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2015-01-30

Örnalp Unozon again locally owned

When some island businesses are bought by owners in other cities and countries, others are bought back. Örnalp Unozon AB started in Örnsköldsvik and is now, after a few twists and turns, once again owned by an Ö-vik resident.

The company Unozon was founded in Örnsköldsvik as early as 1939. Then, as now, the business was sheet metal working. Many years later, in 1993, Örnalp started as a company, but the experience of manufacturing in aluminum dates back to the 1960s when the company was owned by Hägglund and Sons.

In 1999, Permascand’s titanium operations in Örnsköldsvik were added to Örnalp. In 2007, Vinovo acquired both companies, which from 2008 were merged and named Örnalp Unozon AB. Last year, it was time for a change of ownership again.

– A decision had been taken in Vinovo’s board that this branch would be phased out, says Leif Lundgren, who was site manager at the time. I guess they didn’t believe in the business anymore.

But Leif did, and made a winning bid for the shares. Since the beginning of the year, he has been the owner of the company he has worked for since 2009.

– I think being locally owned means a lot for the feeling of those who work. Decision-making will be close and employees cannot be seen as someone who can be replaced at will. Then I believe in the Swedish process industry in general,” says Leif and explains that he has worked in industry in Örnsköldsvik since he graduated from Chalmers University of Technology.

– “This particular company is in a segment where we are looking for customers who have extreme demands for complicated products and services,” says Leif, guiding us around the special products.

Like the 30-meter-high stainless steel spirits column for Sekab planned to replace the current one that passers-by can see sticking up through the roof. A similar tower, but in titanium, has been ordered for a pulp mill in the Czech Republic and is being welded into the large facility that was recently expanded by 500 to 4,000 square meters. A special machine with roller benches and a plasma robot capable of welding cylinders up to 5.5 meters in diameter is in the works to complement the old one, which can handle a maximum diameter of 3.5 meters. Otherwise, there is not much investment in equipment. The company’s expertise is in other things.

– There is no value for us to have an automatic machine because we rarely do the same thing more than once. “If you never get two pieces in a row that look the same, the benefits of automation disappear,” says Leif and continues.

– We do a lot of work in titanium and it’s that handling and expertise that sets us apart. The guys who work here are the best in the world at it. It would never be possible to make this stuff without these people. Everyone says it, but that’s because it’s true; the success of any business lies in what its people can do.

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