The first six months of the year

Christian Hallberg, Tempcon Group’s CEO, sums up the first six months of the year after we finally got out of two pandemic years but ended up in a situation where the ongoing war in Ukraine affects our everyday lives in many ways.

You can also watch the interview in Swedish on our YouTube channel HERE.

We have now finally reached some form of new normal after the pandemic. Looking back on the past two years, how well do you think Tempcon has managed?
We have above all seen a negative impact on our companies, which are dependent on customers in hotels and restaurants as well as cross-border trade, especially in periods of uncertainty regarding regulations for opening hours for restaurants and also national borders. It has been difficult to plan the business. This has clearly had a negative economic impact on these companies.

But we have many talented entrepreneurs in our companies who are used to making quick decisions and acting even in challenging situations. Several key people have stepped forward and taken great responsibility, not only for their own business but also for others. This has strengthened the entire Tempcon family.

Planned efficiencies have also been implemented more quickly, which is of course also positive.

2021 was a year in which several large company acquisitions were made. How do you think these have come into the Tempcon family?
Very good I think. It is a process of adapting to each other. We all have different backgrounds and histories that are to be joined together into a common corporate culture. It is not something that comes by itself but takes time and you have to work actively with it. We are getting better all the time and we are currently working on a project called Tempcon Together to create a greater understanding of each other and achieve a better collaboration both within the companies but also between the companies in the group. Tempcon Together is about developing the corporate culture and establishing our common values ​​throughout the Group.

During the late winter and spring, there have been some changes around the subsidiaries, some of which have been consolidated with other subsidiaries. What was it that led to this change?
We have seen that we can run the operations more efficiently and more profitably by having some of the smaller companies enter a larger context and merge with some of the larger companies. This has happened in Ljungby, Linköping and in Gothenburg with B Andersson. The effects of this have been very positive. We can see that already now.

Now that some time has passed with the new company constellations, did it turn out as you planned?
Yes, it has gone very well. I am impressed by the great responsibility that several of our leading employees have taken in this structural change. We have managed to retain the important customer assignments, but we run the operations much more efficiently. This means a sharp improvement in profitability without affecting customers with price increases.

Around the turn of the year, you said that the rate of acquisition would decrease somewhat this year compared with 2021 and that more acquisitions within Sweden were not likely. What does the future hold for more acquisitions for Tempcon?
There may be minor supplementary acquisitions in Sweden as well. But the other Nordic countries are of course interesting in the next step. At present, however, we focus on consolidating our operations in Sweden by working with the development of organization and processes.

What are the plans for the group in the coming years?
I would like to remind you that we are also growing organically and not just through acquisitions. We have been very successful in the market and managed to grow both with existing but also with new customers. I think that guarantees a bright future.

With commitment and credibility, we will succeed together!