Stories 2022.01.13
Backers with a mind-blowing track record
The backing of Altor, NOD’s ultimate owner, promises one thing: NOD companies will get a bespoke management and board – customized for all the needs of each company. NOD’s own board has extensive experience in digital, international growth – and in many cases for design brands.
“Most companies struggle with the same thing – to get beyond the market they were born in,” says Andreas Källström-Säfweräng, Partner at Altor and Head of Consumer Sector. “We need to give them extra support in adding new skills and ways of working, without it affecting the culture or DNA of where they come from.”
Charged for the future
A recent example is CTEK, a battery charging company born in the deep woods of Dalarna, Sweden. After ten years of ownership, CTEK is now the number one player in the world in many segments, and the company is growing rapidly on the tail-end of electric vehicle growth.
“It was a blast to partner with CTEK,” Källström-Säfweräng continues. “They still have the same company DNA with the same traditions, inventor mindset and history attached to their home in Dalarna, but they are now significantly larger. They are also now listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange.”
Growing 10x in five years
RevolutionRace is another fascinating example. During Altor’s five years of ownership, the outdoor clothing company went from annual sales of 100 MSEK to 1 BSEK – and with a very healthy profit margin.
“The founders of RevolutionRace are one of a kind. They know their business and potential better than most and Pernilla Nyrensten as CEO of the company has built one of the strongest teams in Nordic Ecommerce,” Källström Säfweräng explains. “We added competencies to the Board, had a lively and passionate dialogue about the road forward, and now we have not only successfully listed the company on the Stock Exchange, but we also have the first female founder CEO ever on the main market.”
Today there is great excitement about what the NOD companies can accomplish on their growth paths. Several of the brands have already shown how Scandinavian design is built for a larger market. What will the stories be a few years from now?