swegon Group strategy is built around locally- based manufacturing and a strong presence in its key markets – and that will also help with Brexit, Mr Vollert believes.
“Companies looking to import products into the UK may face challenges, so it is bound to be an advantage that we are based here and have strong knowledge leadership in this market. We are
12 May 2018
Swedish owned, but we have six sites in the UK. “It is the Swegon business model to be based in
our key markets with local manufacturing and local product lines backed by technical development tailored for the local market.” Swegon Group is looking to continue its international expansion with a focus on key European geographies while continuing to be a leading global player in HVAC and indoor climate, contributing to improved indoor environmental quality (IEQ). Its parent is the multi-national investment company AB Latour, which specialises in growing established engineering businesses and takes a long-term approach by investing in expansion and acquisition. In 2016, Swegon acquired the businesses
contained under the Ruskin Air Management umbrella and Mr Vollert is looking to continue to grow in the years ahead. The former Ruskin brands Actionair, Air Diffusion, and Naco now operate alongside Swegon’s previous UK business, as Swegon Air Management. Since the acquisition, the group has also launched a new air filtration business called Airfiltrera as well as acquiring the Safegard Systems damper control specialist based in Ireland. These all now fall under the Swegon UK &
Ireland umbrella, which already contained the existing Swegon UK chillers, service, hire and air handling unit businesses. Swegon AB is one of Europe’s largest energy efficient ventilation and climate systems manufacturers, well known for its acclaimed Gold air handling units. Its existing 12 production plants in Sweden, Finland, Belgium, Italy, India, and North America were augmented by the addition of the two Swegon Air Management plants in Whitstable, Kent and Bridgnorth, Shropshire. The global group employs almost 2,000 staff and has an extensive product portfolio that includes: fire and smoke dampers; air handling
Swegon Group’s MD Robin Vollert
units; waterborne climate systems; air diffusers; chillers; heat pumps; data centre cooling; and highly advanced demand-controlled ventilation. It also provides acoustic sound attenuation systems. “We have the funding and management support to move forward and achieve our growth plans – and there may well be more acquisitions to come,” says Mr Vollert. “We have strong positions in the Nordic region and now see big opportunities to build from that base to drive international expansion and increase market share in key European geographies including the UK and Ireland.” Mr Vollert spent 16 years with IMI’s indoor climate division before joining Swegon in 2013. He is a member of the international group’s main board and will now be based in London. He had already been working with Mr Munson
for a year so has good knowledge of the UK and Ireland business.
Influential
“We already have great amounts of experience and product knowledge in our UK and Ireland teams. I bring additional skills to the job and will focus on the wider, commercial growth of the business.” Swedish management culture likes to push decision making further down the line, according to Mr Vollert. “We tend to have a flatter, more democratic structure and we believe in empowering people and giving them greater autonomy. However, with that comes accountability. Our business values are all about trust and delivery – we live and die by that. “We invest in people and we trust them based on what they deliver. We find that the best people flourish in that environment and enjoy the greater autonomy. The UK and Ireland will play an important part in the growth of the whole group with opportunities to extend existing product lines into new markets as well as consolidating in the areas
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