Despite the economic situation in the wake of the corona crisis, Optronic is bucking the trend with production at full speed.
Optronic has recruited staff for the sales department, strengthened R&D with senior positions and has also increased staffing in the production unit to meet increased demand.
“This is very satisfying and proof that our offer is spot on,” says sales and marketing manager Mikael Westergren.
While the economic effects of the Corona pandemic have had a serious impact on many sectors and companies, Optronic, with its head office in Skellefteå and a branch office in Stockholm, has bucked the trend with a strong first half of the year.
“We have great respect for the current pandemic; these are challenging times and we’ve worked hard to manage the situation, but above all, this is a sign that we’ve been doing the right things all along. During its 40 years, Optronic has lived through a number of economic downturns and crises, yet we remained the reliable partner we seek to be for our customers. Ours is a broad offering and we do business in an industry with a future,” says Mikael.
Gaining ground in new areas
One of Optronic’s strengths is a product range whose customers are in different industrial fields such as automation, security, logistics, agriculture, foodstuffs and medical technology.
“Not all sectors have had to cut back, some have been able to keep on going while others have even expanded, which has been valuable to us. But we naturally also have customers who, in the beginning of the pandemic, postponed their forecasts as the world economy slowed, and that is understandable,” says Mikael.
Our offer to product companies consists of development services, prototype manufacturing, industrialisation and series production. Mikael notes a strong demand in the new technology fields where Optronic is gaining ground.
“The self-driving vehicle or driver support sector is an example where technical development is advancing through the technology and know-how that we offer. What’s more, the automation that replaces complex or monotonous operations in production lines with robots, is expanding rapidly,” says Mikael.
“Customers have their foot on the gas again”
In order to meet the increased order intake, Optronic has hired additional production personnel and strengthened its R&D department.
“Recruiting key skills while investing in new equipment and new premises to further broaden our offering is the right thing to do. We already note that our existing customers are stepping on the gas again, and some are even overtaking their original forecasts. These signs are particularly pleasing in times like these,” says Mikael.
Last winter, Optronic took the decision to open a sales office in Finland, but the commitment was postponed due to Finland’s measures to prevent the spread of the corona virus. Finland has now eased the restrictions and opened the border with Sweden again.
“It’s a conscious investment, and growth is still our explicit strategy. We see great opportunities in Finland, but understandably, marketing to new customers has been difficult. We now have an opportunity to present Optronic’s offering in an exciting market,” says Mikael.
