45-year-old factory in Emtunga celebrates 10 years as Swedish Modules
Interview with Sven Lans, one of its founders
29 January 2009 was a special day for us. It marked the establishment of Swedish Modules, following Pharmadule i Emtunga’s decision to relocate its entire production of modular pharmaceutical factories to Estonia. Alongside Svante Andersson, Sven Lans and Joachim Stomberg, both of whom worked at Pharmadule, decided to start up Swedish Modules and continue production of modular structures, bringing with them 13 of their former employees.
A lot has happened since then, and Swedish Modules is today proud to deliver unique and complex modular structures such as operating theatres and datacenters. Over the years, the company has delivered upwards of 3,500 top quality modules to more than 30 countries from its factory in Emtunga.
What have these 10 years been like? Any highlights?
“Wow! There are so many to choose from. One of the best things is the wonderful entrepreneurial spirit and corporate culture which runs through in the company. We have fantastic, knowledgeable employees who are really loyal and truly united,” says Lans. “Our employees are our most important asset, and we want them to feel like there’s nowhere they’d rather work.”
“The production of operating theatres is another highlight. The development process began in 2010 in partnership with specialists within orthopaedic surgery. And with the concept now established on the Swedish market, international expansion is on the horizon. It’s great that we have the expertise and ability to deliver safe, secure solutions for our critical societal infrastructure.”
“I’m also proud that we’ve now taken the step towards investing in modular constructed datacenters. Recruitment of specialist expertise in the field has allowed us to pursue strategic investments in an exciting area which simply keeps on growing,” he adds.
What gives you the drive to keep moving forward?
“It’s an adventure! Going to work every day is a joy. We may work with advanced technology, but it’s the people that make it worthwhile – not the machines. I feel a sense of loyalty to the company and its employees, as well as Emtunga. I’ve never thought of myself as an entrepreneur, but because of a decision I made 10 years ago, I’ve become one. It’s been a challenging journey, with hard work and difficult decisions along the way, but we a have brilliant team who have delivered results at every level. It’s definitively been worth it. I’m proud of what we achieve working together.”
What is the biggest different between 2009 and the present day?
“The organisation. When we started up, our team had production expertise and knew the industry. And now we’ve grown – both in terms of our workforce and our volume of functions and resources. Another key difference is that we now have a greater operational focus, giving us a clearer profile on the market and more control over our own business.”
Looking 10 years ahead, what do you see on the horizon?
“We’ve spent the last 10 years developing the company. The next 10 will be about growth. There is a major need to support critical societal functions both in Sweden and overseas, where we’re set to play an important role in future. In 10 years’ time, we hope to be a firmly established company which delivers datacenters all over the world, with operating theatres in Europe and the Nordics – or maybe even further afield.”
For more information, please contact
Sven Lans
Site Manager
+46 (0)705 48 99 55
sven.lans@swedishmodules.com